Speed dependency of motion pattern consistency.

The study discusses the impact of varying treadmill speeds on the consistency of horses’ trotting patterns for equine lameness analysis. The research seeks to establish an ‘optimum’ trotting speed for each horse to ensure reliable and precise measurements.

Objective of the study

• The primary objective of this research was to establish an individual optimum trotting speed for each horse to accurately quantify lameness. This is crucial to ensure the precision and reproducibility of the measurements taken during equine motion analysis.

Methodology

• The researchers evaluated the stability of a horse’s gait pattern by calculating the standard deviation (S.D.) of motion-cycle speed (MCS). This was done for eighteen horses analysed at several different speeds.
• The ExpertVision System (from the Motion Analysis Corporation), was used to gather measurements every 3 km per hour, from the lowest to the highest individual trotting speed for each horse.
• The researchers then compared the standard deviation of the motion-cycle speed and the asymmetry of the vertical head motion at the different speeds. The objective was to find the speed where the standard deviation was the smallest, indicating the most consistent motion pattern.

Findings

• The study found that motion asymmetry was at its maximum where the standard deviation was the smallest. In simpler terms, when the trotting speed provided the most consistent motion patterns (the ‘optimum’ speed), the horse’s head was moving up and down unevenly the most.
• In twelve out of the eighteen horses tested, this ‘optimum’ speed was found in the middle of the individual horse’s trotting speed range. In the remaining six horses, the ‘optimum’ speed was their maximum speed.

Significance

• The research introduces a method to determine an optimum trotting speed to increase the accuracy of equine lameness analysis. This makes a significant contribution to motion analysis in equine veterinary science by making results more reproducible and treatments more effective.