Spatiotemporal gait parameters associated with speed of the intermediate gaits of Spanish Colonial Horse breeds: A preliminary study

The Spanish Colonial Horse is descended from gaited stock brought to America during its colonization. A unique phenotypic trait is their ability to perform an intermediate four-beat stepping gait, but research concerning the gait is lacking. Therefore, the objectives of this preliminary study were to identify phenotype of the intermediate gaits of Spanish Colonial Horse breeds through measurement of spatiotemporal gait parameters and determine the influence of speed on these parameters. Frame-by-frame analysis was performed on videos provided by the respective breed associations in collaboration with the Livestock Conservancy of the Choctaw, Florida Cracker, Galiceno, Marsh Tacky, Santa Cruz, Shackleford Banker, and Wilbur-Cruce Mission horses performing a slow and fast intermediate gait. The Choctaw and Florida Cracker horses performed stepping gaits for both gait types with lateral bipedal support and forelimb stance duration being correlated with speed. Lateral couplets were observed at the slow gait for both breeds. The Galiceno, Marsh Tacky, Santa Cruz, and Shackleford Banker horses performed a stepping gait only at the slow gait and this was done with diagonal couplets. Quadrupedal support was only documented at the slow gait for the Galiceno, Marsh Tacky, and Santa Cruz horses. The Wilbur-Cruce Mission horse performed a diagonal leaping gait at both gaits. All breeds at both gaits, except for the Choctaw and Florida Cracker horses, spent the majority of the stride in diagonal bipedal support. The characterization of these parameters can be used to make decisions through preservative breeding regarding the genetic conservation of each of these breeds.