Linear kinematics at take-off in horses jumping the wall in an international Puissance competition.

Sagittal plane SVHS video recordings (50 Hz) were made of horses jumping the wall at an international Puissance competition. Video sequences were manually digitized and six kinematic variables at take-off were analyzed. Nine horses started the competition with the fence height at 1.80 m, and two horses attempted the fence in the fifth and final round with the fence height at 2.27 m. For successful performances, fence height was correlated with the following take-off variables: vertical velocity of the centre of mass (r = 0.45, p = 0.03); height of centre of mass (r = 0.44, p = 0.04); distance of centre of mass from fence (r = 0.46, p = 0.03); and distance from leading hind limb to centre of mass (r = -0.61, p < 0.01). These results indicated that body position at take-off is the most important aspect when jumping high fences. This is the first known study that has examined horses jumping over a Puissance wall. The results should help horse riders and trainers improve performance in Puissance jumping horses, and perhaps help in the early selection of horses with a talent for jumping high fences.