Relationships between stride characteristics and scores in dressage tests

The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between the scores of dressage horses in competition and gait characteristics. During twenty five dressage tests, eighteen horses were tested with a gait analysis system. According to the level of the dressage test, two groups of horses were used : a group of ten young horses (4, 5 and 6 year old) and a group of eight experienced horses (7, 8, 9, 11 and 13 year old). An accelerometric device fixed at the sternum measured the dorsoventral and longitudinal accelerations. Stride frequency, symmetry, regularity, dorsoventral displacement, longitudinal activity, dorsoventral activity, vector of propulsion and vector of braking were calculated from horse accelerations for each figure of dressage test. At the same time, the judges marked all the figures. Judges' sheets were collected to calculate correlations between marks, total score, and gait variables measured during the test. The results showed that specific characteristics of the walk and trot were required in young horses. The trot should be slow with a large dorsoventral displacement and a large longitudinal activity. The walk should be slow, regular, symmetric, with a large dorsoventral activity and dorsoventral displacement. A good movement performed at the canter was indicated by high longitudinal and dorsoventral activities. Few correlations for the group of experienced horses were observed.