Rhodin, Marie
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
BackgroundIcelandic horses are valued for their additional gaits, but assessing lameness in this breed can be challenging. Pelvic (P) vertical movement asymmetries, differences (D) in minimum (min)/maximum (max) position, are used to quantify impact (PDmin) and push-off (PDmax) hindlimb lameness during the trot, but no established parameters exist for detecting hindlimb lameness in other gaits. ObjectiveTo evaluate temporal stride parameters and upper-body movement asymmetry after transient hindlimb lameness induction in walk, trot and t & ouml;lt. Study DesignIn vivo experiment. MethodsEleven Icelandic horses were measured before and after hindlimb lameness was induced (sole pressure). Vertical movement asymmetry of Head (H)/Pelvis (HDmin/HDmax/PDmin/PDmax) and hip-hike were measured during ridden walk, sitting trot and t & ouml;lt as well as in-hand walk and trot, using an inertial measurement unit system. Linear mixed models compared sound and lame conditions within each gait, and differences in estimated marginal means (mm) between conditions are presented, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results Lameness induction significantly increased PDmin asymmetry in all gaits except walk in-hand: walk (PDmin(ridden): 5.07), trot (PDmin(hand): 10.72, PDmin(ridden): 9.85) and t & ouml;lt (PDmin(ridden): 4.88). However, PDmax increased only for trot in-hand (PDmax(hand): 4.80). Hip-hike increased on the lame limb side at trot (hip-hike(hand): 20.90, hip-hike(ridden): 10.81) and t & ouml;lt (hip-hike(ridden): 4.28). ConclusionPDmin and hip-hike appear to be effective parameters for detecting mild hoof-associated hindlimb lameness in Icelandic horses when trotting in-hand or ridden. At walk or t & ouml;lt under saddle, only slight PDmin changes were observed, likely due to lower limb loading in those gaits and the pelvic minimum position associating with different loading stages throughout the stride cycle for walking and running gaits. These findings suggest trot is the preferred gait for assessing mild hindlimb lameness in Icelandic horses.
Keywords
asymmetry; equine biomechanics; gait analysis; gaited horse; inertial measurement units; kinematics
Published in
Equine Veterinary Journal
2025
Publisher: WILEY
SLU Authors
Persson-Sjödin, Emma
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Hernlund, Elin
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
UKÄ Subject classification
Medical Bioscience
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14525
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/141952