The objectives of this study were to compare horses’ gaits in hand and when ridden; to assess static and dynamic saddle fit for each horse and rider; to apply the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) and relate the findings to gait abnormalities consistent with musculoskeletal pain, rider position and balance and saddle fit; and to document noseband use and its relationship with mouth opening during ridden exercise. Data were acquired prospectively from a convenience sample of horses believed by their owners to be working comfortably. All assessments were subjective. Gait in hand and when ridden were evaluated independently, by two assessors, and compared using McNemar’s test. Static tack fit and noseband type were recorded. Movement of the saddle during ridden exercise, rider position, balance and size relative to the saddle was documented. RHpE scores were based on assessment of video recordings. Multivariable Poisson regression analysis was used to determine factors which influenced the RHpE scores. Of 148 horses, 28.4% were lame in hand, whereas 62.2% were lame ridden (P<0.001). Sixty per cent of horses showed gait abnormalities in canter. The median RHpE score was 8/24 (interquartile range 5, 9; range 0, 15). There was a positive association between lameness and the RHpE score (P<0.001). Riding School horses had higher RHpE scores compared with General Purpose horses (P = 0.001). Saddles with tight tree points (P = 0.001) and riders seated at the back of the saddle rather than the middle (P = 0.001) were associated with higher RHpE scores. Horses wearing crank cavesson compared with cavesson nosebands had higher RHpE scores (P = 0.006). There was no difference in mouth opening, as defined by the RHpE, in horses with a noseband with the potential to restrict mouth opening, compared with a correctly fitted cavesson noseband, or no noseband. It was concluded that lameness or gait abnormalities in canter may be missed unless horses are assessed ridden.

中文翻译：

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英国骑马运动马和休闲马群的便利样本中的步态异常和骑马行为

这项研究的目的是比较马在手和骑马时的步态；评估每匹马和骑手的静态和动态鞍座适合度；应用 Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) 并将结果与​​与肌肉骨骼疼痛、骑手姿势和平衡以及鞍座配合一致的步态异常联系起来；并记录鼻带的使用及其与骑乘运动期间张嘴的关系。数据是从他们的主人认为工作舒适的马的便利样本中前瞻性地获得的。所有评估都是主观的。由两名评估员独立评估手和骑行时的步态，并使用 McNemar 测试进行比较。记录静态大头钉配合和鼻带类型。记录骑乘运动期间鞍座的运动、骑手的位置、平衡和相对于鞍座的大小。RHpE 分数基于对视频记录的评估。多变量泊松回归分析用于确定影响 RHpE 评分的因素。在 148 匹马中，28.4% 手跛，而 62.2% 骑跛（P<0.001）。百分之六十的马在慢跑时表现出步态异常。中位 RHpE 评分为 8/24（四分位距 5、9；范围 0、15）。跛行与 RHpE 评分呈正相关（P<0.001）。骑术学校马的 RHpE 分数高于通用马 (P = 0.001)。树点较紧的鞍座 (P = 0.001) 和坐在鞍座后部而非中间的骑手 (P = 0.001) 与较高的 RHpE 分数相关。与 Cavesson 鼻带相比，佩戴曲柄 Cavesson 的马的 RHpE 得分更高（P = 0.006）。根据 RHpE 的定义，带有可能限制张口的鼻带的马与正确安装的 Cavesson 鼻带或没有鼻带的马在张口方面没有差异。得出的结论是，除非评估骑马，否则可能会错过慢跑时的跛行或步态异常。