The tipping point: Exploring the influence of rider presence and posture on gait parameters in horses working in mounted equine-assisted services.
Authors: Baxley B H, Stellato A, Anderson N C
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Rider Effects on Horse Movement in Equine-Assisted Services Equine-assisted services rely on horses to deliver therapeutic benefits to participants, yet we know surprisingly little about how mounted work affects the horses' biomechanics and long-term soundness. Baxley and colleagues used inertial measurement units on the distal limbs of 22 EAS horses across four centres to quantify changes in ground reaction forces, stride parameters, and weight distribution during walk and trot—comparing ridden versus unmounted conditions and correlating findings with rider characteristics including posture and age. Mounting a rider substantially increased loading demands (ground reaction forces rose by 2.36 N at walk and 6.69 N at trot, *P* < 0.001), alongside longer strides (+0.13 m walk; +0.23 m trot) and increased weight-bearing duration at walk. Critically, child riders produced more pronounced effects on gait stability than adults, reducing trot stride duration significantly, whilst leftward trunk lean from any rider preferentially loaded the forelimbs—patterns that warrant attention when scheduling therapeutic sessions and managing rotation of EAS horses. These biomechanical insights underscore the need for farriers, veterinarians, and programme managers to evaluate whether current workload and rider-matching protocols adequately protect long-term musculoskeletal health in horses dedicated to therapeutic work.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Monitor and correct rider posture in EAS settings—left trunk lean significantly alters forelimb loading, which may affect long-term soundness and welfare in working horses
- •Child riders produce different gait biomechanics than adults; adjust training protocols and horse selection accordingly to minimize compensatory movement patterns
- •Recognize that all mounted work increases ground reaction forces and stride length; implement appropriate rest and conditioning programs for EAS horses to preserve longevity
Key Findings
- •Rider presence increased peak ground reaction force by 2.36 N at walk and 6.69 N at trot (P<0.001)
- •Rider presence increased stride length by 0.13 m at walk and 0.23 m at trot (P<0.001)
- •Rider left trunk lean increased forelimb peak ground reaction force at walk (+0.39 N, P=0.03) and stationary proportion at trot (+0.68%, P=0.02)
- •Child riders (vs. adult) increased stationary proportion at trot (+4.47%, P=0.04) and reduced stride duration (P<0.01)