Applying Multi-Purpose Commercial Inertial Sensors for Monitoring Equine Locomotion in Equestrian Training
Inappropriate, excessive, or overly strenuous training of sport horses can result in long-term injury, including the premature cessation of a horse’s sporting career. As a countermeasure, this study demonstrates the easy implementation of a biomechanical load monitoring system consisting of five com...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/24/8170 |
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| author | Christina Fercher Julia Bartsch Steffen Kluge Franziska Schneider Anna M. Liedtke Axel Schleichardt Olaf Ueberschär |
| author_facet | Christina Fercher Julia Bartsch Steffen Kluge Franziska Schneider Anna M. Liedtke Axel Schleichardt Olaf Ueberschär |
| author_sort | Christina Fercher |
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| description | Inappropriate, excessive, or overly strenuous training of sport horses can result in long-term injury, including the premature cessation of a horse’s sporting career. As a countermeasure, this study demonstrates the easy implementation of a biomechanical load monitoring system consisting of five commercial, multi-purpose inertial sensor units non-invasively attached to the horse’s distal limbs and trunk. From the data obtained, specific parameters for evaluating gait and limb loads are derived, providing the basis for objective exercise load management and successful injury prevention. Applied under routine in-the-field training conditions, our pilot study results show that tri-axial peak impact limb load increases progressively from walk to trot to canter, in analogy to stride frequency. While stance and swing phases shorten systematically with increasing riding speed across subjects, longitudinal and lateral load asymmetry are affected by gait at an individual level, revealing considerable variability between and within individual horses. This individualized, everyday approach facilitates gaining valuable insights into specific training effects and responses to changing environmental factors in competitive sport horses. It promises to be of great value in optimizing exercise management in equestrian sports to benefit animal welfare and long-term health in the future. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-41ee8a51ae354c1986a1ddbb07dcf03a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj-art-41ee8a51ae354c1986a1ddbb07dcf03a2025-08-20T02:01:19ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202024-12-012424817010.3390/s24248170Applying Multi-Purpose Commercial Inertial Sensors for Monitoring Equine Locomotion in Equestrian TrainingChristina Fercher0Julia Bartsch1Steffen Kluge2Franziska Schneider3Anna M. Liedtke4Axel Schleichardt5Olaf Ueberschär6Olympic Training Center North-Rhine/Westphalia, 48231 Warendorf, GermanyDepartment of Engineering and Industrial Design, Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences, 39110 Magdeburg, GermanyDepartment of Engineering and Industrial Design, Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences, 39110 Magdeburg, GermanyDepartment of Engineering and Industrial Design, Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences, 39110 Magdeburg, GermanyDepartment for Veterinary Medicine, German Olympic Committee for Equestrian Sport, 48231 Warendorf, GermanyInstitute for Applied Training Science, 04109 Leipzig, GermanyDepartment of Engineering and Industrial Design, Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences, 39110 Magdeburg, GermanyInappropriate, excessive, or overly strenuous training of sport horses can result in long-term injury, including the premature cessation of a horse’s sporting career. As a countermeasure, this study demonstrates the easy implementation of a biomechanical load monitoring system consisting of five commercial, multi-purpose inertial sensor units non-invasively attached to the horse’s distal limbs and trunk. From the data obtained, specific parameters for evaluating gait and limb loads are derived, providing the basis for objective exercise load management and successful injury prevention. Applied under routine in-the-field training conditions, our pilot study results show that tri-axial peak impact limb load increases progressively from walk to trot to canter, in analogy to stride frequency. While stance and swing phases shorten systematically with increasing riding speed across subjects, longitudinal and lateral load asymmetry are affected by gait at an individual level, revealing considerable variability between and within individual horses. This individualized, everyday approach facilitates gaining valuable insights into specific training effects and responses to changing environmental factors in competitive sport horses. It promises to be of great value in optimizing exercise management in equestrian sports to benefit animal welfare and long-term health in the future.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/24/8170limb loadsasymmetrymotion analysissport horsesinjury prevention |
| spellingShingle | Christina Fercher Julia Bartsch Steffen Kluge Franziska Schneider Anna M. Liedtke Axel Schleichardt Olaf Ueberschär Applying Multi-Purpose Commercial Inertial Sensors for Monitoring Equine Locomotion in Equestrian Training Sensors limb loads asymmetry motion analysis sport horses injury prevention |
| title | Applying Multi-Purpose Commercial Inertial Sensors for Monitoring Equine Locomotion in Equestrian Training |
| title_full | Applying Multi-Purpose Commercial Inertial Sensors for Monitoring Equine Locomotion in Equestrian Training |
| title_fullStr | Applying Multi-Purpose Commercial Inertial Sensors for Monitoring Equine Locomotion in Equestrian Training |
| title_full_unstemmed | Applying Multi-Purpose Commercial Inertial Sensors for Monitoring Equine Locomotion in Equestrian Training |
| title_short | Applying Multi-Purpose Commercial Inertial Sensors for Monitoring Equine Locomotion in Equestrian Training |
| title_sort | applying multi purpose commercial inertial sensors for monitoring equine locomotion in equestrian training |
| topic | limb loads asymmetry motion analysis sport horses injury prevention |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/24/8170 |
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