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Home / Equine Research Bank / Heliyon / The impact of teaching approach on horse and rider biomechan...
Heliyon2025; 11(2); e41947; doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e41947

The impact of teaching approach on horse and rider biomechanics during riding lessons.

Abstract: Riding relies on embodied and practical knowledge and is predominantly taught during practical lessons. Effective teaching is dependent on relevant instructions and evaluation from the riding teacher or trainer. The aim was to investigate how riding instructions affect horse and rider motion and rein tension during transitions between walk and trot. Two Swedish (S1, S2) and two Norwegian (N1, N2) riding teachers, and five riders per location participated. Each rider rode two horses, 40 lessons total. Videos, horse and rider kinematics and rein tension were recorded. The teachers were interviewed, teacher-student interactions were analysed using conversation analysis. Biomechanical data were analysed in mixed models. S1 and N2 spent about a third of their lessons preparing the students while S2 and N1 began with straight-line walk-trot transitions early on. With S1 and N2, maximum rein tension before and during down-transitions was lower than with S2 or N1. S2 and N2 focused relatively more on the walk, asking the riders to count each walk stride or focus on the rhythm. With S2, the timing between up-down movements of the withers and croup in walk was closest to the ideal 25 % (16-17 % vs. 8-14 % for the others, p < 0.05). With N2, horses showed the best walk hind limb protraction consistency (stride-to-stride difference 1.2-1.3° vs. 1.5-1.7°, p < 0.05). The results show that experienced riding teachers can have a consistent influence on a group of students and indicate that lesson design impacts rein tension. Experiences from this study can be used to inform teaching of riding, for the benefit of both riders and horse welfare.
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Publication Date: 2025-01-14 PubMed ID: 39906839PubMed Central: PMC11791127DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e41947Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Overview

  • This study examined how different teaching approaches during riding lessons affect the biomechanics of both horse and rider, specifically focusing on motion and rein tension during walk-trot transitions.

Introduction and Purpose

  • Riding skills rely heavily on embodied, practical knowledge gained through hands-on lessons.
  • Effective riding instruction depends on how teachers communicate instructions and evaluate riders’ performance.
  • The study aimed to understand how varying teaching methods influence the physical interaction between horse and rider, particularly during transitions between walking and trotting.

Participants and Methodology

  • Four riding teachers participated: two from Sweden (referred to as S1 and S2) and two from Norway (N1 and N2).
  • Each location had five riders, with each rider working with two horses, totaling 40 lessons.
  • Data collected included:
    • Video recordings
    • Kinematics (motion data) of both horse and rider
    • Rein tension measurements
    • Interviews with the teachers
  • Teacher-student interactions were analyzed using conversation analysis to understand communication patterns.
  • Biomechanical data were analyzed statistically using mixed models to identify significant differences among conditions.

Key Findings on Teaching Approaches

  • Teaching time allocation differed:
    • S1 and N2 spent about one-third of the lesson preparing the students before starting transitions.
    • S2 and N1 introduced straight-line walk-to-trot transitions early in the lessons.
  • Rein tension findings:
    • S1 and N2’s lessons resulted in lower maximum rein tension before and during downward transitions compared to S2 and N1.
  • Focus on gait and rhythm:
    • S2 and N2 emphasized the walk more, instructing riders to count each walk stride or concentrate on rhythm.

Biomechanical Outcomes

  • With teacher S2’s students, the timing of the horse’s up-down motion at the withers and croup during walking was nearest to the ideal 25% phase difference, recording around 16-17% compared to 8-14% for others, indicating better synchronization.
  • Teacher N2’s horses demonstrated the most consistent hind limb protraction during the walk, with smaller stride-to-stride angle differences (1.2-1.3° vs. 1.5-1.7°), implying steadier, more consistent gait mechanics.

Implications and Conclusions

  • Experienced riding teachers can exert a consistent and measurable influence on the biomechanics of horse and rider groups through their teaching methods.
  • The design and content of lessons, especially the timing and focus of instructions, have a tangible impact on rein tension and gait quality during transitions.
  • Insights from this research can guide enhancements in riding instruction, leading to improved performance and increased welfare for both horses and riders.

Cite This Article

APA
Byström A, Egenvall A, Eisersiö M, Engell MT, Lykken S, Lundesjö Kvart S. (2025). The impact of teaching approach on horse and rider biomechanics during riding lessons. Heliyon, 11(2), e41947. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e41947

Publication

Heliyon
ISSN: 2405-8440
NlmUniqueID: 101672560
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 2
Pages: e41947
PII: e41947

Researcher Affiliations

Byström, Anna
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Egenvall, Agneta
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Eisersiö, Marie
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Engell, Maria Terese
  • Equine Teaching Hospital, Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
Lykken, Sigrid
  • Equine Teaching Hospital, Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
Lundesjö Kvart, Susanne
  • Division of Equine Studies, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
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    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1569067pubmed: 40599329google scholar: lookup
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