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EQUINE VETERINARY EDUCATION
Equine vet. Educ. (2022) 34 (2) 84-95 doi: 10.1111/eve.13395
Original Article
Gait abnormalities and ridden horse behaviour in a convenience sample of the United Kingdom ridden sports horse and leisure horse population
S. Dyson†* , J. Routh‡ , A. Bondi§ and D. Pollard¶
†The Cottage, Market Weston, Diss; ‡Centre for Equine Studies, Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, Suffolk; §Firbeck House, Worksop, Derbyshire; and ¶Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Department, Centre for Preventive Medicine, Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, Suffolk, UK *Corresponding author email:
sue.dyson@aol.com
J. Routh’s present address: University of Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine Daphne Jackson Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7AL, UK D. Pollard’s present address: 28 Stable Close Colchester, Essex, CO3 0UG, UK
Keywords: horse; saddle; noseband; lameness; musculoskeletal pain; Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram
Summary The objectives of this study were to compare horses’ gaits in
hand and when ridden; to assess static and dynamic saddle fit for each horse and rider; to apply the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) and relate the findings to gait abnormalities consistent with musculoskeletal pain, rider position and balance and saddle fit; and to document noseband use and its relationship with mouth opening during ridden exercise. Data were acquired prospectively from a convenience sample of horses believed by their owners to be working comfortably. All assessments were subjective. Gait in hand and when ridden were evaluated independently, by two assessors, and compared using McNemar’s test. Static tack fit and noseband type were recorded. Movement of the saddle during ridden exercise, rider position, balance and size relative to the saddle was documented. RHpE scores were based on assessment of video recordings. Multivariable Poisson regression analysis was used to determine factors which influenced the RHpE scores. Of 148 horses, 28.4% were lame in hand, whereas 62.2% were lame ridden (P<0.001). Sixty per cent of horses showed gait abnormalities in canter. The median RHpE score was 8/24 (interquartile range 5, 9; range 0, 15). There was a positive association between lameness and the RHpE score (P<0.001). Riding School horses had higher RHpE scores compared with General Purpose horses (P = 0.001). Saddles with tight tree points (P = 0.001) and riders seated at the back of the saddle rather than the middle (P = 0.001) were associated with higher RHpE scores. Horses wearing crank cavesson compared with cavesson nosebands had higher RHpE scores (P = 0.006). There was no difference in mouth opening, as defined by the RHpE, in horses with a noseband with the potential to restrict mouth opening, compared with a correctly fitted cavesson noseband, or no noseband. It was concluded that lameness or gait abnormalities in canter may be missed unless horses are assessed ridden.
Introduction
It is well recognised that a horse’s gait may appear different when ridden compared with in hand (Licka et al. 2004;
© 2020 EVJ Ltd Marqu es et al. 2014; Dyson and Greve 2016), but there has
been no large-scale comparative study. It is becoming increasingly evident that there is a lack of recognition of lameness and other pain-related gait alterations by riders and trainers in the sports horse population, with variable estimates of 47–69% of horses experiencing musculoskeletal pain (Greve and Dyson 2014; Marqu
es et al. 2014; Dyson and Greve 2016;
Pfau et al. 2016; Rhodin et al. 2016; Wilson et al. 2016; Dittmann et al. 2020). A Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) has been developed to help identify horses with musculoskeletal pain (Dyson et al. 2018a). Further evaluation of a broad cross section of sports horses would potentially help to demonstrate the usefulness of this tool. The prevalence of ill-fitting saddles was reported, and the importance of correct saddle fit for equine musculoskeletal health was highlighted by Greve and Dyson (2014, 2015a); however, this was restricted to saddle fit for the horse and not the rider. Correct saddle fit for the rider is considered important both for optimal force distribution and enabling the rider to ride in balance (Dyson et al. 2019; Bondi et al. 2020; Roost et al. 2020). There has been considerable debate about the use, design and fit of nosebands, the possible discomfort imposed by nosebands and the relationship between mouth opening and nosebands (Fenner et al. 2016; Doherty et al. 2017; Uldahl and Clayton 2019). However, there has been no large-scale study relating noseband use to oral behaviour. The objectives of this study were to compare horses’ gaits
in hand and when ridden; to assess static and dynamic saddle fit for each horse and each rider; to apply the RHpE and relate the findings to gait abnormalities consistent with
musculoskeletal pain, rider position and balance and saddle fit; and to document noseband use and its relationship with mouth opening during ridden exercise.
Materials and methods
Study population This was a cross-sectional study, performed at 10 venues. Data were collected prospectively from a convenience sample of horses, recruited from professional and amateur
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