A Review of Biomechanical Gait Classification with Reference to Collected Trot, Passage and Piaffe in Dressage Horses

Abstract

Simple SummaryThis paper reviews the biomechanical classification of diagonally coordinated gaits of dressage horses, specifically, collected trot, passage and piaffe. Each gait was classified as a walking gait or a running gait based on three criteria: limb kinematics, ground reaction forces and center of mass mechanics. The data for trot and passage were quite similar and both were classified as running gaits according to all three criteria. In piaffe, the limbs have relatively long stance durations and there are no aerial phases, so kinematically it was classified as a walking gait. However, the shape of the vertical ground reaction force curve and the strategies used to control movements of the center of mass were more similar to those of a running gait. The hind limbs act as springs with limb compression increasing progressively from collected trot to passage to piaffe, whereas the forelimbs show less compression in passage and piaffe and behave more like struts.AbstractGaits are typically classified as walking or running based on kinematics, the shape of the vertical ground reaction force (GRF) curve, and the use of inverted pendulum or spring-mass mechanics during the stance phase. The objectives of this review were to describe the biomechanical characteristics that differentiate walking and running gaits, then apply these criteria to classify and compare the enhanced natural gait of collected trot with the artificial gaits of passage and piaffe as performed by highly trained dressage horses. Limb contact and lift off times were used to determine contact sequence, limb phase, duty factor, and aerial phase duration. Ground reaction force data were plotted to assess fore and hind limb loading patterns. The center of mass (COM) trajectory was evaluated in relation to changes in potential and kinetic energy to assess the use of inverted pendulum and spring-mass mechanics. Collected trot and passage were classified as running gaits according to all three criteria whereas piaffe appears to be a hybrid gait combining walking kinematics with running GRFs and COM mechanics. The hind limbs act as springs and show greater limb compression in passage and piaffe compared with trot, whereas the forelimbs behave more like struts showing less compression in passage and piaffe than in trot.

Assessment of the effect of horseshoes with and without traction adaptations on the gait kinetics of nonlame horses during a trot on a concrete runway

“…That finding was consistent with the braking function of the forelimbs and propulsion function of the hind limbs. 44 In both the forelimbs and hind limbs, the mean braking time was greatest when horses were shod with standard shoes, which probably contributed to the long mean stance time for that shoe type. The reason braking time was longer when horses were shod with standard shoes than when shod with the other types of shoes might have been a function of slipping, which typically occurs during braking as the hoof impacts the ground.…”

Ground Reaction Forces of Dressage Horses Performing the Piaffe

“…Due to the need to support body mass, variables related to the vertical GRF component are relatively consistent (CoV < 10%), whereas the longitudinal and transverse GRF variables have higher CoV (25-68%). Passage also has a large CoV for the longitudinal GRF variables, whereas the values in collected trot are around half those in piaffe [10].…”

“…Unlike the trot and passage, in which the COM moves forward continuously and at fairly constant speed relative to the diagonal base of support [14], in piaffe the COM should not progress either forward or backward. When comparing the diagrams in Figures 6 and 7 for piaffe with those of passage and collected trot [10], it is evident that the vector envelope becomes narrower and the VecAng approaches zero as speed decreases. The proximity of VecAng to zero in piaffe indicates that the mean force vector is aligned almost vertically, which is consistent with performing the piaffe in place.…”

“…Force vector diagrams facilitate the visualization of the planar GRFs and are useful for comparison with published values for other gaits [10]. Unlike the trot and passage, in which the COM moves forward continuously and at fairly constant speed relative to the diagonal base of support [14], in piaffe the COM should not progress either forward or backward.…”

A scoping review of determinants of performance in dressage

“…However, it should be noted that energetic efficiency is not a requirement of dressage; in fact, horses are rewarded for performing with great energy and impulsion. The fact that many dressage horses show an irregular rhythm, especially in the extended walk (Clayton, 1995), may represent a more energetically efficient pattern of limb coordination than having a regular rhythm (Clayton & Hobbs, 2019). Related to this, the vector of braking and vector of propulsion were correlated to movement marks in young horses (Biau & Barrey, 2004), indicating that higher marks were given for good, symmetrical braking and propulsive work.…”