title: Use of an instrument sandwiched between the hoof and shoe to measure vertical ground reaction forces and three-dimensional acceleration at the walk, trot, and canter in horses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop an instrument that could be sandwiched between the hoof and shoe of horses and that would reliably measure vertical ground reaction forces and three-dimensional acceleration at the walk, trot, and canter.
  
  
  METHODS
  5 clinically sound Thoroughbreds.
  
  
  METHODS
  The recording instrument (weight, 350 g) consisted of 2 metal plates, 2 bolts, 4 load cells, and 3 accelerometers. It was mounted to the hoof with a glue-on shoe and devised to support as much load exerted by a limb as possible. The load cells and accelerometers were wired to a 16-channel transmitter, and transmitted signals were received and amplified with a telemetry receiver.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The recording instrument could measure in real time the 4 components of the ground reaction force or their resultant force along with acceleration in 3 dimensions as horses walked, trotted, or cantered on a treadmill. Patterns of force-time curves recorded for consecutive strides were similar to each other and to those previously reported, using a force plate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recording instrument developed for use in the present study allowed us to record vertical ground reaction force and acceleration in 3 dimensions in horses at the walk, trot, and canter.
authors.affiliation: Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Tochigi.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hiraga
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tokuriki
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D000818:Animals; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006724:Hoof and Claw / Q000502:physiology*; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012775:Shoes; D013686:Telemetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000662:veterinary*; D014160:Transducers, Pressure / Q000662:veterinary; D014743:Videotape Recording