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Thursday, August 9, 2018
Visit CEEFIT by Seaver allows you to assess your horse's symmetry during training.
But what is symmetry ?
In this article we explain how it is measured and why it is so important.
The symmetry of the movement corresponds to theEqual use of the two front legs and the two rear legs. A healthy horse moving in a straight line at the trot and on a flat surface should have symmetrical movements. It carries the same weight on the left front as the right front and the same weight on the hindquarters.
Seaver measures the symmetry of your horse in trot and straight line. It is about compare your horse's two half trotting strides. These should be as similar as possible.
Every 5 seconds of consecutive trot in a straight line, this data is calculated. Two notes in % evolving during the session represent it. For a healthy horse, the scores are generally between 45 and 55%.
Figure 1: Classical session with distribution of scores throughout the session
Please note that the calculations are only made when your horse is moving during the ride. at least 7 seconds at a trot and in a straight line. In all other cases, this score is meaningless and will have a value of 0 on the graph.
For example, when working in a small space. This duration can only be achieved on a perfectly straight diagonal. So if you don't get any marks in this kind of session, don't worry. It's exactly the same for a lunging or liberty session. It's rare to get your horse on a long enough straight line, even when changing circles.
Figure 2: Trot symmetry when working in a small space
You will also find for each session carried out, a note average of the symmetry. This is represented as a percentage on each diagonal biped of the horse. An ideal horse would have a 50-50 distribution on each side for 100% symmetry.
The duration average in milliseconds of each half stride is also proposed, it allows you to compare the two diagonals even more precisely. The duration of the right half stride corresponds to the time elapsed between the pose of the right diagonal biped (right anterior and left posterior) and that of the left diagonal biped.
Ideally, the symmetry should increase during the session (the horse is sometimes less at ease at the beginning of the relaxation), and as the work progresses: the better trained the horse is, the more it will compensate for its natural dissymmetry.
The symmetry figures will therefore allow you to know how symmetrical your horse is, and to see the evolution of the symmetry as you work through the session and from one session to the next.
In the event of a sudden drop in symmetry over several sessions, it may be worthwhile to seek the advice of a professional (instructor, veterinarian, osteopath).
This is what professional riders Benjamin Stout and Emma Irwin tell us in their article: How we detected lameness with CEEFIT.
Namely: lateral work and outdoor outings on deep or hard ground can alter the note of symmetry.
The major advantage of the "symmetry" feature for any rider is to be able to detect a weakness or lameness before it becomes visible. This makes it possible to act accordingly to prevent the problem from worsening. The recovery will be faster.
The diagonal with the lowest percentage of the two is the one that has spent the least time on the ground. It is therefore the weak" diagonalIt is the one on which the horse leans the least. Below 40%, lameness is likely.
It is useful to monitor the evolution of the symmetry within the same session thanks to the graph. Moreover, with the average you will be able to see this evolution for the different sessions performed. The note itself is of little importance, except to monitor the evolutionIt is useful to monitor the evolution of the symmetry within a session thanks to the graph, except if it goes below 40% in which case a lameness is likely.
See you soon for a new article on a Seaver feature!
The Seaver Team
