Institute of Topographic Anatomy, Department for Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
Movement Science Group, Equine Clinic, Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
Sci Rep. 2020 Feb 12;10(1):2420. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-59400-w.
Bit configuration and acting rein forces play a crucial role in oral health and comfort of ridden horses. Although it is a big animal welfare issue, dynamic response of horses to different bits has yet not been thoroughly investigated. This convenience sample experimental study describes a model to overcome the almost uncontrollable influence of riders on rein tension and evaluates self-controlled maximum side rein tension of ten sound horses randomly bitted with a double-jointed (DJS) and a version of a Mullen mouth snaffle-bit under unridden conditions. Horses were exercised at walk and trot on a horizontal treadmill wearing custom made force-sensing resistors (FSR) equipped to side reins. FSR were synchronized with a camera-based motion analysis system providing information on amplitudes and temporal occurrence of self-controlled maximum side rein tensile forces during different phases of separated motion cycles. The DJS exhibited larger side rein tension, indicating higher bit contact. Constant temporal occurrence of monophasic maxima at walk and biphasic maxima at trot could be observed in both bits. Within the limitations of this study, application of FSR linked to side reins in unridden horses may provide a promising tool when studying subjective response of horses to different bits.
衔铁配置和作用加强对骑马的马的口腔健康和舒适度起着至关重要的作用。尽管这是一个很大的动物福利问题，但马对不同衔铁的动态反应尚未得到彻底研究。本便利样本实验研究描述了一种模型，以克服骑手对缰绳张力的几乎不可控影响，并在无骑手条件下评估十个声音正常的马随机使用双关节（DJS）和马勒嘴衔铁的一个版本的自我控制最大侧缰张力。马在水平跑步机上穿着定制的力感应电阻器（FSR）进行散步和小跑，FSR 与基于摄像头的运动分析系统同步，提供在分离运动周期的不同阶段期间自我控制的最大侧缰拉伸力的幅度和时间发生的信息。DJS 显示出更大的侧缰张力，表明更高的衔铁接触。在两种衔铁中都可以观察到散步时单峰最大值和小跑时双峰最大值的恒定时间发生。在本研究的限制范围内，在未骑乘的马中应用与侧缰相连的 FSR 可能为研究马对不同衔铁的主观反应提供了一种有前途的工具。
