The laterality of the gallop gait in Thoroughbred racehorses.
Authors: Cully Paulette, Nielsen Brian, Lancaster Bryony, Martin Jessica, McGreevy Paul
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary Forelimb preferences during galloping transitions have long been suspected in racehorses, yet population-level laterality patterns remain poorly characterised. Paulette and colleagues analysed lead-leg preferences across 2,095 Thoroughbreds initiating gallop from starting stalls in 350 UK flat races, examining whether individual or population-level motor biases existed and whether these affected racing performance. Whilst clockwise tracks showed a modest population bias toward left-lead initiations (51.2% left overall), this difference was not statistically significant, and lead preference showed no correlation with finishing position on either course direction. However, individual-level analysis revealed more nuanced findings: 44 horses tracked longitudinally demonstrated consistent individual preferences (with left-lateralised horses showing stronger asymmetry than right-lateralised individuals), and mares exhibited greater left-side bias than colts and stallions. These findings suggest that whilst population-level motor laterality is negligible in racehorses—meaning lead preference alone cannot predict competitive success—individual horses do develop lateralised preferences that warrant consideration during training and rehabilitation, particularly given sex-based differences that may influence proprioceptive development or muscular conditioning strategies.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Leading limb preference in racehorses is highly individual rather than population-wide, so identifying each horse's preference may be relevant for training and racing decisions on particular track configurations
- •Track direction (clockwise vs anti-clockwise) appears to influence leading limb expression, suggesting the racing surface and turn geometry interact with individual laterality preferences
- •Sex differences exist in laterality strength, with mares showing more pronounced left-sided bias than males—factor this into individual assessment protocols
Key Findings
- •Population-level analysis of 2,095 Thoroughbreds showed no significant motor laterality bias (51.26% left vs 48.74% right lead), though clockwise tracks showed a significant left bias (ratio 1.15, p=0.022)
- •Individual-level repeated measures (n=44 horses) revealed 50% of horses exhibited consistent laterality preferences, with left-lateralized horses showing stronger individual bias than right-lateralized horses (p=0.03)
- •Mares demonstrated significantly greater left laterality than males (p=0.03), and leading limb preference did not correlate with race finishing position on either course direction