Thermographic assessment of saddles used in Mangalarga Marchador horses

Fernanda Timbó D’el Rey Dantas ,João Carlos Bouzas Marins ,M A H Duarte ,Brunna Patrícia Almeida Da Fonseca

doi:10.1590/1678-4162-10367

Fernanda Timbó D’el Rey Dantas , João Carlos Bouzas Marins + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4162-10367

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Poor saddle-fitting is one of the main causes of back pain in horses. Mangalarga Marchador is a popular breed in Brazil, being used mainly for pleasure riding and sports. This study aimed to thermographically assess saddles used in horses of this breed. Thermographic images were obtained from 18 saddles of animals from different categories during a Mangalarga Marchador National Exposition. The evaluation was based on three parameters: contact area symmetry, dorsal midline interaction and total skin contact area (25%, 50%, 75% or 100%). Contact area asymmetry was observed in 83.3% of saddles. Dorsal midline interaction was observed with the same frequency. Only 22.2% of saddles assessed in the present study had panels with contact areas greater than 50%. Based on the results of this essay it can be concluded that thermography is a useful tool for the evaluation of saddle contact area with the back of horses and that there is a high frequency of fitting unconformities in saddles used in Mangalarga Marchador horses.

Highlights

Every athlete needs adequate equipment to perform in the best manner
Poor saddle fitting is one of the main factors known to trigger back pain in horses
Thereby, the awareness about saddle fitting and related issues has grown along with the employment of new technologies to better assess the interaction between saddles, horses and riders (Greve and Dyson, 2013)

Summary

Introduction

For many years the equestrian industry did not give saddles, girths and other essential riding equipment their true value. Thereby, the awareness about saddle fitting and related issues has grown along with the employment of new technologies to better assess the interaction between saddles, horses and riders (Greve and Dyson, 2013). In this sense, pressure pads and thermography rose as useful auxiliary tools to assess forces distributed along the back of saddled horses. Thermography has many applications in veterinary medicine, especially concerning the diagnosis of orthopedic injuries like lower back problems, navicular disease, stress fractures and laminitis (Jones, 1998; Soroko et al, 2013; Gomes and Gomes, 2014)

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