The tipping point: Exploring the influence of rider presence and posture on gait parameters in horses working in mounted equine-assisted services.

Overview

• This study investigated how the presence and posture of riders affect the walking and trotting gait of horses used in equine-assisted services (EAS), which support human health through mounted activities.
• The research analyzed detailed gait parameters and found that both rider presence and specific rider postures significantly influence horse movement characteristics, highlighting important considerations for horse welfare in therapeutic settings.

Background and Purpose

• Equine-assisted services (EAS) involve horses working in therapeutic or supportive roles to benefit human psychological and physiological health.
• Despite the importance of these interactions, there has been limited research on how riding in these scenarios affects the horses’ biomechanics and gait.
• The objective of this study was to explore how the presence of a rider and the rider’s posture change horse gait parameters during walking and trotting in EAS centers.

Methods

• Participants:
  • 22 horses observed across four different EAS centers in the United States.
  • Riders varied in age and posture.
• Data Collection:
  • Horse gait parameters measured using inertial measurement units (IMUs) mounted on the horses’ distal limbs.
  • Parameters measured:
    • Peak ground reaction force (pGRF)
    • Stride duration
    • Stride symmetry
    • Stride length
    • Stationary proportion (time spent stationary during stride)
  • Rider posture assessed by analyzing static images to calculate angular metrics related to trunk lean.
• Statistical Analysis:
  • Mixed linear regression models were used to examine the effects of:
    • Rider presence vs. no rider
    • Rider posture (specifically trunk lean direction)
    • Horse-related factors such as age and breed
    • Rider life stage (child vs. adult)

Key Findings

• Rider Presence Effects:
  • Increased peak ground reaction force (pGRF) during both walk and trot:
    • Walk: +2.36 Newtons (statistically significant)
    • Trot: +6.69 Newtons (highly significant)
  • Increased stride length for both gaits:
    • Walk: +0.13 meters
    • Trot: +0.23 meters
  • Increased stationary proportion during the walk (+2.2%) indicating more time stationary in the stride cycle.
• Rider Posture Effects:
  • Leftward trunk lean of the rider correlated with:
    • Increased forelimb pGRF during walk (+0.39 Newtons)
    • Increased stationary proportion during trot (+0.68%)
• Horse Breed Effects:
  • Draft cross breeds showed substantially higher pGRF compared to cob breeds:
    • Walk: +14.04 Newtons
    • Trot: +27.74 Newtons
  • Draft crosses also had longer stride length at trot (+0.82 meters).
• Rider Life Stage Effects:
  • Child riders (compared to adult riders) were associated with:
    • Increased stationary proportion during trot (+4.47%)
    • Reduced stride duration at trot (-52.41 ms)

Conclusions and Implications

• The presence of a rider, their posture, and rider age significantly alter the way horses move during equine-assisted services.
• Specifically, shifts in ground reaction forces and stride metrics linked to these factors suggest that rider-horse dynamics can impact the physical demands placed on the horse.
• These results underscore the importance of monitoring and optimizing rider posture and considering rider characteristics to promote horse welfare and longevity.
• Such understanding is especially critical in therapeutic contexts where horses are regularly engaged in mounted activities with riders of varying ages and skill.