The effect of racetrack design on gait symmetry of the pacer.
Abstract: A survey of a western Canadian racetrack determined the superelevation and transition curves to be less than the cited design standards. High-speed cinematography was used to film seven Standardbred pacers as they proceeded around one curve of the track at racing speed and for each horse 19 temporal stride parameters were obtained from these films using a film analyzer system. Average velocities were calculated and the mean stride length was found to vary from 5.08 m to 5.77 m. In all frames analyzed the hind foot was observed to contact the track surface prior to the ipsilateral forefoot and all horses displayed significant (p less than 0.05) contralateral asymmetry of some temporal stride parameters. Fifteen temporal stride parameters were significantly different (p less than 0.05) when compared between horses but only three temporal stride parameters were significantly different (p less than 0.05) when their values were compared between segments of the curved portions of the track. It is suggested that temporal gait asymmetry should not be used to judge the standards of racetrack design.
Publication Date: 1984-10-01 PubMed ID: 6509365PubMed Central: PMC1236088
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research focuses on studying the impact of racetrack design on the gait symmetry of racing horses, concluding that gait asymmetry should not be used to judge the quality of racetrack design.
Objective
The primary aim of this study is to see how the design of a racetrack influences the gait symmetry exhibited by racing horses, particularly Standardbred pacers. The researchers wanted to identify if there was any significant relationship between the construction of the racing track and the stride parameters of these horses.
Methods
- The study was carried out at a Western Canadian racetrack, which was found to have less superelevation and transition curves than cited design standards.
- The researchers filmed seven Standardbred pacers with high-speed cinematography while they were racing around one curve of the racetrack at their regular racing speed.
- Nineteen temporal stride parameters were observed for each horse using a film analyzer system.
- Average velocities were calculated and the mean stride length for each horse was measured, which ranged from 5.08 m to 5.77 m.
Findings
- All horses displayed a consistent pattern where the hind foot was observed to contact the race track surface before the ipsilateral forefoot.
- All horses showed significant contralateral asymmetry in some of their stride parameters.
- Out of the total of 19 stride parameters, fifteen were found to significantly vary among the different horses.
- Only three stride parameters were found to significantly vary between different segments of the curved portions of the track.
Conclusion
The researchers concluded that temporal gait asymmetry should not be used as a standard to judge the design of a racetrack, as most of the temporal stride parameters were not affected significantly by different parts of the racetrack, but rather varied more distinctly between different horses. They suggest that temporal gait asymmetry is more likely an inherent characteristic of the individual horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Crawford WH, Leach DH.
(1984).
The effect of racetrack design on gait symmetry of the pacer.
Can J Comp Med, 48(4), 374-380.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Facility Design and Construction
- Gait
- Horses / physiology
- Motion Pictures
- Running
References
This article includes 8 references
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- Cheney JA, Shen CK, Wheat JD. Relationship of racetrack surface to lameness in the thoroughbred racehorse.. Am J Vet Res 1973 Oct;34(10):1285-9.
- Pratt GW Jr, O'Connor JT Jr. A relationship between gait and breakdown in the horse.. Am J Vet Res 1978 Feb;39(2):249-53.
- Gabel AA. Diagnosis, relative incidence, and probable cause of cunean tendon bursitis-tarsitis of Standardbred horses.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1979 Nov 15;175(10):1079-85.
- Drevemo S, Dalin G, Fredricson I, Hjertén G. Equine locomotion; 1. The analysis of linear and temporal stride characteristics of trotting standardbreds.. Equine Vet J 1980 Apr;12(2):60-5.
- Drevemo S, Dalin G, Fredricson I, Björne K. Equine locomotion: 3. The reproducibility of gait in standardbred trotters.. Equine Vet J 1980 Apr;12(2):71-3.
- Fredricson I, Drevemo S. A new method of investigating equine locomotion.. Equine Vet J 1971 Oct;3(4):137-40.
- Drevemo S, Fredricson I, Dalin G, Björne K. Equine locomotion: 2. The analysis of coordination between limbs of trotting standardbreds.. Equine Vet J 1980 Apr;12(2):66-70.
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Halley SE, Bey MJ, Haladik JA, Lavagnino M, Arnoczky SP. Three dimensional, radiosteriometric analysis (RSA) of equine stifle kinematics and articular surface contact: a cadaveric study. Equine Vet J 2014 May;46(3):364-9.
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