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Equine Biomechanics and Gait Analysis: Insights into Locomotion, Performance, and...
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Equine Biomechanics and Gait Analysis: Insights into Locomotion, Performance, and Clinical Practice

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Equids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 2622

Editors

Dr. Victoria A. Walker

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Equestrian Performance Research Centre, Hartpury University, Hartpury, Gloucester GL19 3BE, UK
Interests: biomechanics; gait analysis; physiotherapy; rehabilitation; functional assessment; sports medicine
Dr. Rachel C. Murray

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Rossdales Veterinary Surgeons, Cotton End Rd, Exning, Newmarket CB8 7NN, UK
2. Ibikus Ltd., Bury St Edmunds IP32 7AR, UK
Interests: biomechanics; computed tomography; equine orthopedics; rehabilitation; magnetic resonance imaging; diagnostic Imaging; osteochondral pathology; water treadmill
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute your latest research findings to this Special Issue of Animals, which will focus on equine biomechanics and gait analysis as tools to advance our understanding of locomotion, performance, and clinical practice. In recent years, significant advances have been made in the objective evaluation of equine movement. Innovative technologies, analytical methods, and biomechanical models are transforming how we assess locomotion, detect subtle gait abnormalities, and monitor performance in both athletic and clinical settings. These approaches are reshaping our ability to identify early signs of dysfunction, optimise training strategies, provide objective monitoring, and improve equine welfare.

This Special Issue will bring together cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews on the application of biomechanics and gait analysis in equine science. We welcome contributions that explore fundamental locomotor mechanisms, novel analytical approaches, clinical applications, and performance assessment in sport or racehorses. Studies that bridge the gap between research and practical implementation or that highlight the integration of biomechanical insights into everyday veterinary and training practice are especially encouraged.

By showcasing recent developments and knowledge in this rapidly evolving field, this Special Issue will foster interdisciplinary collaboration and provide evidence-based foundations for improved diagnosis, rehabilitation, and performance management in equine athletes.

Dr. Victoria A. Walker
Dr. Rachel C. Murray
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • equine biomechanics
  • gait analysis
  • objective assessment
  • lameness detection
  • rehabilitation
  • training
  • multidisciplinary team

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 8451 KB  
Article
Does the Distance Between Ground Poles Affect Limb, Spinal and Pelvic Kinematics in Horses When Walking In-Hand?
by Lucy Douglas, Christy Maddock, Ronja Parker, Russell MacKechnie-Guire and Vicki Walker
Animals 2026, 16(13), 1938; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16131938 - 23 Jun 2026
Viewed by 1493
Abstract
Polework exercise is commonly used in equine training and rehabilitation; however, the influence of pole spacing on locomotor kinematics remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of pole spacing on limb, thoracolumbar and pelvic kinematics in horses walking in-hand. Eleven warmblood horses were [...] Read more.
Polework exercise is commonly used in equine training and rehabilitation; however, the influence of pole spacing on locomotor kinematics remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of pole spacing on limb, thoracolumbar and pelvic kinematics in horses walking in-hand. Eleven warmblood horses were assessed during overground walking and over five ground poles set at 85%, 100% and 105% of forelimb step length. Pole spacing did not significantly alter maximum fore- or hindlimb retraction; however, protraction–retraction range of motion (ROM) was reduced at 85% spacing. Forelimb ROM was reduced by 6.5% compared with 100% spacing and by 8.7% compared with 105% spacing, while hindlimb ROM was reduced by 2.9%. Hindlimb protraction was reduced at 85% compared with 100% and 105% spacing (p = 0.022, p = 0.034). Tarsal ROM increased over poles from NP: 38.0 ± 3.6°, poles: 62.1–64.2° (p < 0.001), irrespective of spacing. Walking over poles increased thoracic ROM at T10 from 7.9 ± 1.2° to 9.4–9.6° and at T13 from 8.7 ± 1.3° to 9.4–10.1° (p < 0.001), primarily through increased extension. Shorter spacing (85%) reduced T10 ROM compared with 100% spacing (p = 0.003). Changes in lumbar flexion were smaller, with significant effects observed only at L3 and L5, where maximal flexion increased from 9.6 ± 1.4° to 10.3 ± 1.8° and from 9.2 ± 1.5° to 9.9 ± 1.7°, respectively, at longer pole spacings (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that modest changes in pole spacing result in relatively small alterations in limb and thoracolumbar kinematics during walking. This should be considered when using polework in practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Equine Biomechanics and Gait Analysis: Insights into Locomotion, Performance, and Clinical Practice)
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17 pages, 4233 KB  
Article
Measuring Chuckwagon Racehorse Movement Asymmetry Before and After Racing Using Wearable GNSS-IMUs: A Preliminary Study
by Camille M. Eamon, Matthijs van den Broek, Karelhia Garcia-Alamo, Charlotte De Bruyne, Brittany L. Davis, Maggie Fallscheer, Sara Frostad, Ed Pajor, Sara Skotarek Loch, Renate Weller, Zoe Y. S. Chan and Thilo Pfau
Animals 2026, 16(9), 1361; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16091361 - 29 Apr 2026
Viewed by 528
Abstract
In Chuckwagon racing, teams of four Thoroughbred horses pull wagons at high speeds. Movement symmetry is a key locomotion metric linked to force production, racing direction, and lameness. Racehorse symmetry in trot during on-track warmups and cooldowns was assessed. Over 10 days, 60 [...] Read more.
In Chuckwagon racing, teams of four Thoroughbred horses pull wagons at high speeds. Movement symmetry is a key locomotion metric linked to force production, racing direction, and lameness. Racehorse symmetry in trot during on-track warmups and cooldowns was assessed. Over 10 days, 60 horses (average 8 per day) were fitted with Global Navigation Satellite Systems combined with Inertial Measurement Unit (GNSS-IMU) sensors. Weight-bearing asymmetry was quantified using the minimum difference (MnD) in vertical trunk displacement between diagonal limb pairs, and push-off asymmetry was quantified using the upwards difference (UpD). Absolute (mm) and normalized (% ROM) asymmetries were compared between warmups and cooldowns using linear mixed models. Mean MnD was similar between warmup (6.2 mm; 17.6%) and cooldown (6.4 mm, 19.7%). Mean UpD increased from warmup (11.3 mm, 31.7%) to cooldown (12.8 mm, 38.0%), with UpD% significantly higher in cooldown (p = 0.046). No other differences were significant (all p ≥ 0.202). One horse sustained a catastrophic musculoskeletal (MSK) injury. This horse’s UpD ranged from 3.3–29.7 mm (11.4–69.3%) during warmups and 24.3–25.5 mm (47.8–76.4%) during cooldowns. Push-off asymmetry may increase after Chuckwagon racing. The injured horse showed high asymmetries, but high values also occurred in uninjured horses. Further work needs to establish normal asymmetry ranges in Chuckwagon racing and identify patterns associated with MSK injuries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Equine Biomechanics and Gait Analysis: Insights into Locomotion, Performance, and Clinical Practice)
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