PSII-11 Temporal variables of the four-beat stepping gaits of the Mountain Pleasure Horse

The Mountain Pleasure Horse (MPH) is the oldest gaited horse breed in North America with genetic testing finding the breed is ancestral to all other American gaited horse breeds according to the MPH Association (MPHA). Further, the breed is classified as “threatened” according to the Livestock Conservancy with only 2,670 purebred MPHs living today. To expand numbers, the registration books for the MPHA were opened in 2009; however, 5 yr later the books were closed due to negative consequences including potential changes within the gait. Therefore, to ensure the preservation of the gait of the MPH, the objective of this study was to define the temporal variables of the four-beat stepping gaits of the purebred MPH. The six horses utilized for this study were MPHA registered with permanent registration status and were verified to be purebred using blood typing and pedigree tracing with pedigrees tracing back to the foundation sires on both sides of the pedigree as identified by the MPHA. Horses were ridden by their respective trainers at a flat walk and saddle rack following MPHA judging guidelines with those strides utilized for the study being selected by representatives of the breed association. A total of 10 strides for each horse (n = 60) for each gait were selected. Student’s paired t-tests were utilized to determine differences in temporal variables between gaits with P-value set at 0.05. Comparisons were also made within gaits using student’s paired t-test to determine differences between lateral and diagonal variables. Both gaits had a lateral footfall pattern that alternated between bipedal and tripedal support. The saddle rack was performed at a faster velocity than the walk with a longer stride length and shorter stride and stance durations (Table 1). Advanced placements and bipedal support were similar between gaits with lateral and diagonal variables similar within gaits (Flat Walk Lateral-Diagonal Comparisons: Advanced Placement; P = 0.31, Bipedal Support; P = 0.08; Saddle Rack Lateral-Diagonal Comparisons: Advanced Placement; P = 0.23, Bipedal Support; P = 0.11), thus, indicating the gaits had a regular rhythm with no couplets. These variables assist in distinguishing between the gaits of the MPH and between those performed by other gaited horse breeds.