Search Results (127)

This study examines the associations between linearly scored phenotypic traits and auction sales prices of young event horses in Ireland, aiming to identify key traits influencing market value. Data from 307 horses sold at public auctions (2022–2023) were analysed using regression analysis, binary optimisation, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Regression identified Head–neck Connection, Quality of Legs, Walk length of Stride, and Scope as highly significant predictors of sales price (p < 0.001), with Length of Croup, Trot Elasticity, Trot Balance, and Take-off Direction also significant (p < 0.05). Optimised regression reduced the number of relevant traits from 37 to 8, streamlining evaluation. PCA highlighted eight principal traits, including Scope, Elasticity, and Canter Impulsion, explaining 61.19% of variance in the first four components. These results demonstrate that specific conformation, movement, and athleticism traits significantly affect auction outcomes. The findings provide actionable insights for breeders and stakeholders, suggesting that targeted selection for high-impact traits could accelerate genetic progress and improve market returns. Furthermore, these traits could underpin the development of economic or buyer indices to enhance valuation accuracy and transparency, with potential application across equestrian disciplines to align breeding objectives with market demands. Full article

Orthotics are often used to support the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPj) in horses recovering from soft tissue injury; however, their effect on the MCPj biomechanics remain largely underexplored. The MCPj moves primarily in the sagittal plane, flexing during the swing phase and extending during the stance phase. The suspensory ligament and flexor tendons act as biological springs resisting MCPj extension. Injuries to these structures are common and, although early mobilization promotes their healing, controlled loading may be beneficial during rehabilitation. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a semirigid orthotic in limiting the MCPj extension and the MCPj range of motion, and its influence on the MCPj kinematics. Twelve healthy horses were equipped with portable inertial sensors on the distal limb. The MCPj extension and the MCPj range of motion were assessed during walking and trotting without the orthotic (S0) and with the orthotic using two different support settings (S1 and S4). Data were evaluated for normality and homoscedasticity. A Student t-test was used to compare the MCPj angle pattern of the two forelimbs of each horse at the baseline. Data were analysed using one-way ANOVA to compare the mean values across conditions, followed by paired t-tests for post-hoc comparison (significance set at p < 0.05). The results showed significant reductions in both the MCPj extension and the MCPj range of motion, with the greatest restriction occurring at the highest support setting. These results suggest that the semirigid orthotic limits the MCPj movement in the sagittal plane and consequently the load on the suspensory ligament and flexor tendons. Therefore, this orthotic device is an effective tool during rehabilitation for forelimb tendon and ligament injuries. Full article

Laterality or sidedness in the horse is commonly addressed as part of the horse’s training. An international online survey regarding horse and rider sidedness and asymmetry was conducted, with 2304 useable responses. Confidence intervals (95%) were used to evaluate if some response options were chosen more frequently. Discounting answers of ‘not sure’ or ‘not applicable’, the right fore hoof was more often perceived to be more upright (22%) than the left (15%), and the left shoulder was more prominent (24%) more often than the right (17%), whilst most respondents reported no difference. Both lunging and bending was perceived to be most difficult to the right (48% and 52%) than to the left (33% and 42%), and more horses fell in on the right circle (lunging 40%, riding 38%) than on the left (31% and 33%). Horses commonly tracked their hindquarters to the left in walk, trot and left canter. Correspondence analysis showed that responses indicating horse side bias and relative symmetry, respectively, were associated across several questions, suggesting consistent individual patterns. While the mechanisms underpinning sidedness remain unclear, this study provides insights into horse owners’ perceptions of laterality and related matters. Full article

Background/Objectives: Standardbreds, a breed of horses used in harness racing at either the trot or the pace, established a closed studbook in 1973. Concerns about genetic diversity within the breed led the United States Trotting Association (USTA) to establish a limit of mares bred per stallion (i.e., a studbook cap) in 2009. Here, we aimed to evaluate the impact of the breeding restrictions on genetic diversity between and among subpopulations. Methods: Sixteen short tandem repeats (STRs) were analyzed across a dataset of 176,424 Standardbreds foaled in the United States between 1998 and 2021. We examined allelic richness (Na), number of effective alleles (Ne), expected heterozygosity (H_E), observed heterozygosity (H_O), inbreeding coefficient (F_IS), and fixation index (F_ST) across 24 years, differentiating by gate type, and comparing pre-(1998–2009) and post-(2010–2021) studbook cap periods using regression analysis. Results: Our results support decreased genetic diversity for both trotters and pacers over time. However, pacing Standardbreds exhibited significantly slower rates of decrease in genetic diversity after the 2009 studbook cap, as evidenced by Ne, H_E, and F_IS (P_Bonferroni < 0.01). Additionally, moderate levels of genetic differentiation were found between trotters and pacers (0.05 < F_ST < 0.09), which increased over time. Conclusions: Given that the rate of loss of diversity does not appear to differ pre and post studbook cap in trotters and that there is an increase in genetic differentiation between the groups over time, developing additional breeding tools and strategies is necessary to help the subpopulation mitigate further decline. Full article

Subtle locomotor asymmetries are common in horses and may go unnoticed during routine pre-race clinical inspections, particularly when based solely on subjective evaluation. This study aimed to describe vertical head and pelvic movement asymmetries in racehorses that passed official pre-race inspections at a traditional racing event. Twenty-four horses were analysed using a markerless AI-based gait analysis system while trotting in-hand and during lungeing in both directions. Asymmetry parameters (HDmin, HDmax, PDmin, and PDmax) were extracted from video recordings, with values ≥0.5 considered clinically relevant. Vertical asymmetries were detected in 71% of horses during straight-line evaluation and in 79% during at least one lungeing direction. Some horses showed relevant asymmetries only under specific movement conditions, underscoring the complementary role of straight-line and lungeing assessments in comprehensive gait evaluation. These results suggest that objective gait analysis could enhance pre-race veterinary assessments, especially in traditional racing, where horses are subjected to significant biomechanical stress, including variable surface properties and repetitive directional loading. In such complex and dynamic environments, relying solely on visual assessment may result in the underdiagnosis of subtle locomotor alterations. The AI-based tools offer potential to improve the detection of subtle irregularities and support evidence-based decisions in performance horse management. Further investigations are warranted to validate the clinical relevance of currently adopted asymmetry thresholds, refine their diagnostic value, and support their integration into standardized pre-race evaluation protocols. Full article

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a common source of musculoskeletal pain, characterized by trigger points (TrPs). In horses, MPS is frequently underdiagnosed, and evidence on DN effectiveness is limited. This study investigated whether DN can improve the biomechanics in horses using an artificial intelligence (AI)-based markerless smartphone application (app). Fourteen horses participated, including nine used in assisted therapy, four leisure horses, and one with mixed use. The presence of TrPs was evaluated in six muscles through manual palpation: brachiocephalicus, trapezius, gluteus medius, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and quadriceps femoris. The horses were divided into a treatment group (TG) (n = 7) and control group (CG) (n = 7). Biomechanical data were recorded in a straight line at a trot before the treatment (T0), immediately after the treatment (T1), and 72 h post-treatment (T72). The stride frequency (SF) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) at 72 h compared with both before and immediately after the treatment. The SF of the TG at 72 h was significantly lower than the SF of the CG at T1 (p < 0.05). Non-significant differences were observed for both the asymmetry push-off and impact phase variables, except for the forelimb head range of motion (FHROM) severity, which was significantly (p < 0.05) greater in the CG than in the TG. This study suggests that DN may enhance the gait quality in horses with MPS. Full article

This paper presents the design and control of a quadruped robot equipped with a six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) bionic active torso based on a parallel mechanism. Inspired by the compliant and flexible torsos of quadrupedal mammals, the proposed torso structure enhances locomotion performance by enabling coordinated motion between the torso and legs. A complete kinematic model of the bionic torso and the whole body of the quadruped robot is developed. To address the variation in inertial properties caused by torso motion, a model predictive control (MPC) strategy with a variable center of mass (CoM) is proposed for integrated whole-body motion control. Comparative simulations under trot gait are conducted between rigid-torso and active-torso configurations. Results show that the active torso significantly improves gait flexibility, postural stability, and locomotion efficiency. This study provides a new approach to enhancing biomimetic locomotion in quadruped robots through active torso-leg coordination. Full article

Femoral head and neck excision (FHNE) remains a common orthopedic surgical procedure in many countries. However, data on postoperative outcomes regarding changes in hindlimb function are limited. This study aimed to evaluate hindlimb function after FHNE in dogs of different weights. Twenty-seven dogs that underwent FHNE were block-randomly assigned to two groups based on weight (≤20 kg and >20 kg). Hindlimb function was evaluated using force plate gait analysis to measure peak vertical force (PVF), alongside other orthopedic evaluations and a composite orthopedic assessment score at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 12 months after surgery. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and the log-rank test were used for statistical comparisons. The findings demonstrated no significant difference in PVF between the operated and non-operated limbs in either weight groups (≤20 kg and >20 kg) at four and three months postoperatively (median functional recovery time) (p = 0.33), nor were there significant differences in lameness scores at trot between weight groups five and three months after FHNE (p = 0.64). These results indicate that FHNE provides satisfactory functional outcomes and can be considered a suitable orthopedic intervention for medium- to large-breed dogs. Full article

Dog activities recognition, especially dog motion status recognition, is an active research area. Although several machine learning and deep learning approaches have been used for dog motion states recognition, the use of ensemble learning methods is rather missing, as well as a comparison with deep learning ones. This paper focuses on the use of deep learning neural networks and ensemble classifiers in recognizing dog motion states and their comparison. A dataset from the Kaggle database, which includes measures by accelerometer and gyroscope and concerns seven dog motion states (galloping, sitting, standing, trotting, walking, lying on chest, and sniffing), was used for our experiments. Gaussian Naive Bayes, Decision Tree, k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), Random Forest, a Bagging Tree-Based Classifier, a Stacking Classifier, a Compound Stacking Model (CSM), a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), and a Hybrid Cascading Model (HCM) were used in our experiments. Results showed a 1.78% superiority in accuracy (92.64% vs. 90.86%) of deep learning (RNN) vs. stacking (CSTAM) best classifier, but at the cost of larger complexity and training time for the deep learning classifier, which makes ensemble techniques still attractive. Finally, HCM gave the best result (96.82% accuracy). Full article

In equine surface electromyography (sEMG), challenges related to the reliability and interpretability of data arise, among other factors, from methodological differences, including signal processing and analysis. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the filtering–induced changes in basic signal features in relation to the balance between signal loss and noise attenuation. Raw sEMG signals were collected from the quadriceps muscle of six horses during walk, trot, and canter and then filtered using eight filtering methods with varying cut–off frequencies (low–pass at 10 Hz, high–pass at 20 Hz and 40 Hz, and bandpass at 20–450 Hz, 40–450 Hz, 7–200 Hz, 15–500 Hz, and 30–500 Hz). For each signal variation, signal features—such as amplitude, root mean square (RMS), integrated electromyography (iEMG), median frequency (MF), and signal–to–noise ratio (SNR)—along with signal loss metrics and power spectral density (PSD), were calculated. High–pass filtering at 40 Hz and bandpass filtering at 40–450 Hz introduced significant filtering–induced changes in signal features while providing full attenuation of low–frequency noise contamination, with no observed differences in signal loss between these two methods. Other filtering methods led to only partial attenuation of low–frequency noise, resulting in lower signal loss and less consistent changes across gaits in signal features. Therefore, filtering–induced changes should be carefully considered when comparing signal features from studies using different filtering approaches. These findings may support cross-referencing in equine sEMG research related to training, rehabilitation programs, and the diagnosis of musculoskeletal diseases, and emphasize the importance of applying standardized filtering methods, particularly with a high–pass cut–off frequency set at 40 Hz. Full article

Background: Use of kinesiology taping has increased in veterinary medicine, yet there are few studies of its effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of kinesiology tape placed on the dorsal surface of the tarsus on kinetic and kinematic gait characteristics while performing selected exercises in dogs using 3D motion capture and force platform analysis of gait. Methods: Ten clinically normal, healthy, adult mixed-breed dogs were recruited for this study. Reflective markers were applied to the skin of the left and right pelvic limbs of each dog. Eight infrared cameras were positioned around a 13 m platform containing a force platform. Dogs were walked, trotted, and led over cavaletti rails with and without kinesiology tape extending from the distal tibia, crossing the cranial surface of the tarsus, and extending to the dorsal surface of the metatarsals. The evaluations were repeated 2 h later. Maximum flexion and extension in the sagittal plane and maximum angular acceleration and velocity were measured at the tarsus and stifle for each dog. Peak vertical (Z_Peak), braking (Y_A), and propulsion (Y_B) forces were determined as a percentage of body weight while walking and trotting. Results: Ground-reaction forces were greater at the trot compared to the walk, and stifle and tarsal flexion were greater with stepping over cavaletti rails as compared to walking and trotting. There were no differences in kinematic or kinetic measurements related to the kinesiology tape application, time, or exercise being performed. Conclusions: Kinesiology tape had no effect on tarsal joint gait characteristics while walking, trotting, or stepping over cavaletti rails when applied to the dorsal tarsus of normal dogs. Full article

The use of surface electromyography (sEMG) in equine locomotion research has increased significantly due to the essential role of balanced, symmetrical, and efficient movement in riding. However, variations in sEMG signal processing for forelimb extensor muscles across studies have made cross-study comparisons challenging. This study aims to compare the sEMG signal characteristics from carpal extensor muscles under different filtering methods: raw signal, low-pass filtering (10 Hz cut-off), and bandpass filtering (40–450 Hz cut-off and 7–200 Hz cut-off). sEMG signals were collected from four muscles of three horses during walking and trotting. The raw signals were normalized and filtered separately using a 4th-order Butterworth filter: low-pass 10 Hz, bandpass 40–450 Hz, or bandpass 7–200 Hz. For each filtered signal variant, eight activity bursts were annotated, and amplitude, root mean square (RMS), median frequency (MF), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were extracted. Signal loss and residual signal were calculated to assess noise reduction and data retention. For m. extensor digitorum lateralis and m. extensor carpi ulnaris, bandpass filtering at 40–450 Hz resulted in the lowest signal loss and the highest amplitude, RMS, MF, and SNR after filtering. However, variations were observed for the other two carpal extensors. These findings support the hypotheses that the characteristics of myoelectric activity in equine carpal extensors vary depending on the filtering method applied and differ among individual muscles, thereby guiding future research on sEMG signal processing and, consequently, equine biomechanics. Since both noise and its reduction alter raw sEMG signals, potentially affecting data analysis, this study provides valuable insights for improving the reliability and reproducibility of equine biomechanics research across different sEMG studies. Full article

Automatic horse gait classification offers insights into training intensity, but direct
sensor attachment to horses raises concerns about discomfort, behavioral disruption, and
entanglement risks. To address this, our study leverages rider-centric accelerometers for
movement classification. The position of a sensor, sampling frequency, and window size of
segmented signal data have a major impact on classification accuracy in activity recognition.
Yet, there are no studies that have evaluated the effect of all these factors simultaneously
using accelerometer data from four distinct rider locations (the knee, backbone, chest, and
arm) across five riders and seven horses performing three gaits. A total of eight models
were compared, and an LSTM-convolutional network (ConvLSTM2D) achieved the highest
accuracy, with an average accuracy of 89.72% considering four movements (halt, walk,
trot, and canter). The model performed best with an interval width of four seconds and
a sampling frequency of 25 Hz. Additionally, an F1-score of 86.18% was achieved and
validated using LOSOCV (Leave One Subject Out Cross-Validation). Full article

Basal cortisol concentration is used to screen for hypoadrenocorticism (HAD) in dogs with chronic gastrointestinal disease, but low values often lead to unnecessary ACTH stimulation tests. This study evaluated treadmill exercise as a potential alternative method for stimulating cortisol release. Nineteen healthy pet dogs (mean age: 5.2 years, median weight: 23.4 kg) were included. After a baseline blood draw (T0), dogs were acclimated to a treadmill with treats to minimize stress. They then walked and trotted for 10 min, followed by a 30 min rest before a second blood draw (T1). Pre- and post-treadmill exercise cortisol levels were compared using a randomization (permutation) test for paired data. Median pre-exercise serum cortisol was 1.36 μg/dL (IQR: 0.9–2.095), and post-exercise was 1.1 μg/dL (IQR: 0.895–1.585), with no significant difference (p = 0.0915). After exercise cortisol increased in 9 of 19 and decreased in 10 of 19 dogs. These findings suggest that treadmill exercise for 10 min does not reliably stimulate cortisol release, assessed 30 min post-exercise. Basal cortisol concentrations in this cohort of clinically healthy dogs were lower than previously described. Full article

Information describing forces applied to the horse are needed to inform regulatory decisions regarding equine health and wellbeing. This study compares forces exerted beneath the noseband and headpiece of a snaffle bridle (SB) and a double bridle (DB). Horses were fitted with the same type of SB and DB. Forces were measured by pressure mats under the noseband (nasal/mandibular) and headpiece (occipital) of the bridle and by force sensors inserted bilaterally between the bit(s) and reins. The noseband was adjusted to 2 finger-equivalents using a tightness gauge. Data were recorded for eleven high-level dressage horses ridden in SB and DB in random order at collected walk, trot (sitting), and canter. The noseband pressures were similar between bridle types. Minimal, maximal, and mean occipital force and pressure were significantly higher for DB at walk, trot, and canter (all p ≤ 0.01), except minimal force for collected canter (p = 0.04). The rein tension for the bridoon bit alone and for the combined bridoon and curb bits was significantly lower than for the snaffle bit. Similar forces occur when ridden in SB and DB except that occipital force and pressure are higher due to the greater weight of the DB, and rein tension is lower for the DB. Full article