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| 2. |
- Persson-Sjödin, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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Relationship between body condition and vertical movement symmetry in 109 riding school horses
- 2023
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Ingår i: Comparative Exercise Physiology. - 1755-2540 .- 1755-2559. ; 19, s. 501-510
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- For riding schools, the health and function of their horses is paramount. Unfortunately, lameness and overweight are common problems in this population, and a causal relationship whereby increased body weight causes lameness is also possible. This observational field study investigated the relationship between body condition score (BCS) and motion movement asymmetries in riding school horses and also explored the relationships between BCS, movement asymmetry and subjectively scored willingness to work. Eight riding schools within 2.5 h by car from Uppsala, Sweden, were convenience-sampled and 3-24 horses from each were included in the study. Body condition was scored (scale 1-9) and vertical movement asymmetry data were collected in straight-line trot, using an inertial measurement unit system. Asymmetry parameters were calculated as the mean difference between local vertical displacement minima/maxima for the head/pelvis (HD/PD) between the two halves of the stride. A questionnaire was used to assess perceived willingness to work and energy level of the horses. The data were analysed with linear mixed models, t-tests and Mann-Whitney U-tests. A correlation was found between BCS and PDmin (P =0.03), an asymmetry parameter related to hindlimb weight-bearing lameness, where PDmin increased by 0.96 mm for each unit increase in BCS. Horses with vertical movement classified as symmetric had lower BCS than horses with movement classified as asymmetric (5.4 ± 0.4 vs 5.7 ± 0.6, P =0.04). Horses classed as overweight (BCS ≥ 6) scored lower on willingness to work (P <0.05) and energy level (P <0.01). These results indicate that the body condition of riding school horses may influence their function and the health of their locomotor apparatus. Further studies are required to identify the underlying mechanisms.
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| 3. |
- Byström, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Lateral movement of the saddle relative to the equine spine in rising and sitting trot on a treadmill
- 2018
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Saddle slip, defined as a progressive lateral displacement of the saddle during ridden exercise, has recently been given attention in the scientific press as a potential sign of lameness. The aim of this study was to objectively quantify the normal lateral movement (oscillations) of the saddle relative to the horse in non-lame horses, and associate this movement to the movements of the horse and rider. Data from seven Warmblood dressage horses competing at Grand Prix (n = 6) or FEI Intermediate (n = 1) level, ridden by their usual riders, were used. Simultaneous kinetic, kinematic and saddle pressure measurements were conducted during sitting and rising trot on a force-measuring treadmill. The maximum lateral movement of the caudal part of the saddle relative to the horse's spine (MAX) was determined for each diagonal step. A mixed model was applied, with MAX as outcome, and T6 and S3 vertical position, rigid body rotation angles (roll, pitch, yaw) of the horse's and rider's pelvis, vertical ground reaction forces, saddle force, and rider position (rising in rising trot, sitting in rising trot or sitting in sitting trot) as explanatory variables. The least square means for MAX were 14.3 (SE 4.7) mm and 23.9 (SE 4.7) mm for rising and sitting in rising trot, and 20.3 (SE 4.7) mm for sitting trot. A 10 mm increase in maximum pelvic height at push off increased MAX by 1.4 mm (p<0.0001). One degree increase in rider pelvis roll decreased MAX 1.1 mm, and one degree increase in rider pelvis yaw increased MAX 0.7 mm (both p<0.0001). The linear relationships found between MAX and movements of both horse and rider implies that both horse and rider movement asymmetries are reflected in the lateral movements or oscillations of the saddle in non-lame horses.
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| 4. |
- Hernlund, Elin, et al.
(författare)
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Adaptation strategies of the Icelandic horse with induced forelimb lameness at walk, trot and tölt
- 2024
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Ingår i: Equine Veterinary Journal. - 0425-1644 .- 2042-3306. ; 56, s. 617-630
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and objective Lameness assessment in the gaited Icelandic horse is complex. We aimed to describe their kinematic and temporal adaptation strategies in response to forelimb lameness at walk, trot and tolt.Study designIn vivo experiment.Methods Ten clinically non-lame Icelandic horses were measured before and after reversible forelimb lameness induction. Upper body and limb kinematics were measured using 11 inertial measurement units mounted on the poll, withers, pelvis (tubera sacrale) and all four limbs and hoofs (Equimoves (R), 500 Hz). Horses were measured on a straight line at walk and trot in-hand and at walk, trot and tolt while ridden. Linear mixed models were used to compare baseline and lame conditions (random factor = 'horse'), and results are presented as the difference in estimated marginal means or percentage of change.Results Lameness induction significantly (p < 0.05) increased head vertical movement asymmetry at walk (HDmin/HDmaxHAND: 18.8/5.7 mm, HDmin/HDmaxRIDDEN: 9.8/0.3 mm) and trot (HDmin/HDmaxHAND: 18.1/7.8 mm, HDmin/HDmaxRIDDEN: 24.0/9.3 mm). At the tolt, however, HDmin did not change significantly (1.1 mm), but HDmax increased by 11.2 mm (p < 0.05). Furthermore, pelvis vertical movement asymmetry (PDmax) increased by 4.9 mm, sound side dissociation decreased (-8.3%), and sound diagonal dissociation increased (6.5%). Other temporal stride variables were also affected, such as increased stance duration of both forelimbs at walk, tolt and in-hand trot.Main limitations Only one degree of lameness (mild) was induced with an acute lameness model.Conclusions Classical forelimb lameness metrics, such as vertical head and withers movement asymmetry, were less valuable at tolt compared to walk and trot, except for HDmax. Therefore, it is advised to primarily use the walk and trot to detect and quantify forelimb lameness in the Icelandic horse.
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| 5. |
- Hernlund, Elin, et al.
(författare)
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Non-banked curved tracks influence movement symmetry in two-year-old Standardbred trotters
- 2021
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Ingår i: Equine Veterinary Journal. - : Wiley. - 0425-1644 .- 2042-3306.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Little is known regarding how trotting through curves affects locomotion symmetry in Standardbred trotters.Objectives: To investigate differences in objectively measured Standardbred trotter vertical motion symmetry between straight and non-banked, curved sections of oval trotting tracks during exercise warm-up, using a wireless inertial measurement unit (IMU) system.Study design: Cross-sectional, observational study.Methods: Sixteen horses were included. Mixed models were used to assess associations between symmetry, track segment (straight vs curve) and stride duration.Results: Significant results for forelimb parameters were dependent on interactions between track segments and stride duration. At mean stride duration (0.611 second), during the curved track segment horses showed a lower maximum vertical position of the head after push-off of the outside forelimb (estimate -2.3 mm, P < 0.0001, 95% CI -1.7 to -2.9) and higher minimum vertical position of the head during stance of the outside forelimb (estimate -1.8 mm, P < 0.0001, 95% CI -1.2 to -2.5) compared to straight track, mimicking outside forelimb impact and push-off asymmetry during track curves. For hindlimb parameters, during the curve there was a decreased downward motion of the pelvis during outer hindlimb stance (estimate-0.7 mm, P < 0.0001, 95% CI -0.4 to -1.0), mimicking outside hindlimb impact asymmetry.Main limitations: Horses were evaluated going in one direction only on the track (clockwise).Conclusions: Systematic differences between straight and curved track segments were found but did not fully correspond to previously described findings for horses lunged in circles. Effect sizes were overall small. Data in our study were collected from horses trotting on 1000 m tracks with curve radii of 80-85 m. On non-banked tracks of this size, collecting IMU symmetry data at jogging speeds without distinguishing between straight and curved parts is unlikely to adversely affect clinical decision-making.
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| 6. |
- Leclercq, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Perceived sidedness and correlation to vertical movement asymmetries in young warmblood horses
- 2023
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - 1932-6203. ; 18
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The prevalence of vertical asymmetries is high in "owner-sound" warmblood riding horses, however the origin of these asymmetries is unknown. This study investigated correlations between vertical asymmetries and motor laterality. Young warmblood riding horses (N = 65), perceived as free from lameness were evaluated on three visits, each comprising objective gait analysis (inertial measurement units system) and a rider questionnaire on perceived sidedness of the horse. A subgroup (N = 40) of horses were also subjected to a forelimb protraction preference test intended as an assessment of motor laterality. We hypothesized associations between vertical asymmetry and motor laterality as well as rider-perceived sidedness. Vertical asymmetry was quantified as trial means of the stride-by-stride difference between the vertical displacement minima and maxima of the head (HDmin, HDmax) and pelvis (PDmin, PDmax). Laterality indexes, based on counts of which limb was protracted, and binomial tests were used to draw conclusions from the preference tests. In the three visits, 60-70% of horses exhibited vertical asymmetries exceeding clinically used thresholds for & GE;1 parameter, and 22% of horses exhibited a side preference in the preference test as judged by binomial tests. Linear mixed models identified a weak but statistically significant correlation between perceived hindlimb weakness and higher PDmin values attributable to either of the hindlimbs (p = 0.023). No other statistically significant correlations to vertical asymmetry were seen for any of the questionnaire answers tested. Tests of correlation between the absolute values of laterality index and asymmetry parameters (HDmin, HDmax, PDmin, PDmax) identified a weak correlation (p = 0.049) with PDmax, but when accounting for the direction of asymmetry and motor laterality, no correlations were seen for either of the asymmetry parameters. No convincing evidence of associations between vertical asymmetries and motor laterality were seen and further studies investigating motor laterality and the origin of vertical asymmetries are needed.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Persson-Sjödin, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of meloxicam treatment on movement asymmetry in riding horses in training
- 2019
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 14:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Quantitative gait analysis has revealed that a large proportion of horses in training, perceived as free from lameness by their owners, show movement asymmetries of equal magnitude to horses with mild clinical lameness. Whether these movement asymmetries are related to orthopaedic pain and/or pathology has yet to be further investigated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether movement asymmetries in riding horses in training are affected by anti-inflammatory treatment with meloxicam. In a crossover design, horses were treated with meloxicam or placebo for four days respectively, with a 14-16 day washout period between treatments. Objective movement analysis utilising body mounted accelerometers was performed on a hard and a soft surface before and on day four of each treatment. A trial mean was calculated for the differences between the two vertical displacement minima and maxima of head (HDmin, HDmax) and pelvis (PDmin, PDmax) per stride. Horses (n = 66) with trial mean asymmetries greater than 6 mm for HDmin or HDmax, or more than 3 mm for PDmin or PDmax, at baseline were included. The difference before and after each treatment in the measured movement asymmetry was assessed with linear mixed models. Treatment with meloxicam did not significantly affect the movement asymmetry in any of the models applied (all p>0.30). These results raise new questions: are the movement asymmetries in riding horses in training simply expressions of biological variation or are they related to pain/dysfunction that is non-responsive to meloxicam treatment?
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| 9. |
- Persson-Sjödin, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of Speed and Surface Type on Individual Rein and Combined Left-Right Circle Movement Asymmetry in Horses on the Lunge
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Veterinary Science. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2297-1769. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Differences in movement asymmetry between surfaces and with increasing speed increase the complexity of incorporating gait analysis measurements from lunging into clinical decision making. This observational study sets out to quantify by means of quantitative gait analysis the influence of surface and speed on individual-rein movement asymmetry measurements and their averages across reins (average-rein measurements). Head, withers, and pelvic movement asymmetry was quantified in 27 horses, identified previously as presenting with considerable movement asymmetries on the straight, during trot in hand and on the lunge on two surfaces at two speeds. Mixed linear models (p < 0.05) with horse as the random factor and surface and speed category (and direction) as fixed factors analyzed the effects on 11 individual-rein and average-rein asymmetry measures. Limits of agreement quantified differences between individual-rein and average-rein measurements. A higher number of individual-rein asymmetry variables-particularly when the limb that contributed to movement asymmetry on the straight was on the inside of the circle-were affected by speed (nine variables, all p <= 0.047) and surface (three variables, all p <= 0.037) compared with average-rein asymmetry variables (two for speed, all p <= 0.003; two for surface, all p <= 0.046). Six variables were significantly different between straight-line and average-rein assessments (all p <= 0.031), and asymmetry values were smaller for average-rein assessments. Limits of agreement bias varied between +0.4 and +4.0 mm with standard deviations between 3.2 and 12.9 mm. Fewer average-rein variables were affected by speed highlighting the benefit of comparing left and right rein measurements. Only one asymmetry variable showed a surface difference for individual-rein and average-rein data, emphasizing the benefit of assessing surface differences on each rein individually. Variability in straight-line vs. average-rein measurements across horses and exercise conditions highlight the potential for average-rein measurements during the diagnostic process; further studies after diagnostic analgesia are needed.
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| 10. |
- Persson-Sjödin, Emma
(författare)
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Evaluation of vertical movement asymmetries in riding horses: relevance to equine orthopaedics
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Disorders of the locomotor apparatus are very common in sports horses. Pain and dysfunction associated with these conditions have a negative impact on horse welfare. The main component in lameness evaluation is detection of vertical movement asymmetries but the inter-rater agreement among veterinarians is low. Therefore, modern methods of detection and quantification of movement asymmetry have been developed.The aim of this thesis was to help improve equine welfare by providing a better scientific basis for interpretation of movement asymmetries. This could support riders and veterinarians in detecting lameness at an early stage and improve orthopaedic diagnostics.To investigate a possible association between movement asymmetry and presence of painful orthopaedic conditions, NSAID (meloxicam) treatment was performed in asymmetrically moving, but presumed sound horses. Interestingly, this did not decrease the magnitude of asymmetry. Other reasons for asymmetric movement and the clinical efficacy of treatment with meloxicam in relation to a potentially present pathology therefore need to be addressed.The influence of the rider’s seating style on vertical movement symmetry in trot was evaluated in 26 horses. ‘Rising trot’ induced systematic changes, the most prominent being a decreased pelvic rise, mimicking push-off lameness in the hindlimb of the diagonal on which the rider was sitting in ‘rising trot’.The potential of the relationship between the direction of head and withers movement asymmetry parameters to assist in locating the primary lame limb was investigated in horses with induced lameness. The findings were then verified in horses with naturally occurring lameness. The results showed that head and withers movement asymmetry parameters indicate the same forelimb in horses with forelimb lameness, but indicate opposite forelimbs in horses with hindlimb lameness and compensatory head movement asymmetry.The results presented in this thesis extend existing knowledge about the origin and significance of movement asymmetries in riding horses and compensatory mechanisms in lame horses
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