Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T00:04:14.226Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of rider experience on the jumping kinematics of riding horses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Pippa NR Powers  and
Anna M Kavanagh
Pippa NR Powers*
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
Anna M Kavanagh
Affiliation:
Department of Life Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
*
*[email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of an experienced rider and a novice rider on the stride kinematics of experienced riding horses. SVHS video recordings (50 Hz) were made of ten experienced riding horses jumping a 1.05 m-high vertical fence. The horses were randomly assigned to jump the fence under two experimental conditions: ridden by an experienced rider and ridden by a novice rider. Three trials for each ridden condition were analysed, and the effects of the rider type on four kinematic variables were examined using a repeated measures ANOVA. No significant differences were found between the riders for velocity and stride length during the approach, or for the take-off and landing distances from the fence. The results suggest that the rider's body position and body movement had no effect on the horse's jumping kinematics as measured in this study, and that each horse jumped the fence in its own manner, regardless of what the rider was doing. This is contrary to the current belief that a horse's jumping technique is strongly influenced by the rider. These findings have relevance for both horses and riders, in that if an experienced horse does not respond to a rider's instructions as expected, then the implications for training of the horse and the rider are considerable.

Keywords

rider effectshorsesjumpingathletic performance
Type
Research Article
Information
Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology , Volume 2 , Issue 4 , November 2005 , pp. 263 - 267
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Sloet van Oldruitenbourg-Oosterbaan, MM, Barneveld, A and Schamhardt, HC (1995). Effect of weight and riding on workload and locomotion during treadmill exercise. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 23: 71–75.Google Scholar
2Clayton, HM, Lanovaz, JL, Schamhardt, HC and Van Wessum, R (1999). The effects of a rider's mass on ground reaction forces and fetlock kinematics at the trot. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 30: 218–221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3Peham, C, Licka, T, Schobesberger, H and Meschan, E (2004). Influence of the rider on the variability of the equine gait. Human Movement Science 23: 663–671.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4Powers, PNR and Harrison, AJ (2002). Effects of the rider on the linear kinematics of jumping horses. Sports Biomechan-ics 1: 135–146.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Terada, K (2000). Comparison of head movement and EMG activity of muscles between advanced and novice horseback riders at different gaits. Journal of Equine Science 11: 83–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6Peham, C, Licka, T, Kapaun, M and Scheidl, M (2001). A new method to quantify harmony of the horse–rider system in dressage. Sports Engineering 4: 95–101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7Kapaun, M, Peham, C, Licke, T and Scheidl, M (1998). The influence of the rider on the trotting motion of a ridden horse. In: Riehle, HJ & Vieten, MM (eds), Proceedings of the XVI International Symposium on Biomechanics in Sports. Konstanz: UVK-Universitätsverslag Konstanz.Google Scholar
8Powers, PNR and Harrison, AJ (2000). How the rider can help show jumpers to have better performances? In: Lindner, A (ed.), The Elite Show Jumper. Dortmund: Lensing Druck, pp. 79–90.Google Scholar
9Clayton, HM, Colborne, GR, Lanovaz, J and Burns, TE (1996). Linear kinematics of water jumping in olympic show jumpers. Pferdeheilkunde 12: 657–660.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10Klimke, R (1989). Basic Training of the Young Horse London: JA, Allen & Co.Google Scholar
11Powers, PNR and Harrison, AJ (2000). A study of the techniques used by untrained horses during loose jumping. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 20: 845–850.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12Colborne, GR, Clayton, HM and Lanovaz, J (1995). Factors that influence vertical velocity during takeoff over a water jump. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 18: 138–140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13Vincent, WJ (1999). Statistics in Kinesiology. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.Google Scholar
14Barrey, E and Galloux, P (1997). Analysis of the equine jumping technique by accelerometry. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 23: 45–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar