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Coordination dynamics in horse-rider dyads

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Coordination dynamics in horse-rider dyads

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Abstract

The sport of equestrianism is defined through close horse-rider interaction. However, no consistent baseline parameters currently exist describing the coordination dynamics of horse-rider movement across different equine gaits. The study aims to employ accelerometers to investigate and describe patterns of motor coordination between horse and rider across the equine gaits of walk, rising trot, sitting trot and canter. Eighteen female ( N = 18; mean age ± SD: 37.57 ± 13.04) Dutch horse-rider combinations were recruited to participate in the study. Horse-rider coordination was recorded using two tri-axial wireless accelerometers during a standard ridden protocol. Multiple measures of horse-rider coordination were calculated to investigate the relationship between the horse and rider, while the unpredictability of the acceleration-time series of the horse and rider during task performance were determined separately by means of approximate entropy analysis. The kinematic variables of horse-rider correlation, mean relative phase, mean standard deviation of the relative phase, approximate entropy rider, approximate entropy horse and spectral edge frequency at 95% of the power in the 0-10 Hz frequency band were examined using multiple correlational analyses and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Findings showed significantly different coordination dynamics between equine gaits, with the gait of canter allowing for the highest levels of horse-rider synchronicity. It may be concluded that accelerometers are a valuable tool to map distinct coordination patterns of horse-rider combinations.

Highlights

► We investigated horse-rider coordination dynamics using accelerometers. ► Significantly correlation values were seen in canter compared to trot or walk. ► Higher mean relative phase values suggest less synchronicity during walk. ► Mean relative phase values suggest that riders follow the motion of the horse. ► Approximate entropy measures show that the walk is the most difficult to predict.

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Coordination dynamics in horse-rider dyads

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JavaScript is disabled on your browser. Please enable JavaScript to use all the features on this page. The sport of equestrianism is defined through close horse-rider interaction. However, no consistent baseline parameters currently exist describing the coordination dynamics of horse-rider movement across different equine gaits.

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Private lessons from self-employed instructors. Many of these quote the qualifications or experience that they have but this does not necessarily mean that they have the skill set needed to teach. Riders all have different learning styles, education is best best it is tailored to the learner. this site also advertises online tutors that charge varying amounts per hour.

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HARNESS YOUR POTENTIAL
WITH A CAREER IN HORSE RACING

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HARNESS YOUR POTENTIAL
WITH A CAREER IN HORSE RACING

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The British Racing School | Careers in Horse Racing | Newmarket

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The British Racing School offers training and qualifications for careers in Horse Racing. Courses for complete newcomers to experienced professionals.

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The Pony Club are an international voluntary youth organisation, dedicated to encouraging young people to ride and to care for horses and ponies, whilst promoting the highest ideals of sportsmanship. - See more at: http://www.pcuk.org/#sthash.kWE8sVcX.dpuf

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“It’s important you have the correct certificates, because people like to know you know what you are doing.”

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The British Horse Society (BHS) has launched a revitalised qualification scheme that aims to offer a more practical assessment process.

The "equine excellence pathway" was launched yesterday (17 July) and will cater for all those involved with horses - from individuals who want to become a professional groom, rider, or coach, to leisure riders and those looking to form a foundation for an equestrian career.

Changes to the qualification scheme include replacing the previous titles, for instance a BHSAI will now be known as a BHS stage three coach in complete horsemanship.

Qualifications will also become more flexible, so those who only want to teach dressage, for example, no longer have to jump from stage three upwards.

"It's very exciting - it's been two years of very hard work from the whole team," said Alex Copeland, BHS education director.

"It is not a revolution, it is about us modernising our system and making sure that every skill we provide relates to employability, making sure that people are ready and fit for the industry, no matter the role they do.

"What will remain at the heart of everything that the BHS does is the welfare of the horse and that's what sets our system apart from every other system in the world."

Practical process

The new qualification system has an emphasis on a candidate's practical application of skills.

"Not only can people talk about how to do something, but can they demonstrate it?" said Mr Copeland.

"Every single employer will know that those people coming through the system are ready [for work] because they have been assessed in a practical way.

"There are no classrooms and no writing within the first few stages of the qualifications because we want to see practical skills and make sure they can drive the industry forward."

Part of the new scheme is the Ride Safe Award, which will be the entry level to the other stages.

The award aims to improve safety riders and horses in all areas, including on the roads and on bridleways as well as in the school.

Importance of qualifications

Yogi Breisner, former world class performance manager to the British eventing team, said the new system was a positive change.

"You have to congratulate the BHS for bringing things forward," he said.

"The present system is very good and this initiative has taken the whole thing to another level. There are so many different pathways and routes to go down.
"It's important you have the correct certificates, because people like to know you know what you are doing."
Yogi stressed the importance of qualifications for equestrian coaches.

He cited a discussion he had at a BHS AGM with a man who said that he did not need an instructor with a training qualification to teach his children to ride.

"I asked him, 'If your child needed to go to the dentist, would you take him to anyone or would you make sure it was someone who was qualified?'" said Yogi.

"The man said, 'Of course I would take him to someone who was qualified'. I replied, 'The difference between a bad dentist and a bad coach is that you only lose your teeth if you go to a bad dentist, but you can lose your life when you ride a horse'.

"Coaches need to be certified in the right sort of way - not just for their knowledge and horsemanship, but to create an enjoyable, interesting and safe environment.

"When it comes to coaching it's about getting inside an individual's brain. This new system is introducing more of a psychological side to coaching.

"It is understanding how one can shape good habits. If we look after a horse well, his life will be easier and if we ride him in a better way, the horse will have a much better life."

One-on-one assessment

Sabrina Jones, BHS chairman of exams and training, was on the committee who developed the new system.

"The syllabus is not really different, the main difference is the way it will be assessed," she said.

"Up until now, five or six candidates would answer theory questions and one gives an answer, then another and when they come round to the sixth candidate they have nothing left to say.
"You would do the practical with different assessors so there is never a rapport between the candidates and the people assessing.
"Now you have an assessor for the whole day, with three candidates per assessor, and candidates will be assessed on a one-to-one basis."

Ms Jones explained that candidates will be asked theory questions while carrying out practical tasks.
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"For example on a stage one assessment, when grooming the horse, candidates will be asked to pick out a horse's feet and tell the assessor about the parts of the foot and how they would recognise signs the horse needs shoeing.

"Everything is done with the horse in a much more practical way. Hopefully it will be much more user-friendly and assessors will get a much better idea of the level of the person they are assessing."

Ms Jones added that the new titles of the qualifications - stage one, the lowest level, through to five, the stage before fellowship, which is the highest BHS qualification - were far easier to understand.

"People didn't understand what our assessments meant before - it's now easy," she added.
For more details on the BHS's new qualification system, don't miss this week's Horse & Hound magazine, out Thursday 20 July.

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BHS exams given major overhaul to suit modern equestrian industry - Horse & Hound

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The British Horse Society (BHS) has launched a revitalised qualification scheme that aims to offer a more practical assessment process. The "equine excellence pathway" was launched yesterday (17 July) and will cater for all those involved with horses - from individuals who want to become a professional groom, rider, or coach, to leisure riders and those looking to form a foundation for an equestrian career.

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Professional Rider Pathway | British Horse Society

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The BHS Professional Rider Pathway provides the practical riding skills and knowledge to support a rider in any discipline.