Head, withers and pelvic movement asymmetry and their relative timing in trot in racing Thoroughbreds in training

Abstract

BackgroundHorses show compensatory head movement in hindlimb lameness and compensatory pelvis movement in forelimb lameness but little is known about the relationship of withers movement symmetry with head and pelvic asymmetry in horses with naturally occurring gait asymmetries.ObjectivesTo document head, withers and pelvic movement asymmetry and timing differences in horses with naturally occurring gait asymmetries.Study designRetrospective analysis of gait data.MethodsHead, withers and pelvic movement asymmetry and timing of displacement minima and maxima were quantified from inertial sensors in 163 Thoroughbreds during trot-ups on hard ground. Horses were divided into 4 subgroups using the direction of head and withers movement asymmetry. Scatter plots of head vs. pelvic movement asymmetry illustrated how the head-withers relationship distinguishes between contralateral and ipsilateral head-pelvic movement asymmetry. Independent t test or Mann-Whitney U test (P

Keywords

horse; movement asymmetry; trot; relative timing

Published in

Equine Veterinary Journal
2018, volume: 50, number: 1, pages: 117-124

SLU Authors

• Persson-Sjödin, Emma

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Rhodin, Marie

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Clinical Science

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12705

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/87523