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Animals
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New Challenges in Horse–Rider Interaction
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New Challenges in Horse–Rider Interaction

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 23844

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sarah Jane Hobbs

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Reader in Equine and Human Biomechanics, University of Central Lancashire, Darwin Building DB201, UCLan, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
Interests: biomechanics of equine gait; equine surface mechanics and hoof–horse–surface interactions; rider posture, flexibility, strength and balance; horse–rider interactions; hoof structure, growth and mechanics
Prof. Dr. Hilary Mary Clayton

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Interests: equine locomotor biomechanics; horse–rider interaction; effects of tack and equipment on the horse; conditioning sport horses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The long history of human interactions with horses developed around the use of horses for transportation, warfare, sports and rehabilitation. Today, we are fortunate in having analytical tools to further our understanding of biomechanical, physiological and psychological aspects of the interactions between people and their horses. New information is informing equine care and welfare and the develoment of equestrian technique.

This Special Issue will present the most recent advances on the interaction between riders and horses. We are inviting you to submit your latest original research, a systematic or scoping review or a case report on this topic. We would encourage submissions that use robust, novel methods and offer substantial new insights in any field or discipline that involve horse–rider interactions.

Dr. Sarah Jane Hobbs
Prof. Dr. Hilary Mary Clayton
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind 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

  • horse
  • rider
  • equine
  • jockey
  • equestrian sport
  • para-equestrian
  • hippotherapy
  • biomechanics
  • physiology
  • training
  • tack and equipment

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 299 KiB  
Article
Let Them Be the Judge of That: Bias Cascade in Elite Dressage Judging
by Inga Wolframm
Animals 2023, 13(17), 2797; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13172797 - 3 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 7707
Abstract
Sport performances judged subjectively often suffer from systematic errors due to biases, with the sport of equestrian dressage being no exception. This study examines whether international dressage judges display systematic errors while evaluating elite horse-rider combinations. Data from seven 5* Grand Prix dressage [...] Read more.
Sport performances judged subjectively often suffer from systematic errors due to biases, with the sport of equestrian dressage being no exception. This study examines whether international dressage judges display systematic errors while evaluating elite horse-rider combinations. Data from seven 5* Grand Prix dressage events between May 2022 and April 2023 were analyzed (510 judges’ scores) using Multivariable Linear Regression Analysis. Five predictor variables—Home, Same Nationality, Compatriot, FEI Ranking and Starting Order—were studied in relation to Total Dressage Score (TS). The model accounted for 44.1% of TS variance; FEI Ranking, Starting Order, Compatriot, Same Nationality, and Home were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Judges exhibited nationalistic and patriotism-by-proxy biases, awarding significantly higher scores to riders from their countries (p < 0.001). FEI Ranking and Starting Order also influenced scores significantly (p < 0.001). These biases, combined, created a cascade effect benefiting a specific group of riders. To address this, measures should be taken to develop a more objective judging system that is based on unequivocal, transparent and evidence-based criteria and supports the continuous development of a fair, sustainable, equine welfare orientated sport that fosters societal acceptance, Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Horse–Rider Interaction)
24 pages, 2376 KiB  
Article
Towards an Evidence-Based Classification System for Para Dressage: Associations between Impairment and Performance Measures
by Sarah Jane Hobbs, Jill Alexander, Celeste Wilkins, Lindsay St. George, Kathryn Nankervis, Jonathan Sinclair, Gemma Penhorwood, Jane Williams and Hilary M. Clayton
Animals 2023, 13(17), 2785; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13172785 - 31 Aug 2023
Viewed by 2193
Abstract
This study follows a previously defined framework to investigate the impact of impairment on performance in Para dressage athletes. Twenty-one elite Para dressage athletes (grades I to V) and eleven non-disabled dressage athletes (competing at Prix St. Georges or Grand Prix) participated. Data [...] Read more.
This study follows a previously defined framework to investigate the impact of impairment on performance in Para dressage athletes. Twenty-one elite Para dressage athletes (grades I to V) and eleven non-disabled dressage athletes (competing at Prix St. Georges or Grand Prix) participated. Data were collected in two phases: performing a two minute custom dressage test on a riding simulator while kinematic data were synchronously collected using inertial measurement units (2000 Hz) and optical motion capture (100 Hz), and clinically assessed using a battery of impairment assessment tools administered by qualified therapists. Impairment and performance measures were compared between Para and non-disabled athletes. Significant differences between athlete groups were found for all impairment measures and two performance measures: simulator trunk harmonics (p = 0.027) and athlete trunk dynamic symmetry (p < 0.001). Impairment assessments of sitting function and muscle tone could predict 19 to 35% of the impact of impairment on performance in Para athletes but not in non-disabled athletes. These findings provide the basis for a robust, scientific evidence base, which can be used to aid in the refinement of the current classification system for Para dressage, to ensure that it is in line with the International Paralympic Committee’s mandate for evidence-based systems of classification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Horse–Rider Interaction)
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Review

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15 pages, 1034 KiB  
Review
Riders’ Effects on Horses—Biomechanical Principles with Examples from the Literature
by Hilary Mary Clayton, Russell MacKechnie-Guire and Sarah Jane Hobbs
Animals 2023, 13(24), 3854; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13243854 - 15 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 7898
Abstract
Movements of the horse and rider in equestrian sports are governed by the laws of physics. An understanding of these physical principles is a prerequisite to designing and interpreting biomechanical studies of equestrian sports. This article explains and explores the biomechanical effects between [...] Read more.
Movements of the horse and rider in equestrian sports are governed by the laws of physics. An understanding of these physical principles is a prerequisite to designing and interpreting biomechanical studies of equestrian sports. This article explains and explores the biomechanical effects between riders and horses, including gravitational and inertial forces, turning effects, and characteristics of rider technique that foster synchronous movement with the horse. Rider symmetry, posture, and balance are discussed in the context of their relationship to rider skill level and their effects on the horse. Evidence is presented to support the feasibility of improving equestrian performance by off-horse testing followed by unmounted therapy and exercises to target the identified deficiencies. The elusive quality of harmony, which is key to a true partnership between riders and horses, is explored and described in biomechanical terms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Horse–Rider Interaction)
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36 pages, 2197 KiB  
Review
The Characteristics, Distribution, Function, and Origin of Alternative Lateral Horse Gaits
by Alan Vincelette
Animals 2023, 13(16), 2557; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13162557 - 8 Aug 2023
Viewed by 4936
Abstract
This article traces the characteristics, origin, distribution, and function of alternative lateral horse gaits, i.e., intermediate speed lateral-sequence gaits. Such alternative lateral gaits (running walk, rack, broken pace, hard pace, and broken trot) are prized by equestrians today for their comfort and have [...] Read more.
This article traces the characteristics, origin, distribution, and function of alternative lateral horse gaits, i.e., intermediate speed lateral-sequence gaits. Such alternative lateral gaits (running walk, rack, broken pace, hard pace, and broken trot) are prized by equestrians today for their comfort and have been found in select horse breeds for hundreds of years and even exhibited in fossil equid trackways. After exploring the evolution and development of alternative lateral gaits via fossil equid trackways, human art, and historical writings, the functional and genetic factors that led to the genesis of these gaits are discussed. Such gaited breeds were particularly favored and spread by the Scythians, Celts, Turks, and Spaniards. Fast and low-swinging hard pacing gaits are common in several horse breeds of mountainous areas of East and North Asia; high-stepping rack and running walk gaits are often displayed in European and North and South American breeds; the broken pace is found in breeds of Central Asia, Southeast Asia, West Asia, Western North America, and Brazil in South America; and the broken trot occurs in breeds of North Asia, South Asia, the Southern United States, and Brazil in South America, inhabiting desert or marshy areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Horse–Rider Interaction)
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