Evaluation of thermal pattern distributions in racehorse saddles using infrared thermography

Soroko, M., Zaborski, D., Dudek, K., Yarnell, K. ORCID: 0000-0001-7464-8764, Górniak, W. and Vardasca, R., 2019. Evaluation of thermal pattern distributions in racehorse saddles using infrared thermography. PLoS ONE, 14 (8): e0221622. ISSN 1932-6203

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Abstract

The impact of a rider's and saddle's mass on saddle thermal pattern distribution was evaluated using infrared thermography (IRT). Eighteen racehorses were ridden by four riders with their own saddle. Images of the saddle panels were captured at each of six thermographic examinations. On each image, six regions of interest (ROIs) were marked on the saddle panels. The mean temperature for each ROI was extracted. To evaluate the influence of load on saddle fit, 4 indicators were used: ΔTmax (difference between the mean temperature of the warmest and coolest ROI); standard deviation of the mean temperature of the six ROIs; right/left; bridging/rocking and front/back thermal pattern indicator. Incorrect saddle fit was found in 25 measurements (23.1%) with ΔTmax greater than 2°C. The relationships between rider and saddle fit as well as saddle fit and horse were significant (p<0.001). An average ΔTmax in rider A was significantly higher than in other riders (p<0.001). The right/left thermal pattern differed significantly from the optimal value for riders A and B; while the bridging/rocking thermal pattern differed significantly from this value for riders A, C and D (p<0.05). Front saddle thermal pattern was most frequent for rider A (41.5%), whereas back saddle thermal pattern was most frequent for rider C (85.7%). Measurement of the mean temperature in 6 ROIs on saddle panels after training was helpful in assessing the influence of rider and saddle mass on saddle fit. IRT offered a non-invasive, rapid and simple method for assessing load on thermal pattern distribution in race saddles.

Item Type: Journal article
Publication Title: PLoS ONE
Creators: Soroko, M., Zaborski, D., Dudek, K., Yarnell, K., Górniak, W. and Vardasca, R.
Publisher: Public Library of Science
Date: 26 August 2019
Volume: 14
Number: 8
ISSN: 1932-6203
Identifiers:
NumberType
10.1371/journal.pone.0221622DOI
Rights: Copyright: © 2019 Soroko et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Divisions: Schools > School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences
Record created by: Linda Sullivan
Date Added: 26 Sep 2019 10:04
Last Modified: 26 Sep 2019 10:04
URI: https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/37788

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