Velocity-dependent changes of time, force and spatial parameters in Warmblood horses walking and trotting on a treadmill.
Abstract: Gait analysis parameters are sensitive to alterations in velocity. For comparison of nonspeed-matched data, the velocity dependency needs to be known. Objective: To describe the changes in gait pattern and determine the relationships between stride duration, vertical impulse, contact time and peak vertical force within a range of walking and trotting speeds. Methods: Thirty-eight nonlame Warmblood horses were subjected to an incremental speed test. The spans of speed were adjusted individually to each horse and ranged from 1.1-2.1 m/s at walk and from 2.5-5.8 m/s at trot. Time, force and spatial parameters of each limb were measured with an instrumented treadmill and analysed with regression analysis using velocity as the independent variable. Results: At a slow walk the shape of the force curve was generally single-peaked in the fore- and trapezoidal in the hindlimbs. With increasing speed, the curves turned into the typical double-peaked shape with a higher second peak in the fore- and a higher first peak in the hindlimbs. With increasing velocity, stride duration, stance durations and limb impulses of the fore- and hindlimbs decreased in both gaits (r2 > 0.92). Increasing speed caused a weight shift to the forehand (walk: from 56 to 59%; trot: from 55 to 57%). Despite decreasing limb impulses, peak vertical forces increased in both gaits (r2 > 0.83). The suspension duration of the trot increased with faster velocities and reached a plateau of around 90 ms at the highest speeds. At a slow trot, the forelimbs impacted first and followed the hindlimbs at lift-off; with increasing speed, the horses tended to impact earlier with the hindlimbs. Contralateral symmetry indices of all parameters remained unchanged. Conclusions: Subject velocity affects time, force and spatial parameters. Knowing the mathematical function of these interdependencies enables correction of nonspeed-matched data.
© 2010 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2011-05-27 PubMed ID: 21059056DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00190.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research analyzes how the speed of Warmblood horses walking and trotting on a treadmill impacts several parameters of their gait, including stride duration, contact time, vertical impulse, and peak vertical force. The study revealed certain changes in gait patterns with speed variations, providing useful information for the comparison of nonspeed-matched data.
Objective and Methodology
The objective of the research was to analyze the changes in gait pattern of Warmblood horses when the variable of speed changes. The parameters measured were stride duration, vertical impulse, contact time, and peak vertical force.
The method used to obtain these results included incremental speed tests on thirty-eight nonlame Warmblood horses. The speed ranges were adjusted for each individual horse and varied from 1.1 to 2.1 m/s while walking and 2.5 to 5.8 m/s while trotting. The measurements for time, force, and spatial parameters of each limb were recorded using an instrumented treadmill and analyzed through regression analysis with speed as the independent variable.
Results and Findings
The measurements and analysis revealed several key findings:
- At a slow walk, the force curve for the forelimbs was usually single-peaked, while the hindlimbs displayed a trapezoidal shape.
- As speed increased, the shape of the force curves of the horses’ limbs formed the typical double-peaked shape.
- While stride duration, stance durations, and limb impulses in both fore- and hindlimbs decreased with increasing speed, the vertical peak forces increased.
- The study identified an interesting weight shift towards the forehand as velocities increased.
- There was also a noticeable increase in the suspension duration of a trot at higher velocities.
- Speed also affected the sequence of the trot, with horses tending to impact earlier with the hindlimbs at higher speeds.
- Contralateral symmetry indices of the parameters remained unaffected by the speed changes.
Conclusions
The researchers concluded that the speed at which a horse trots or walks affects the time, force, and spatial parameters of its gait. This understanding enables a mathematical correction of nonspeed-matched data.
Cite This Article
APA
Weishaupt MA, Hogg HP, Auer JA, Wiestner T.
(2011).
Velocity-dependent changes of time, force and spatial parameters in Warmblood horses walking and trotting on a treadmill.
Equine Vet J Suppl(38), 530-537.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00190.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Zurich, Switzerland. mweishaupt@vetclinics.uzh.ch
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Exercise Test
- Forelimb / physiology
- Gait / physiology
- Hindlimb / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Locomotion / physiology
Citations
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