Effects of limb joint angles and body part vs. ground angles on horses’ jumping style

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 DSc (Agr), Professor, Head of the Department of Horse Breeding, Institute of Zootechnics and Biology Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Russian Federation

2 Аssisstant of the Department of Horse Breeding, Institute of Zootechnics and Biology Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Russian Federation

3 CSc (Agr), Associate Professor at the Department of Horse Breeding, Institute of Zootechnics and Biology Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Russian Federation

10.22124/cjes.2025.8950

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of limb joint angles and body part vs. ground angles on jumping style in horses. Horses were categorized into groups based on selected criteria and characteristics. One-Way ANOVA was performed to determine the size effect of the different phases of jumping on limb joint angles and body part vs. ground angles. To study each jumping phase in more detail, the effect of each phase on the limb joint angles and body part vs. ground angles measurements was examined as a percentage across all groups. A correlation analysis was carried out to test the correlation between neck vs. ground angle in the takeoff phase and neck vs. ground angle in flight phase. However, the data were not reliable, so this correlation was disregarded and the horses were differentiated into four subgroups. As the presented angles are more affected by the takeoff and flight phases, these phases were studied in detail using correlation analysis. Only certain angles in all subgroups showed a reliable correlation with a probability ranging between 95% and 99.9%. This correlation was mainly observed in limb joint angles and body part vs. ground angles. We concluded that both forelimb joint angles and neck vs. ground angle during the takeoff and flight phases affect jumping style. We also noted the groups of horses with the most and least desirable jumping styles.

Keywords

References

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Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences
Volume 23, Issue 3
July 2025
Pages 731-739

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