Vertical ground reaction force-time histories of sound Warmblood horses trotting on a treadmill.
Abstract: The objective of this study was to establish representative treadmill ground reaction force (GRF) and interlimb co-ordination time data of clinically sound horses at the trot. It was anticipated that these normative standards would provide a reference data base against which lame horses could be compared. GRF-time histories were collected from 30 Warmblood riding horses with easy, wide natural gaits. Data were recorded of all four limbs simultaneously by the use of an instrumented treadmill. A total of 912 stride cycles per limb were analysed for force, time and spatial parameters and were averaged. The shape and amplitude of the treadmill force curves were very similar to force traces recorded with a stationary force plate. The horses showed a high degree of symmetry in all investigated parameters (95% reference interval of left-right asymmetry +/-1.8-6.8%). No significant differences were found between left and right mean values. Intra-individual coefficients of variance of the various parameters did not exceed 2.7%. Inter-individual coefficients of variance were 2.5-3.5 times larger than the respective intra-individual coefficients. An instrumented treadmill provides a number of decisive advantages, such as time-efficient data acquisition of all four feet simultaneously over successive strides, or the high regularity of the horse's gait pattern at controlled velocities, which allow the clinical assessment of locomotor performance of horses.
Publication Date: 2004-10-27 PubMed ID: 15501148DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2003.08.007Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This study aimed to gather data on the ground reaction force (GRF) and coordination between limbs in healthy horses while trotting on a treadmill, with the goal of creating a baseline for comparing these factors in lame horses.
Objectives and Method of the Study
- The objective was to establish a standard ground reaction force (GRF) and coordination between limbs data for healthy horses trotting on a treadmill. This data will be useful as a benchmark to assess and treat lame horses.
- The researchers observed 30 Warmblood riding horses, known for their wide natural gaits, as they trotted on an instrumented treadmill. This treadmill was capable of recording data from all four limbs simultaneously, for both force and time.
- A total of 912 stride cycles per limb were analyzed in terms of force, time, and spatial parameters and then averaged. This provided an ample amount of stride data for researchers to analyze.
Results
- The shape and amplitude of the force curves generated by the treadmill closely mirrored traces recorded with a stationary force plate, establishing that the treadmill was providing accurate and reliable data.
- The horses exhibited a high degree of symmetry across all parameters being measured. The left-right asymmetry ranged between +/-1.8-6.8%, establishing the 95% confidence interval for their measurements.
- There was no significant difference between the mean values of the left and right sides, which further confirms the results showing a high degree of symmetry.
- The variance within individuals didn’t exceed 2.7%, which means the measures from each individual horse were relatively close and consistent. However, the variance between horses, or inter-individual variance, ranged from 2.5 to 3.5 times greater than the intra-individual variance, highlighting the individual differences between each horse.
Conclusion
- The treadmill equipped with sensors offered several advantages for the study, such as simultaneous data acquisition from all four feet over repeated strides, and controlled velocities leading to consistent gait patterns. These benefits allow for an accurate clinical assessment of a horse’s locomotion, contributing to the treatment and understanding of lameness in horses.
The comprehensive data gathered from this study will serve as a benchmark for future investigations around the locomotion of horses, particularly in efforts to diagnose and treat lameness.
Cite This Article
APA
Weishaupt MA, Wiestner T, Hogg HP, Jordan P, Auer JA.
(2004).
Vertical ground reaction force-time histories of sound Warmblood horses trotting on a treadmill.
Vet J, 168(3), 304-311.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2003.08.007 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland. mweishaupt@vetclinics.unizh.ch
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Exercise Test / veterinary
- Forelimb / physiology
- Gait / physiology
- Hindlimb / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Locomotion
- Walking
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- van Bijlert PA, Geijtenbeek T, Smit IH, Schulp AS, Bates KT. Muscle-Driven Predictive Physics Simulations of Quadrupedal Locomotion in the Horse. Integr Comp Biol 2024 Sep 27;64(3):694-714.
- Anderson KA, Morrice-West AV, Wong ASM, Walmsley EA, Fisher AD, Whitton RC, Hitchens PL. Poor Association between Facial Expression and Mild Lameness in Thoroughbred Trot-Up Examinations. Animals (Basel) 2023 May 23;13(11).
- Adachi M, Aoi S, Kamimura T, Tsuchiya K, Matsuno F. Fore-Aft Asymmetry Improves the Stability of Trotting in the Transverse Plane: A Modeling Study. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022;10:807777.
- Hardeman AM, Egenvall A, Serra Bragança FM, Koene MHW, Swagemakers JH, Roepstorff L, van Weeren R, Byström A. Movement asymmetries in horses presented for prepurchase or lameness examination. Equine Vet J 2022 Mar;54(2):334-346.
- Tijssen M, Hernlund E, Rhodin M, Bosch S, Voskamp JP, Nielen M, Serra Braganςa FM. Automatic detection of break-over phase onset in horses using hoof-mounted inertial measurement unit sensors. PLoS One 2020;15(5):e0233649.
- Byström A, Egenvall A, Roepstorff L, Rhodin M, Bragança FS, Hernlund E, van Weeren R, Weishaupt MA, Clayton HM. Biomechanical findings in horses showing asymmetrical vertical excursions of the withers at walk. PLoS One 2018;13(9):e0204548.
- Zsoldos RR, Voegele A, Krueger B, Schroeder U, Weber A, Licka TF. Long term consistency and location specificity of equine gluteus medius muscle activity during locomotion on the treadmill. BMC Vet Res 2018 Apr 6;14(1):126.
- Hobbs SJ, Robinson MA, Clayton HM. A simple method of equine limb force vector analysis and its potential applications. PeerJ 2018;6:e4399.
- Lakes EH, Allen KD. Gait analysis methods for rodent models of arthritic disorders: reviews and recommendations. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2016 Nov;24(11):1837-1849.
- Olsen E, Andersen PH, Pfau T. Accuracy and precision of equine gait event detection during walking with limb and trunk mounted inertial sensors. Sensors (Basel) 2012;12(6):8145-56.
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