Does the rider influence the horse's movement in hippotherapy? [Ovlivňuje jezdec pohyb koně v hipoterapii?]

• Main Authors: Miroslav Janura, Tereza Dvořáková, Zdeněk Svoboda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Palacky University 2011-12-01
• Series: Acta Universitatis Palackianae Olomucensis. Gymnica
• Subjects: horse; therapeutic riding; kinematics; patient; displacement
• Online Access: http://www.gymnica.upol.cz/index.php/gymnica/article/view/287
• ISSN: 1212-1185; 1213-8312

<strong>BACKGROUND</strong>: In hippotherapy, in comparison to equitation, it is assumed that the rider is a passive element, only stimulated by mechanical impulses produced by the moving horse's back. <strong>OBJECTIVE</strong>: The aim of the study was to determine the influence of the rider on the horse's movement in hippotherapy. <strong>METHODS</strong>: Two sound thoroughbreds with a similar body shape and size (age: 19 and 14 years, withers height: 1.65 m both, weight: 548 and 500 kg) participated in the study. The test group of riders consisted of twelve healthy young women (age: 23.3 ± 2.8, weight: 59.2 ± 5.3, height: 167.3 ± 4.2) without any previous horse riding experience. For each rider 36 trials in total (6 strides in 6 hippotherapy sessions held during the course of five weeks) were evaluated. The movement was recorded by 4 videocameras (frequency 50 Hz). Spatiotemporal variables, the vertical displacement of selected points on the horse's limbs and the back and angle displacement of tarsus joint were analyzed by the APAS programme. Statistical processing was performed by the Statistica programme (one way ANOVA). <strong>RESULTS</strong>: In our study, we didn't find any statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) for stride duration, stride length and a horse's walking velocity. Upon the walking of Horse No. 1 with various riders, statistically significant differences (p < 0.01) in the vertical and angle displacement of points on the hind limb and on the horse's back were found. For Horse No. 2, a statistically significant influence of the rider on the movement of the horse was found only in the vertical displacement of the fore hoof. <strong>CONCLUSIONS</strong>: In hippotherapy, basic spatiotemporal variables of a horse's natural walking aren't influenced by the rider. As for the vertical displacement of points on the limbs and the horse's back, the results are not explicit. A larger number of horses is necessary for future study. The patient and the horse in hippotherapy are to be rather considered as interactive elements than as passive and active elements.<br>[<strong>V&Yacute;CHODISKA</strong>: V hipoterapii je, na rozd&iacute;l od jezdectv&iacute;, jezdec považov&aacute;n za pasivn&iacute; prvek, kter&yacute; je stimulov&aacute;n impulsy, kter&eacute; vych&aacute;zej&iacute; z pohybuj&iacute;c&iacute;ho se hřbetu koně. <strong>C&Iacute;LE</strong>: C&iacute;lem studie bylo zjistit, zda jezdec ovlivňuje pohyb koně v hipoterapii. <strong>METODIKA</strong>: Do studie byli zařazeni dva angličt&iacute; plnokrevn&iacute;ci podobn&eacute; tělesn&eacute; konstituce (věk: 19 a 14 let, v&yacute;&scaron;ka v kohoutku: oba 1,65 m, hmotnost: 548 a 500 kg). Skupinu jezdců tvořilo dvan&aacute;ct zdrav&yacute;ch mlad&yacute;ch žen (věk: 23,3 &plusmn; 2,8, hmotnost: 59,2 &plusmn; 5,3, v&yacute;&scaron;ka: 167,3 &plusmn; 4,2). Celkově bylo analyzov&aacute;no 36 krokov&yacute;ch cyklů koně u každ&eacute;ho jezdce. Koně se pohybovali v kroku přirozen&yacute;m tempem. Pohyb byl zaznamen&aacute;n s pomoc&iacute; 4 videokamer (frekvence 50 Hz). Pro zpracov&aacute;n&iacute; kinematick&yacute;ch dat byl využit program APAS. Pro hodnocen&iacute; byly vybr&aacute;ny časově-prostorov&eacute; parametry, vertik&aacute;ln&iacute; rozsah pohybu vybran&yacute;ch bodů na končetin&aacute;ch a hřbetu koně a rozsah &uacute;hlu v tarsu. Statistick&eacute; zpracov&aacute;n&iacute; bylo provedeno pomoc&iacute; programu Statistica (jednofaktorov&aacute; anal&yacute;za rozptylu). <strong>V&Yacute;SLEDKY</strong>: V na&scaron;&iacute; studii jezdec neovlivnil trv&aacute;n&iacute; krokov&eacute;ho cyklu, d&eacute;lku ani rychlost kroku. U koně A jsme nalezli v&yacute;znamn&eacute; rozd&iacute;ly při j&iacute;zdě s různ&yacute;mi jezdci ve velikosti pohybu na zadn&iacute; končetině a hřbetu. U koně B byl nalezen v&yacute;znamn&yacute; rozd&iacute;l při j&iacute;zdě s různ&yacute;mi jezdci pouze u rozsahu pohybu na předn&iacute;m kopytě ve vertik&aacute;ln&iacute;m směru. <strong>Z&Aacute;VĚRY</strong>: V hipoterapii z&aacute;kladn&iacute; časově-prostorov&eacute; parametry koně v kroku při přirozen&eacute; rychlosti pohybu nejsou ovlivněny jezdcem. Co se t&yacute;če rozsahu pohybů ve vertik&aacute;ln&iacute;m směru na končetin&aacute;ch a hřbetu koně, tak v&yacute;sledky nejsou jednoznačn&eacute;. Pro dal&scaron;&iacute; v&yacute;zkum je nezbytn&yacute; vět&scaron;&iacute; počet kon&iacute;. Pacienta a koně v hipoterapii bychom měli vn&iacute;mat sp&iacute;&scaron;e jako dva prvky, kter&eacute; se vz&aacute;jemně ovlivňuj&iacute;, než jako pasivn&iacute; a aktivn&iacute; prvek.]