ABSTRACT: Lameness is one of the main causes of clinical manifestations of injuries in horses, and is characterized by an asymmetry of movement. This study assessed the influence of the saddle and two different riders on the symmetry of movements in Criollo horses. We used twenty Criollo horses in training for the Freio de Ouro competitions. An objective evaluation was carried out when moving at a trot in a straight line, in order to compare the saddle and rider effects in the asymmetry of horses trotting in a straight line. We evaluated inertial measurement units, obtaining data from the asymmetric side, as well as the amplitude of the asymmetry, using inertial sensor software. There was no significant difference in the objective measurements between the groups assessed in the VECTOR SUM, DIFF MIN of the head, DIFF MAX and DIFF MIN of the pelvis, but one of the riders showed a statistical difference in the DIFF MAX of the head compared to the situations. In this study, it was observed that one of the riders influenced the horse’s head movement, suggesting the possibility that riders can indeed impact the movements and asymmetries of horses during riding.
Rodrigues et al. (Wed,) studied this question.