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Early development of gait asymmetries in trotting Standardbred colts
Author(s) -
DREVEMO S.,
FREDRICSON I.,
HJERTÉN G.,
McMIKEN D.
Publication year - 1987
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/j.2042-3306.1987.tb01373.x
Subject(s) - gait , horse , stride , laterality , treadmill , medicine , physical medicine and rehabilitation , physical therapy , psychology , audiology , biology , paleontology
Summary Ten trotting Standardbred colts were recorded by high‐speed cinematography at the ages of eight, 12 and 18 months. The horses were trotting on a treadmill operating at 4.0 m/secs. Five horses were subjected to a programme of intensified training from eight months of age, whereas the others were not trained and acted as controls. The films were analysed on a semi‐automatic film‐reading equipment and a number of variables used to demonstrate the gait symmetry were calculated and scaled by computer. Certain differences between left and right diagonal and contralateral pair of limbs, respectively, were noted, suggesting that laterality in horses may be inherited. The most pronounced systematic differences were found in 18‐month old horses in the trained group. The results show the importance of careful gait examination and comprehensive coordination training at an early age.