The Pattern of Superficial Body Temperatures in Leisure Horses Lunged with Commonly Used Lunging Aids.

BACKGROUND

The natural head and neck position (HNP) of horses differs from the position in horse riding when bit is used. The special lunging aids (LAs) are applied in order to modify HNP. Different types of LAs have the potential to affect the work of horse muscles and the superficial thermographic patterns (STPs). The effects of thre LAs on STPs of neck, chest, back, and hindquarters were investigated.

METHODS

Sixteen leisure horses were lunged with freely moving head (FMH), rubber band (RB), chambon (CH), and triangle side reins (TRs). The thermographic images (n = 896) were analyzed before/after lunging for mean temperatures (T) and minimum-maximum difference (T).

RESULTS

Superficial T increased ( < 0.001) in cranial part of neck, back, thoracic area, and limbs after lunging regardless of LAs application or its type. In comparison to other LAs: With RB, T was higher in regions of interest (ROIs) 2,7 and lower in ROIs 3-4 ( < 0.05); with CH, T was higher in ROIs 2-4 and 7 ( < 0.01); and with TRs, T was higher in ROIs 2-4,7,9-11 ( < 0.01). In ROIs 2-4 and 7, T was lower with LAs than with FMH ( < 0.01) and in ROIs 9-10 with TRs.

CONCLUSIONS

The choice of LAs should be dictated by the expected effect; however, all LAs increase the quality of the leisure horse lunging. LA use is more desirable than lunging with FMH.