Roll And Pitch of the Rider’s Pelvis During Horseback Riding at Walk on a Circle.

The research focuses on the variation in rider’s pelvic motion in terms of roll (side to side movement) and pitch (forward and backward movement) while riding horses in different circumstances. Significant differences are noticed among riders and the study suggests that these individual patterns tend to persist across different horses and exercises.

Methodology

• The study involved ten horses and five riders, who rode on both left and right 10m circles.
• The riders wore an inertial measurement unit (IMU), attached to their pelvis, that recorded data at a frequency of 100 Hz.
• These riders rode the horses in three different walking variations: without rein contact, with rein contact, and with moderate collection.
• Pelvic roll and pitch data were then divided into strides based on the data received from IMU-sensors positioned on the horse’s hind cannons.

Data Analysis

• The collected data were analyzed by dividing the signal into the fundamental frequency (stride frequency) and its first two harmonics.
• Mixed models accounting for the walking type were used to understand differences in riders’ roll and pitch pelvic motion.
• The analysis was done by comparing amplitudes of the frequency components and comparing whole stride mean data.

Results

• The study found significant timing and amplitude differences between riders in terms of pelvic pitch.
• The timing of the pelvic roll was seen to be similar among riders, but the amplitude differed significantly.
• The study also observed that individual rider patterns tend to be consistent across different horses and all the different types of exercises.

Conclusions

• The findings of the study suggest that exercises at walk can be performed with different timing for pelvic pitch, a fact that has previously not been discussed in equestrian literature.
• The study does not, however, investigate or confirm if the timing of the pelvic pitch affects the performance of the horse.