EQUINALYSIS AUSTRALIA

Sports science and sports medicine are well-established areas within human medicine. Professional athletes in many disciplines apply a multitude of sports enhancing techniques to attain a higher level of performance and move ahead of their competitors. In addition, an ever-increasing array of technologies and treatments are available to aid diagnosis, accelerate rehabilitation and ultimately enhance performance. A similar trend is emerging within equine sport.

Gait analysis focuses on bringing established human and equine sports products to the wider equine industry to aid diagnosis, promote health and enhance performance. Further focus will be on products and services that are non-invasive (and therefore easy-to-use and can be applied "in the field") and support Evidenced Based Veterinary Medicine. Currently the assessment of equine locomotion and lameness is carried out visually and cannot be reliably or consistently quantified. Equine practitioners often disagree on the extent of lameness. In addition the assessment cannot easily be communicated and has very little or no historic value. The objective measurement of lameness and changes in locomotion are the missing pieces of critical information needed to make key decisions related to equine health and performance.

Performance analysis records, examines, and measures exactly how a horse moves – through video recording and specific measurements it can provide  quantifiable historical data. The camera, or cameras, can be used to look at the horse from all sides and any angle. Whereas the human eye captures  12 frames per second, the camera functions at 100 frames per second. These pictures can be used as a diagnostic tool for lameness, included as part of a pre-purchase exam, a blueprint or benchmark for performance horses and to be recognised by insurance under writers to reduce owners insurance premiums.