This course taught by Dr. Hilary Clayton, world renowned researcher in in the field of equine studies, includes introduction to the kinematics and kinetics of equine locomotion. It is divided into three parts:

Part One: covers limb kinematics and the interaction between the hoof and the ground.

Part Two: explains kinetic concepts of mass, weight, inertia, momentum and force and, more specifically, the effects of the ground reaction force.

Part Three: describes temporal and linear kinematic variables together with limb coordination patterns that are commonly used by horses.

The information presented in this series of lectures is used as a basis for analyzing equine gaits and movements.

Dr. Hilary Clayton, BVMS, PhD, Dipl. ACVSMR, MRCVS Professor and McPhail Dressage Chair, Emerita, Michigan State University President, Sport Horse Science, Mason, MI Dr. Hilary M. Clayton is a veterinarian, researcher and horsewoman. For the past 40 years she has performed innovative research in the areas of equine biomechanics, conditioning and rehabilitation programs for equine athletes, and the interactions between tack, equipment, rider and horse. She has published over 250 peer-reviewed manuscripts on these topics and numerous articles in the lay press. In addition, she has written 7 books: Conditioning Sport Horses, The Dynamic Horse, Activate Your Horse’s Core, Large Animal Applied Anatomy, Clinical Anatomy of the Horse (published in English, Polish, Portuguese, French, Spanish and Japanese), and two editions of Equine Locomotion. Dr. Clayton is a pioneer of in the area of equine sports medicine. In the 1980s she was heavily involved with the Association for Equine Sports Medicine and served as president from 1990 to 1992. She has been active in the American Association of Equine Practitioners both in committee work and as a board member. She played a leading role in the establishment of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation; she is a charter diplomate of the college and was president in 2012-2013. She has received several honors in recognition of her scientific contributions. In 2001 she was inducted into the Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame and in 2011 she became an Honorary Fellow of the International Society for Equitation Science.

She has also been inducted into the Midwest Dressage Association Hall of Fame and the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame Dr. Clayton retired from academia in 2014 but she is still active in research and teaching through collaborations with colleagues at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Sweden, and Lusofona University in Portugal. She is currently a visiting professor at Nottingham Trent University In the UK. Her company Sport Horse Science, LLC, has been established with the goal of applying the results of scientific research in the development of practical tools and techniques to help riders, trainers and veterinarians. Products she has been involved indeveloping include Vert and Pace. A lifelong rider, Dr. Clayton has competed in many equestrian sports, including eventing, show jumping, polo, endurance racing, cutting and combined driving. She now focuses on dressage and trains through the Grand Prix level. She has earned gold, silver and bronze medals from the US Dressage Federation and is currently training two Lusitano geldings.