I don't know about you but the last few months have flown by! BUT I finally got time to sit down and send out the VERY FIRST edition of Empowered Equitation Newsletter. Enjoy 😊
In August, I was presenting some of my PhD research at a conference organised annually by the International Society for Equitation Science.
I did lightening talk on the effect of circle, speed and surface on head and pelvis movement in horses with pre-existing straight-line movement asymmetries. If you are curious about the range of topics covered, you can access all the abstracts (including mine 😊) from the conference in the proceedings available here. In a nutshell, 'equitation science' represents a wide area of research into horse management and training with the aim to enhance horse welfare and improve
horse-rider relationship. You can find out more about the society, what they do and how to get involved here.
In September, I headed to Somerford Park Farm to do equine gait analysis for the participants at Active Rider Camp. Everyone found the sessions really valuable and I look forward to being back in the spring. You might ask - Why do we need gait analysis for horses? Gait analysis is the science behind quantifying the movement of a horse. It is sensitive which means that it can detect even subtle asymmetries which are hard to identify by the human eye - our eyes are just not that good at identifying small movement asymmetries 👀. It is also
great for tracking changes over time - it can be quite hard for us to remember what a particular horse looked like 2 or 3 months ago but with the help of gait analysis, we can establish the horse’s baseline and then reliably track changes over time. This can be particularly helpful when evaluating the horse's response training or rehabilitation programmes.
Example of equine gait analysis report: |
Do you want to learn more about equine gait analysis? Great! Here are some useful resources you can check out 🤓 ⬇️
Blog - Introduction to Equine Gait Analysis
Until recently, objective evaluation of horse’s gaits would have been restricted to veterinary research institutions due to the cost of the equipment and the complexities of setting everything up correctly. Fortunately, these assessments can now be done in the
field (out of the research labs) thanks to the advances in the technology. In fact, we are getting to the exciting point when equine gait analysis is becoming more accessible and affordable for the wider equestrian community.
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Podcast - How gait analysis can help and support coaching and training of horses
Here I chat to Marianne from Dynamics Coaching and together we unpack the complexity of equine movement systems and and how gait analysis research is bringing new insights to our understanding of what is normal gait variability and what movement strategies may
be an indication of pain adaptations. We discuss how gait analysis of horses could one day become much easier and cheaper to access and how findings from research can be used to inform coaching and training practice design.
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Webinar - Asymmetrical or lame? Where do we draw the line?
I delivered this webinar live in November last year but the recording is available for purchase for only £5. You can watch it anytime that suits your schedule. This webinar will help you understand normal movement patterns of horses and
how movement symmetry of your horse can be impacted by different factors (for example: tack, riding style, movement on circles, pain).
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Demo & Talk 13th November 2022 - Tilefield Equestrian (Brockenhurst, UK)
I am very excited to be doing this in-person session for Tilefield Equestrian (Brokenhurst, Hampshire): 'Movement asymmetries and lameness in horses - How gait analysis technology can help us keep an ‘objective eye’ on our horses' The
session will included a practical demonstration of sensor-based gait analysis technology so that you can get greater understanding of how this technology can be used in everyday setting. We will also discuss the gait analysis report of the horse evaluated on the day and link it back to what you will have learnt during the talk.
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There you go, you made it to the end of my VERY FIRST newsletter 😊. It just happened to be focused on equine gait analysis because that is something that has kept me busy for the past few months (and for the past 3 years as a PhD student 🤓). But worry not, in the future I will cover a range
to topics - all to do with coaching of riders and training of horses. I am always keen to hear what was helpful or what would like to see more of in future editions of the newsletter. Simply send me an email or message me on social media - I always love to hear about how I can help you so don't be shy 🙂 |
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