Muscle Function and Kinematics during Submaximal Equine Jumping: What Can Objective Outcomes Tell Us about Athletic Performance Indicators?
Authors: St George Lindsay, Clayton Hilary M, Sinclair Jonathan, Richards James, Roy Serge H, Hobbs Sarah Jane
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Muscle Function and Kinematics during Submaximal Equine Jumping Understanding what separates competent jumpers from exceptional athletes has long relied on subjective assessment, but this 2021 investigation provides the first objective biomechanical evidence supporting conventional equestrian training wisdom. St George Lindsay and colleagues used surface electromyography alongside three-dimensional kinematics to analyse muscle activation patterns and movement strategies in jumping horses, stratifying animals by centre-of-mass elevation during suspension—a measurable proxy for jumping quality. Superior performers demonstrated significantly shorter gluteal muscle contraction duration at take-off, a pattern directly associated with faster approach speeds, more rapid hindlimb folding, greater vertical displacement velocity, and abbreviated hindlimb stance phases. These correlations suggest that the most efficient jumping athletes generate impulsion through precisely timed, powerful hindquarter engagement rather than prolonged muscular effort, findings that validate existing selection criteria based on impulsion and hindlimb articulation. For practitioners, this research underscores the biomechanical importance of schooling methods that encourage explosive rather than sustained hindquarter power, and provides objective parameters—approach velocity, hindlimb timing, and centre-of-mass trajectory—that complement visual assessment when evaluating jumping potential or training efficacy.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •When evaluating jumping prospects, look for horses that demonstrate quick, efficient hindlimb loading and unloading patterns rather than prolonged muscular effort during take-off
- •Training should focus on developing hindlimb power and engagement through exercises that promote rapid, explosive movement patterns in the gluteal muscles
- •Video analysis of approach speed, hindlimb mechanics, and jump suspension height provides objective data to validate traditional equestrian performance indicators and guide selection decisions
Key Findings
- •Horses with greater center of mass elevation during jump suspension demonstrated significantly shorter gluteal muscle contractions at take-off (p < 0.05)
- •Shorter gluteal contractions were significantly correlated with faster approach velocity, more rapid hindlimb shortening, and increased center of mass vertical displacement and velocity (p < 0.05)
- •Shorter hindlimb stance duration at take-off was associated with superior jumping performance indicators
- •Objective biomechanical analysis supports prioritizing engagement, impulsion and hindlimb muscle power in jumping horse selection and training