Validation of the MSR145 Data Logger for Recording Different Gaits and Activity Measurement in Horses

Author: Joan-Bryce Burla, MSc ETH, Ethology and Animal Welfare Unit, ETH Zurich, Switzerland

Observations of locomotor activity and resting behaviour are commonly used in horses to assess their welfare in terms of husbandry and management. The study briefly presented below tested the suitability of MSR145 data loggers for discriminating gaits in horses.

As an alternative to time-consuming direct observations, the use of pedometers is a common method for automated activity measurement. One disadvantage of pedometers is the loss of information due to the aggregation of data, which is why it is also not possible to distinguish between individual gaits. The present study of the Unit for Behaviour, Health and Animal Welfare at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences of the ETH Zurich, therefore investigated the suitability of an acceleration sensor (MSR145 data logger) for the automatic recording of different gaits with the aim of defining clear value ranges.

For the validation, 20 horses of different breeds and withers heights (125 – 169 cm) were moved on different riding arenas. The data logger MSR145 in the waterproof version with silicone tube and 260 mAh battery was attached to the tubular bone of the left front leg above the fetlock joint. The data was recorded for 5-minute intervals at the walk, trot and canter gaits as well as while standing. The acceleration on the vertical axis of the horse’s leg was recorded with a storage rate of 10 Hz and a maximum sensitivity of ± 10 g. The absolute values of the acceleration were measured. The absolute values of the measured accelerations were added per second for each horse in each gait and averaged over the whole 5 min. For the analysis, the animals were divided into three breed types: Pony (≤ 148 cm), Large Horse (> 148 cm) and Icelandic Horse.

The statistical analysis showed a significant influence of the gait and the breed type. The value ranges of the individual gaits did not show any overlap, which made it possible to clearly distinguish the gaits when ponies and large horses were considered separately from Icelandic horses.

The validation showed a clear suitability of the MSR145 data logger for the differentiation of gaits in horses. Due to the high measurement accuracy, the acceleration sensor represents an advantageous alternative to conventional pedometers.

You can find the study  here: Gait determination and activity measurements in horses using an accelerometer