Trunk Kinematics of Experienced Riders and Novice Riders During Rising Trot on a Riding Simulator.

The researchers examined how experienced and novice horseback riders varied in their movement and impact on the saddle during a rising trot on a horse-riding simulator. They found that experienced riders displayed more stability, symmetry, and less force impact on the saddle than novice riders.

Study setup

• The study involved 10 experienced riders and 10 novice riders. All these participants were instructed to perform a rising trot on a horse-riding simulator.
• Data was collected on the riders’ trunk kinematics and saddle forces. This was done using markers placed at specific points on the riders’ bodies, including the 4th lumbar (L4) and the 7th cervical (C7), and both acromion processes.
• Data was tracked using 10 high-speed video cameras which sampled at 240 Hz.

Findings

• Both experienced and novice riders displayed similar displacement trajectories at L4 and C7. They both demonstrated an asymmetrical butterfly pattern in the frontal plane, which reversed when changing diagonal.
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  ovice riders, when compared to their experienced counterparts, exhibited greater vertical displacement and exerted higher saddle impact forces at L4. Also, the amplitude of their medio-lateral displacement on the right diagonal between C7 and L4 was greater. Additionally, novice riders tended to rotate left (acromion processes) on the right diagonal while seated; in contrast, experienced riders rotated right.

• In within-group comparisons, it was found that on the right diagonal, both groups produced significantly greater medio-lateral displacement at L4. For this comparison, novice riders also displayed significantly greater medio-lateral displacement between C7 and L4.
• Focusing on the left diagonal, novice riders again had significantly greater vertical displacement and higher saddle impact forces.

Conclusions and implications

• The findings of this study suggested that experienced riders maintained more stability and more symmetry in their riding, and had a lower impact force on the saddle than novice riders.
• Based on this, it was suggested that the use of a riding simulator for beginner riders could help mitigate unnecessary stresses on horses. It could also help teach beginning riders about proper riding mechanics to maintain stability and create less stress on the saddle.