Influence of camped under associated with upright pastern in front conformation in the forelimb movement of horses

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of camped under and upright pastern in front conformation in the forelimb movement of 11 Andalusian Purebreds. Horses were divided into 2 groups: Group 1, camped under and upright pastern horses, comprising 5 animals that when observed from a lateral perspective stand consistently with the entire forelimb behind of the plumb line and have excessive values regarding fetlock and pastern inclination angles; and Group 2, comprising 6 normal forelimb conformation horses. Each animal was recorded at the walk and the trot using a conventional videocamera (frame rate 1/25 sec) from a lateral view. Basic stride parameters (speed, stride length, stride duration, swing phase duration, and stance phase duration), overreach distance, hoof height, retraction-protraction and metacarpophalangeal joint angles (maximum, minimum, angular range of motion), and moments of maximal extension (PMax) and flexion (PMin) were all calculated. Biokinematic studies showed significant changes in the overreach distance at trot and in the metacarpophalangeal joint at walk in horses with the defects. Horses driven in Group 1 displayed a higher hoof trajectory. At walk as well as at trot, the range of movement in the metacarpophalangeal joint was significantly greater in camped under and upright pastern horses.