St George Lindsay, Clayton Hilary M, Sinclair Jonathan, Richards James, Roy Serge H, Hobbs Sarah Jane
School of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK.
Sport Horse Science, Mason, MI 48824, USA.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Feb 5;11(2):414. doi: 10.3390/ani11020414.
Selection and training practices for jumping horses have not yet been validated using objective performance analyses. This study aimed to quantify the differences and relationships between movement and muscle activation strategies in horses with varying jump technique to identify objective jumping performance indicators. Surface electromyography (sEMG) and three-dimensional kinematic data were collected from horses executing a submaximal jump. Kinematic variables were calculated based on equestrian-derived performance indicators relating to impulsion, engagement and joint articulation. Horses were grouped using an objective performance indicator-center of mass (CM) elevation during jump suspension (Z). Between-group differences in kinematic variables and muscle activation timings, calculated from sEMG data, were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) evaluated between-group differences in time and amplitude-normalized sEMG waveforms. Relationships between movement and muscle activation were evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficients. Horses with the greatest Z displayed significantly ( < 0.05) shorter gluteal contractions at take-off, which were significantly correlated ( < 0.05) with a faster approach and more rapid hindlimb shortening and CM vertical displacement and velocity, as well as shorter hindlimb stance duration at take-off. Findings provide objective support for prioritizing equestrian-derived performance indicators related to the generation of engagement, impulsion and hindlimb muscle power when selecting or training jumping horses.
用于跳跃马的选拔和训练方法尚未通过客观性能分析得到验证。本研究旨在量化不同跳跃技术的马匹在运动和肌肉激活策略之间的差异及关系，以确定客观的跳跃性能指标。从执行次最大跳跃的马匹身上收集表面肌电图（sEMG）和三维运动学数据。运动学变量是根据与驱动力、参与度和关节活动相关的马术衍生性能指标计算得出的。根据跳跃悬停期间的客观性能指标——质心（CM）高度（Z）对马匹进行分组。使用单因素方差分析来分析从sEMG数据计算得出的运动学变量和肌肉激活时间的组间差异。统计参数映射（SPM）评估时间和幅度归一化的sEMG波形的组间差异。使用Pearson相关系数评估运动与肌肉激活之间的关系。Z值最大的马匹在起跳时臀肌收缩明显更短（<0.05），这与更快的接近速度、更快的后肢缩短以及CM垂直位移和速度显著相关（<0.05），同时起跳时后肢站立时间也更短。研究结果为在选拔或训练跳跃马时优先考虑与产生参与度、驱动力和后肢肌肉力量相关的马术衍生性能指标提供了客观支持。
