title: Effect of rider experience and evaluator expertise on subjective grading of lameness in sound and unsound sports horses under saddle.
abstract: The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether rider experience influences the assessment and grading of lameness in horses based on under-saddle gait analysis. Thirteen adult sports horses in active training were included in the study. After a baseline lameness and neurologic examination by the principal investigators, horses were videotaped while being ridden by an experienced and a less experienced rider. A 3-minute video was made for each horse and rider and 26 videos were randomly ordered and compiled on a DVD. Veterinarians with different levels of experience in evaluating lameness and veterinary students viewed the DVD and assigned a lameness score to each horse/rider combination. In a model accounting for the expertise of the evaluator, there was no difference in overall lameness scores between experienced and less experienced riders. This result was consistent for both sound and unsound horses. The overall lameness scores reported by specialists and students, however, differed significantly. The lameness score reported by the study participants while the horse was ridden was significantly associated with the subjective baseline lameness assessment reported by the principal investigators for the same limb when the horse was not under saddle. Additional work is necessary to determine whether riders with even lower skill levels would further alter the balance and motion pattern of the horse and have more influence on subjective grading of lameness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4 (Marqués, Waldner, Corbeil, Campbell); Rood & Riddle, Equine Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky 40580, USA (Reed); and Private Practice, Bs. As., Argentina (Autet).
authors.forename: Fernando J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Marqués
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4 (Marqués, Waldner, Corbeil, Campbell); Rood & Riddle, Equine Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky 40580, USA (Reed); and Private Practice, Bs. As., Argentina (Autet).
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Waldner
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4 (Marqués, Waldner, Corbeil, Campbell); Rood & Riddle, Equine Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky 40580, USA (Reed); and Private Practice, Bs. As., Argentina (Autet).
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4 (Marqués, Waldner, Corbeil, Campbell); Rood & Riddle, Equine Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky 40580, USA (Reed); and Private Practice, Bs. As., Argentina (Autet).
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Autet
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4 (Marqués, Waldner, Corbeil, Campbell); Rood & Riddle, Equine Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky 40580, USA (Reed); and Private Practice, Bs. As., Argentina (Autet).
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corbeil
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4 (Marqués, Waldner, Corbeil, Campbell); Rood & Riddle, Equine Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky 40580, USA (Reed); and Private Practice, Bs. As., Argentina (Autet).
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011897:Random Allocation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014741:Video Recording