The cost of transport in an extended trot.
Abstract: We hypothesised that trotters during an extended trot have lower energetic costs of locomotion (CT) than horses not bred for this behaviour. VO2 was measured as a function of speed in 7 Arabian horses (3 trained to extend their trotting speeds) and in 2 horses, of similar mass, bred to trot (Hackney). Both oxygen consumption and CT increased with speed and there was, contrary to our hypothesis, no difference between breeds. In Arabians at 6.5 m/s, CT had increased 25% above the CT at 5.0 m/s (normal transition speed). For Hackneys at 6.8 m/s, the CT was almost 35% higher. Stride frequencies increased linearly in all horses up to 5.0 m/s. At the canter at 5.0 m/s, the frequency increased 9% to 111 strides/min, but then increased minimally with speed. In the Hackneys and the Arabians that extended the trot, stride frequencies were approximately 102 and did not increase with speed. Stride length (SL) increased linearly with speed in both trotting and cantering horses, and cantering SL were lower than trotting (at 5.0 m/s, SL for trotting = 3.04 m and for cantering SL = 2.68 m). There were no differences between breeds in stride frequency or stride length. Extending the trot can have profound energetic requirements that could limit athletic performance and may lead to increased concussive impact on the limbs.
Publication Date: 2002-10-31 PubMed ID: 12405672DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2002.tb05404.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
Summary
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The research article is about the study of the energetic costs of locomotion (CT) in horses during an extended trot. The findings debunked the hypothesis that trotters have lower CT than horses not specifically bred for trotting.
Study Hypothesis and Measurements
- The research started with a hypothesis that trotters during an extended trot would have a lower energetic cost of locomotion (CT) compared to horses that aren’t specifically bred for this behavior.
- To test the hypothesis, the research tracked and calculated VO2 (oxygen consumption) in relation to speed in seven Arabian horses – three of which were trained for extended trotting – and two Hackney horses, a breed known for trotting, with a similar mass for comparison.
Findings and Contradictions
- The study found that both oxygen consumption and CT increased with increasing speed, but contrary to the initial hypothesis, there wasn’t any significant difference between the different breeds of horses.
- For example, in Arabians at a speed of 6.5 m/s, the CT increased by 25% compared to 5.0 m/s, the normal transition speed. For Hackneys at the speed of 6.8 m/s, the CT increased by almost 35% higher than the norm.
Stride Analysis
- The study also observed that stride frequencies increased linearly in all horses up to a speed of 5.0 m/s. Above this speed, the stride frequency increased minimally. The canter scored 111 strides/min, a 9% rise from the trot.
- On the other hand, for the Hackneys and the Arabians that extend the trot, stride frequencies were steady at approximately 102 strides/min, regardless of speed.
Stride Length (SL) Observations
- SL increased linearly with speed in both trotting and cantering horses. At 5.0 m/s, the SL for trotting was 3.04m while the canting SL was slightly lower at 2.68m.
- Furthermore, no significant differences were identified between the breeds in terms of stride frequency or stride length.
Effects of Extended Trot
- According to the research, extending the trot could vastly increase the energetic requirements, potentially affecting the horse’s athletic performance and possibly causing increased concussive impact on the limbs.
Cite This Article
APA
Wickler SJ, Hoyt DF, Cogger EA, McGuire R.
(2002).
The cost of transport in an extended trot.
Equine Vet J Suppl(34), 126-130.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2002.tb05404.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Research Center and Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona 91768, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Breeding
- Exercise Test / veterinary
- Female
- Forelimb / anatomy & histology
- Forelimb / physiology
- Gait / genetics
- Gait / physiology
- Hindlimb / anatomy & histology
- Hindlimb / physiology
- Horses / genetics
- Horses / physiology
- Linear Models
- Locomotion / genetics
- Locomotion / physiology
- Male
- Oxygen Consumption / physiology
- Random Allocation
- Sports
Grant Funding
- 1S06GM53933 / NIGMS NIH HHS
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- de Graaf-Roelfsema E, Veldhuis PP, Keizer HA, van Ginneken MM, van Dam KG, Johnson ML, Barneveld A, Menheere PP, van Breda E, Wijnberg ID, van der Kolk JH. Overtrained horses alter their resting pulsatile growth hormone secretion. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2009 Aug;297(2):R403-11.
- Shafiee M, Bellegarda G, Ijspeert A. Viability leads to the emergence of gait transitions in learning agile quadrupedal locomotion on challenging terrains. Nat Commun 2024 Apr 9;15(1):3073.
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