Kinematic Characterisation of the Human Pelvis in Horse Back Riding by Using a Full Body Inertial Sensor System

In horse back riding the rider’s kinematics was usually measured through visual observation. Today, 3D optical motion capture on treadmills is the golden standard method. However, there are differences between the horse’s treadmill locomotion and the overground locomotion. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the motion of the rider’s pelvis in walk, trot, and canter under field conditions by using a full body inertial measurement system. Ten professional riders rode their own horses wearing a full body inertial sensor system. Gait-dependent characteristics of pelvis rotation in riding under field conditions could be found. The possibility to characterize kinematic data of horse and rider under field conditions using a full body inertial sensor system seems to promising for researchers and horsemen.