Do You Know Your Horse’s Biomechanical Footprint? The Value of Objective Gait Analysis
Every horse has their own way of moving. We know from both research and clinical experience that some degree of movement asymmetry can be present in horses that are training and performing normally, and that there can be considerable variation between individual horses. This creates an interesting challenge when we are assessing subtle lameness or changes in performance. When we identify an asymmetry, how do we know whether it is significant for that particular horse?
This is where the concept of a biomechanical footprint becomes very useful. Rather than thinking of gait analysis as a single measurement taken on a particular day, we can use repeated assessments to build a picture of how an individual horse normally moves. Over time, we begin to understand their usual movement patterns, how much those patterns normally vary and, importantly, when something starts to change. We have had on multiple occasions when we assess horses, seeing an asymmetry in one limb, only to go back and see something different the following assessment.
Objective gait analysis gives us the ability to measure these patterns in considerably more detail than we can by eye alone over time. However, its value is not simply in determining whether a horse sits above or below a particular asymmetry threshold. The information becomes much more useful when we combine it with what we know about the whole horse, including their clinical examination, previous injuries, spinal function, training history, workload, how they are currently performing and responding to the current workload.
What is your horse’s biomechanical footprint?
I use the term biomechanical footprint to describe the individual movement characteristics we come to recognise in a horse. It includes their usual patterns of gait symmetry and asymmetry, but extends beyond gait analysis alone. Muscle development, spinal mobility, conformation, previous injuries, strength, workload and the demands of their discipline can all contribute to the way a horse moves.
Importantly, this footprint is not completely static. Horses are biological systems, and we should expect some variation from one assessment to another.
Research examining repeated gait measurements in horses perceived to be sound has demonstrated variation between trials and between days, particularly in head movement. This means that a small difference between two assessments is not necessarily evidence that something has gone wrong.
What becomes interesting with longitudinal monitoring is that we can start to learn not only what a horse’s movement pattern looks like, but also how much that individual horse normally varies.
Does gait asymmetry always mean lameness?
One of the most important things we have learned through objective gait analysis is that measurable asymmetry is not synonymous with pain or lameness.
In a study of 222 riding horses in regular training that were considered free from lameness by their owners, researchers found that 72.5% had movement asymmetries above previously reported thresholds during straight-line trot. Importantly, the study could not determine whether those asymmetries represented pain, mechanical differences or other causes.
This does not mean that asymmetry should be dismissed. Instead, it highlights why an objective gait measurement needs to be interpreted in context. An asymmetry may reflect primary pain, compensation for pain elsewhere, an individual movement characteristic or normal biological variation. The surface, speed and whether the horse is travelling on a straight line or circle can also influence the movement pattern we measure.
This becomes particularly important in subtle or multilimb lameness, where the movement pattern can be complex. What appears to be an asymmetry in one limb may actually be part of a compensatory strategy for pain elsewhere. Objective gait analysis gives us another layer of information with which to unravel that picture, but it does not replace a thorough clinical and gait assessment of the whole horse.
Why is knowing your horse’s baseline important?
Longitudinal monitoring shifts the emphasis away from interpreting every measurement against a threshold derived from an external population of horses. This allows us therefore to begin comparing the horse to themself over time.
If I examine a horse for the first time because the rider feels that something has changed, I can perform a clinical examination and collect objective gait data, but I am still looking at that horse at one point in time. If we already have measurements from when the horse was training and performing well, we have an additional and potentially very useful reference point.
A baseline should not be thought of as one set of “normal numbers”. Repeated measurements need to take into account the normal variation within an individual horse and the circumstances in which the measurements were collected. Training load, fatigue, shoeing interval and timing relative to exercise are among the factors worth documenting when we compare a horse over time.
For that reason, I prefer to think of a baseline as gradually establishing an expected pattern and range of movement for the individual horse, rather than defining a fixed normal value.
How much does a horse’s gait normally vary?
This is where longitudinal monitoring needs some care. If we measure horses frequently enough, we will find differences. The question is whether those differences represent meaningful change.
Research in owner-sound horses assessed repeatedly over time has demonstrated that between-measurement variation can be substantial, particularly for head movement, and that measurement conditions can influence the degree of variation observed.
This is why longitudinal monitoring should not become a process of watching for a number to cross a threshold. A small change on one assessment may fall comfortably within the variation we expect to see, while a larger or persistent change from an established pattern may deserve more attention.
The circumstances of the assessment matter as well. Wherever possible, comparing like with like makes longitudinal data more meaningful. Surface, straight-line versus circle work and other testing conditions should be considered, alongside what has been happening with the horse around the time of the assessment.
What can objective gait analysis tell us in longitudinal monitoring?
Consider a horse that consistently demonstrates a small asymmetry while training and performing well. If that pattern remains relatively stable over a series of assessments, it becomes part of what we know about that individual horse.
If the asymmetry subsequently increases substantially, a new pattern develops, or the relationship between head, withers and pelvic movement changes, that information becomes much more interesting, particularly if the rider is also noticing a change in performance, willingness or feel.
The objective gait data have not diagnosed an injury, but they can tell us that the horse is moving differently from their previous pattern and provide another piece of information to guide the clinical assessment.
The reverse is also useful. We may identify an asymmetry during an assessment that initially attracts our attention, only to find that historical measurements show a very similar pattern when the horse was training and performing well. That does not prove that the finding is insignificant or that the horse is free from pathology, but it gives us important context when deciding how much weight to place on that particular finding.
This distinction is important. A consistent asymmetry is not automatically “normal”, just as a change in asymmetry does not automatically mean injury. Longitudinal data help us ask better questions, but they still need to be interpreted alongside the horse in front of us.
When should you establish your horse’s baseline?
Interestingly, one of the most useful times to collect baseline information may be when your horse is going well. Establishing objective gait data during a period when the horse is training and performing normally gives us something meaningful to refer back to if their movement or performance changes in the future. Depending on the horse, this might be useful at the beginning of a training period, during routine performance monitoring, when returning to regular work, or as part of a broader biomechanical assessment.
One assessment is still only a snapshot. As measurements accumulate over time, however, we can start to build a better understanding of that horse’s expected movement pattern and the variation that is normal for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does gait asymmetry always mean my horse is lame?
No. Measurable gait asymmetry is common, including in horses that owners consider sound and that are training without perceived performance problems. Asymmetry may have several explanations, which is why objective gait data need to be interpreted alongside the clinical examination and the individual horse.
What is objective gait analysis in horses?
Objective gait analysis uses technology to quantify aspects of a horse’s movement, including small differences in the movement of the head, withers and pelvis. It provides additional information during a lameness assessment and allows movement patterns to be objectively compared between examinations.
Why establish a gait baseline when my horse is sound?
Collecting information when your horse is training and performing well gives us a useful point of comparison if something changes later. With repeated measurements, we can begin to understand the horse’s usual movement pattern and expected variation rather than relying entirely on population-based thresholds.
How often should objective gait analysis be repeated?
There is no single interval that is appropriate for every horse. The frequency depends on why we are monitoring, whether that is routine performance monitoring, rehabilitation, return to work or investigation of a particular concern. Consistency in how measurements are collected is also important when comparing results over time.
Know your horse’s normal
At Core Equine, our biomechanical assessments combine clinical examination with objective gait analysis to help us evaluate the whole horse. Establishing objective information when your horse is going well can also provide a valuable reference point if their movement or performance changes in the future.
