Collected, Medium, and Extended Trot Biomechanics Studied

Researchers in the United Kingdom recently examined kinematic differences—essentially, differences in how horses move—between collected and medium/extended trot in dressage horses to better understand the effect of collected versus lengthened paces, footing surfaces, and differences between young and mature dressage horses.
The team evaluated 20 clinically sound horses in active dressage training on two composite (sand/felt fiber/grain rubber) surfaces typical of dressage arenas. The researchers separated the horses into two groups: horses six years and under working at elementary and medium dressage levels, assessed at collected and medium trot; and horses nine years and over working at Prix St. Georges and above, assessed at collected and extended trot.
The team used 2-D high-speed motion capture to measure forelimb and hind-limb angles at midstance (the moment the horse has two feet on the ground), where peak load occurs. This phase of the gait is characterized by shoulder/elbow flexion and knee/fetlock extension in the forelimbs and hip/stifle/hock flexion with fetlock extension in the hind limbs
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