Premium
Lungeing on hard and soft surfaces: Movement symmetry of trotting horses considered sound by their owners
Author(s) -
Pfau T.,
Jennings C.,
Mitchell H.,
Olsen E.,
Walker A.,
Egenvall A.,
Tröster S.,
Weller R.,
Rhodin M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
equine veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.82
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 2042-3306
pISSN - 0425-1644
DOI - 10.1111/evj.12374
Subject(s) - symmetry (geometry) , movement (music) , lameness , forelimb , anatomy , physical medicine and rehabilitation , physics , mathematics , medicine , geometry , acoustics , surgery
Summary Reasons for performing study Lungeing is often part of the clinical lameness examination. The difference in movement symmetry, which is a commonly employed lameness measure, has not been quantified between surfaces. Objectives To compare head and pelvic movement symmetry between surfaces and reins during lungeing. Study design Quantitative gait analysis in 23 horses considered sound by their owners. Methods Twenty‐three horses were assessed in‐hand and on the lunge on both reins on hard and soft surfaces with inertial sensors. Seven movement symmetry parameters were quantified and used to establish 2 groups, namely symmetrical (n = 9) and forelimb‐lame horses (n = 14), based on values from straight‐line assessment. Movement symmetry values for left rein measurements were side corrected to allow comparison of the amount of movement symmetry between reins. A mixed model (P<0.05) was used to study effects on movement symmetry of surface (hard/soft) and rein (inside/outside with respect to movement symmetry on the straight). Results In forelimb‐lame horses, surface and rein were identified as significantly affecting all head movement symmetry measures (rein, all P<0.0001; surface, all P<0.042). In the symmetrical group, no significant influence of surface or rein was identified for head movement symmetry (rein, all P>0.245; surface, all P>0.073). No significant influence of surface or rein was identified for any of the pelvic movement symmetry measures in either group. Conclusions While more symmetrical horses showed a consistent amount of movement symmetry across surfaces/reins, horses objectively quantified as lame on the straight showed decreased movement symmetry during lungeing, in particular with the lame limb on the inside of a hard circle. The variation within group questions straight‐line movement symmetry as a sole measure of lameness without quantification of movement symmetry on the lunge, ideally on hard and soft surfaces to evaluate differences between reins and surfaces. In future, thresholds for lungeing need to be determined using simultaneous visual and objective assessment.