EMG and Biomechanical Analysis of the Equine Gait

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 1845

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Head of Research, Associate Professor, Equine Department, Hartpury University, Gloucester, UK
Interests: equestrian performance and training; rider impacts; reliability assessment; human–horse interaction; equine welfare
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Reader in Equine Biomechanics, Equine Department, Hartpury University, Gloucester, UK
Interests: horse and rider biomechanics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Equestrianism is popular worldwide, with millions of horses and riders participating in competitive horse sports and noncompetitive leisure riding. Understanding how the horse moves and the ways in which the musculoskeletal system supports locomotion is essential to enabling the evaluation of equine performance, assessing the impact of pain, disease, and injury on function, optimising training programmes, and analysing the impact of the rider on the horse. This Special Issue aims to showcase emerging research investigating how equine muscle functions and which factors influence muscular activity using electromyography (EMG). Additionally, we are eager to discuss advances in equine biomechanics, as well as how each of these can be applied to inform horse management and training practices.

We welcome potential authors to submit original manuscripts, research, or review papers that relate to any aspects of the following topics: the evaluation of equine muscle activity, pathology and fatigue; the assessment of biomechanics in horses, including emerging methods, protocols and technology used to evaluate equine muscle or gait; the evaluation of equine performance; rehabilitation, sport or training utilising EMG and/or biomechanics; and the dynamic biomechanical relationship between horses and riders and its impact on horse movement.

We are equally eager to publish evidence-based studies that increase our existing knowledge and understanding of the use of EMG in horses, including recruitment and engagement of muscles during locomotion, or studies that increase our understanding of how horses move. Potential submissions could discuss factors that influence horse movement, how horses respond to the challenges presented during modern management, and the stress and the impact of disease, pain, and injury. Applied studies that evaluate the impact of the demands of equestrian sport, training, the impact of disease, pain, injury, and environmental challenges to the horse, or which consider the influence of tack, equipment, or the rider on the horse, are welcome. Experimental studies must use objective measurement to ensure the reliable and valid evaluation of outcomes.

Dr. Jane M. Williams
Dr. Russell Mackechnie-Guire
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • sport horse
  • racehorse
  • equine performance
  • muscle
  • training
  • fitness
  • fatigue
  • gait analysis
  • lameness
  • performance analysis
  • electromyography

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

10 pages, 1442 KiB  
Article
Investigating Associations between Horse Hoof Conformation and Presence of Lameness
by Fernando Mata, Inês Franca, José Araújo, Gustavo Paixão, Kirsty Lesniak and Joaquim Lima Cerqueira
Animals 2024, 14(18), 2697; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14182697 - 17 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1463
Abstract
Hoof trimming and shoeing determine the horse’s hoof shape and balance. Hoof conformation plays a crucial role in limb biomechanics and can consequently prevent or predispose to injury. This study investigated the relationship between the morphometric characteristics of the horse’s hoof, specifically, the [...] Read more.
Hoof trimming and shoeing determine the horse’s hoof shape and balance. Hoof conformation plays a crucial role in limb biomechanics and can consequently prevent or predispose to injury. This study investigated the relationship between the morphometric characteristics of the horse’s hoof, specifically, the dorsal hoof wall angle (DHWA), the coronet band circumference (CBC), and lameness in 73 horses categorised as undertaking either show jumping, dressage, or riding school activities. Results from logistic regression indicated that horses with either a combination of acute DHWA with large CBC, or more upright feet with larger DHWA and smaller CBC have higher probabilities of lameness. Show jumping and dressage horses showed a higher prevalence of lameness. Hoof morphometry should be monitored, and podiatric interventions should be regularly scheduled for the maintenance of correct hoof conformation to prevent injury. This study suggests that an aligned hoof–pastern axis managed by a DHWA of around 50 degrees may prevent lameness, with special emphasis on horses in dressage and show jumping activities. On the other hand, we can also speculate that the disturbed axis alignment of DHWA may be a cause of lameness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue EMG and Biomechanical Analysis of the Equine Gait)
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