Comparison of speed-dependent time, force and spatial parameters between Franches-Montagnes and European Warmblood horses walking and trotting on a treadmill.
Authors: Gmel A I, Haraldsdóttir E H, Bragança F M Serra, Cruz A M, Weishaupt M A
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Gait adaptation to speed varies among horse breeds and carries practical implications for training, performance assessment and breeding selection. Researchers used instrumented treadmill technology to measure temporal, force and spatial parameters across 38 European Warmbloods and 24 Franches-Montagnes horses during incremental walk (1.35–2.05 m/s) and trot (3.25–5.5 m/s tests, employing regression analysis to examine how limb mechanics changed with velocity. Both breeds demonstrated the expected speed-dependent increases in stride rate, stride length, overtracking distance and vertical ground reaction forces, with corresponding decreases in impulse values; however, the rate and magnitude of these changes differed significantly between breeds, with many differences attributable to hind limb mechanics rather than forelimb function. When data were scaled for height differences, some breed distinctions disappeared—notably stride length at walk—yet the Franches-Montagnes' capacity to generate substantial overtracking distances despite lower withers height suggests distinct biomechanical advantages worth preserving. These findings support the use of objective gait measurement systems in selective breeding programmes, particularly to refine hind limb engagement in breeds where movement patterns could be optimised without compromising their inherent structural strengths.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Gait adaptation to speed follows predictable mathematical patterns in both breeds, allowing objective assessment of movement quality and deviations using instrumented treadmill systems
- •Breed-specific movement characteristics persist across speeds; selecting Franches-Montagnes horses for traits resembling Warmblood movement patterns requires objective measurement systems rather than visual assessment alone
- •Scaling gait parameters for horse size removes some apparent breed differences, suggesting that height differences account for some but not all biomechanical variation between breeds
Key Findings
- •Stride rate, length, over-tracking distance and vertical ground reaction forces increased with speed in both walk (1.35-2.05 m/s) and trot (3.25-5.5 m/s), while impulses decreased
- •Franches-Montagnes and Warmblood horses followed identical linear or polynomial regression curves for gait parameters across speeds, but slopes and curvation often differed significantly between breeds
- •Height and speed explained some breed differences in parameters like stride length at walk, which would disappear when data were scaled
- •Franches-Montagnes horses achieved long over-tracking distances despite shorter withers height, with main breed differences originating from hind limb movement patterns