An application of temperature mapping of horse's back for leisure horse-rider-matching.
Authors: M. Maśko, A. Krajewska, Lukasz Zdrojkowski, M. Domino, Z. Gajewski
Journal: Animal science journal = Nihon chikusan Gakkaiho
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Thermal Imaging as a Tool for Leisure Horse-Rider Matching Poorly matched rider-horse combinations subject horses to chronic musculoskeletal overload, yet leisure riders often lack the skill to recognise biomechanical incompatibility. Maśko and colleagues developed a thermographic scoring system to objectively assess saddle fit and muscle strain distribution by comparing thermal patterns on the thoracolumbar region before and after ridden exercise in sixteen Polish warmblood horses. The system quantified abnormal heat concentration along the dorsal midline and degree of muscular overload, yielding optimal matching scores in approximately 38% of rider-horse combinations; notably, thermal findings correlated strongly (r = 0.937) with subjective rider feedback on horse-rider communication, with high specificity (90.23%) for identifying problematic pairings. This non-invasive thermal mapping approach offers practitioners a repeatable, objective method to guide saddle fit adjustments and rider suitability decisions, potentially reducing compensatory movement patterns and associated soft-tissue pathology in leisure horses where rider experience cannot always be assumed.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Thermal imaging of the back before and after riding can objectively identify whether a particular rider-saddle-horse combination is causing localized muscular stress and overload
- •Most leisure horses (61.7%) are currently mismatched with their riders; using this assessment tool could help match horses to appropriate riders and reduce chronic back pathology
- •Improved matching leads to better horse comfort and rideability, potentially reducing behavioural issues and musculoskeletal injury in leisure horses
Key Findings
- •Thermographic scoring system identified optimal horse-rider matches in 38.3% of combinations, correlating strongly (r=0.937) with subjective questionnaire data on rider communication
- •The thermographic matching protocol demonstrated 61.72% sensitivity and 90.23% specificity for identifying suitable matches
- •Heat distribution patterns on the dorsal midline and degree of muscle overload in the saddle contact area were reliable indicators of poor horse-rider compatibility