Equine Gait Analysis

The equine kinetic/kinematic equipment is housed in the Equine Athletic Performance Laboratory (EAPL). A research treadmill is available for kinematic studies. Additional high-speed video equipment is available for outdoor studies. Our laboratory has developed a custom force-sensing horseshoe for ground-reaction force measurements and has multiple accelerometers for impact/vibration measurements. Electromyography is available to measure muscular activation.

Horse shoe with force sensing electronics

Recent kinematic and kinetic studies have been completed at multiple horse racing tracks in order to investigate the effect of the surface on the horse biomechanics. With kinematic analysis we can see how the motion of the horse changes on varying surfaces. With the force-sensing horseshoe we can detect the how the force on the limb is altered by the surface.

UC DAVIS RACETRACK SURFACE STUDY: HIND FETLOCK ANGLE WHILE GALLOPING ON A DIRT SURFACE

This high speed video captures racehorse limb motion during stance (when the hoof is in contact with the ground) on a dirt surface. Angles greater than 180 degrees indicate fetlock hyperextension (dorsiflexion).

UC DAVIS RACETRACK SURFACE STUDY: HIND HOOF SLIDE AND ORIENTATION ON A DIRT SURFACE

Published on May 8, 2012 The upper video was taken using a high speed video camera (500 frames per second) to capture racehorse hoof motion during stance (when the hoof is in contact with the ground) on a synthetic surface. Horses in this study were recorded while running approximately 35 mph. This is similar to competition speeds. The lower plot shows the trajectory or path of the toe (red plot) and heel (blue plot) of the hoof during stance. Watch our video of hoof slide and orientation on a dirt surface for comparison.

UC DAVIS RACETRACK SURFACE STUDY: HIND FETLOCK ANGLE WHILE GALLOPING ON A SYNTHETIC SURFACE

Published on May 8, 2012 The upper video was taken using a high speed video camera (500 frames per second) to capture racehorse limb motion during stance (when the hoof is in contact with the ground) on a synthetic surface. Horses in this study were recorded while running approximately 35 mph. This is similar to competition speeds. The lower plot shows hind fetlock joint angle during stance. Angles greater than 180 degrees indicate fetlock hyperextension (dorsiflexion). Watch our video of a horse galloping on a dirt surface for comparison.

UC DAVIS HORSE RACETRACK SURFACE STUDY

VORL study of horse racetracks compare synthetic, dirt and turf surfaces.

UC DAVIS RACETRACK SURFACE STUDY: HIND HOOF SLIDE AND ORIENTATION ON A SYNTHETIC SURFACE

This high speed video captures racehorse limb motion during stance (when the hoof is in contact with the ground) on a synthetic surface. The lower plot shows the trajectory or path of the toe (red plot) and heel (blue plot) of the hoof during stance.

HORSE GALLOP ON TREADMILL AT EAPL

Uploaded on Apr 7, 2011 This is a galloping horse on one of the treadmills at the Claire Giannini Hoffman Equine Athletic Performance Lab at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.