The project used a computer-generated forecasting model to gain a physics-based insight into rotational falls enabling the researchers to calculate the scenarios in which a horse would rotate or not. H&H speaks to those involved to find out more and garners reaction from the United States Eventing Association and the FEI to the findings...
New research into rotational falls in eventing has been called a ‘vital step’, as it is hoped findings could pave the way for new frangible device options.
The four-year project, carried out by University of Kentucky PhD student Shannon Wood under mechanical engineering professor Suzanne Smith, and funded by the United States Eventing Association (USEA), aimed to build on previous research on the use of frangibles in cross-country and to provide more information about rotational falls for device designers.
A statistical ensemble model (a computer-generated model similar to those used in weather forecasting) was used to create more than 10,000 scenarios using a variety of factors that could lead to a rotational fall, including different approach speeds and angles, fence types, and horse and rider positions, using measurements taken from more than 400 videos of horse and rider combinations competing or training.
{"content":"PHA+RHIgU21pdGgsIHdobyBoYXMgbGVkIHJlc2VhcmNoIG9uIGZyYW5naWJsZXMgc2luY2UgMjAwOSwgdG9sZCA8ZW0+SCZhbXA7SDwvZW0+IHRoZSBhaW0gd2FzIHRvIGdhaW4gYSBwaHlzaWNzLWJhc2VkIGluc2lnaHQgaW50byByb3RhdGlvbmFsIGZhbGxzLjwvcD4KPHA+4oCcVGhlIGNvbXBsZXhpdHkgb2Ygd2hlbiBhIGhvcnNlIG1ha2VzIGNvbnRhY3Qgd2l0aCBhIGZlbmNlIGluIHRoZSBtb3N0IGRhbmdlcm91cyB3YXkgaXMgc3VjaCB0aGF0IGl0IGlzIHJlYWxseSB0b28gZGlmZmljdWx0IHRvIGhhdmUgYSDigJhvbmUtc2l6ZSBmaXRzIGFsbOKAmSBzb2x1dGlvbizigJ0gc2hlIHNhaWQuPC9wPgo8cD48ZGl2IGNsYXNzPSJhZC1jb250YWluZXIgYWQtY29udGFpbmVyLS1tb2JpbGUiPjxkaXYgaWQ9InBvc3QtaW5saW5lLTIiIGNsYXNzPSJpcGMtYWR2ZXJ0Ij48L2Rpdj48L2Rpdj48c2VjdGlvbiBpZD0iZW1iZWRfY29kZS0zMSIgY2xhc3M9ImhpZGRlbi1tZCBoaWRkZW4tbGcgcy1jb250YWluZXIgc3RpY2t5LWFuY2hvciBoaWRlLXdpZGdldC10aXRsZSB3aWRnZXRfZW1iZWRfY29kZSBwcmVtaXVtX2lubGluZV8yIj48c2VjdGlvbiBjbGFzcz0icy1jb250YWluZXIgbGlzdGluZy0tc2luZ2xlIGxpc3RpbmctLXNpbmdsZS1zaGFyZXRocm91Z2ggaW1hZ2UtYXNwZWN0LWxhbmRzY2FwZSBkZWZhdWx0IHNoYXJldGhyb3VnaC1hZCBzaGFyZXRocm91Z2gtYWQtaGlkZGVuIj4NCiAgPGRpdiBjbGFzcz0icy1jb250YWluZXJfX2lubmVyIj4NCiAgICA8dWw+DQogICAgICA8bGkgaWQ9Im5hdGl2ZS1jb250ZW50LW1vYmlsZSIgY2xhc3M9Imxpc3RpbmctaXRlbSI+DQogICAgICA8L2xpPg0KICAgIDwvdWw+DQogIDwvZGl2Pg0KPC9zZWN0aW9uPjwvc2VjdGlvbj48L3A+CjxwPuKAnFRvIHRoaXMgcG9pbnQgcmVzZWFyY2ggaGFzbuKAmXQgaW5jbHVkZWQgdGhlIHJpZGVyLCBhbmQgdGhlIHJpZGVyIGhhcyBhIHNpZ25pZmljYW50IGNvbnRyaWJ1dGlvbiBvbsKgd2hhdCBoYXBwZW5zLiBZb3UgbmV2ZXIga25vdyBiZWZvcmUgaXQgaGFwcGVucyBleGFjdGx5IHdoZXJlIHRoZSByaWRlciBpcyBnb2luZyB0byBiZSBzbyB1c2luZyBhIHN0YXRpc3RpY2FsIGVuc2VtYmxlIGxvb2tzIGF0IGFsbMKgIHRoZSBwbGFjZXMgdGhleSBjb3VsZCBiZS7igJ08L3A+CjxwPk1zwqBXb29kIHRvbGQgPGVtPkgmYW1wO0g8L2VtPiB0aGUgbW9kZWwgYWxsb3dlZCB0aGVtIHRvIGNhbGN1bGF0ZcKgdGhlwqBzY2VuYXJpb3MgaW4gd2hpY2jCoGEgaG9yc2Ugd291bGQgcm90YXRlIG9yIG5vdC48L3A+CjxwPuKAnE1vc3QgZnJhbmdpYmxlIGRldmljZXMgaGF2ZSBiZWVuIGNyZWF0ZWQgdXNpbmcgYSBkdW1teSBvciBwZW5kdWx1bSB0aGF0IHNpbXVsYXRlcyBvbmUgc2l0dWF0aW9uLCBidXQgaW4gZXZlbnRpbmcgdGhlcmUgYXJlIGRpZmZlcmVudCB0eXBlcyBvZiBob3JzZXMsIGRpc3RhbmNlcywgZmVuY2UgdHlwZXMgYW5kIHRlcnJhaW5zLiBIb3JzZXMgY2FuIGJlIGp1bXBpbmcgdXAgb3IgY29taW5nIGRvd24gdG8gYcKgZmVuY2UsIHNvIHRoYXQgdmFyaWV0eSByZWFsbHkgYWZmZWN0cyB0aGUgd2F5IHRoZSBkZXZpY2VzIHNob3VsZCBhY3RpdmF0ZSzigJ0gc2hlIHNhaWQuPC9wPgo8ZGl2IGNsYXNzPSJhZC1jb250YWluZXIgYWQtY29udGFpbmVyLS1tb2JpbGUiPjxkaXYgaWQ9InBvc3QtaW5saW5lLTMiIGNsYXNzPSJpcGMtYWR2ZXJ0Ij48L2Rpdj48L2Rpdj4KPHA+4oCcV2UgY3JlYXRlZCB0aGUgY3JpdGljYWwgY29udGFjdCBzaXR1YXRpb24gd2hlcmUgdGhlIGhvcnNlIHdhcyBoaXR0aW5nIHRoZSBmZW5jZSBiYXNlZCBvbiBtZWFzdXJlbWVudHMgZnJvbSByZWFsIGhvcnNlIGFuZCBqdW1waW5nIHBvc2l0aW9ucy4gRnJvbSB0aG9zZSB3ZSBhcmUgYWJsZSB0byBzZWUgd2hldGhlciB0aGVzZSB3b3VsZCByb3RhdGUgb3Igbm90IGJ5IGNhbGN1bGF0aW5nIHRoZSBvdmVyYWxsIHByb2JhYmlsaXR5IG9mIHdoYXTigJlzIGhhcHBlbmluZyBhdCB0aGUgZmVuY2Uu4oCdPC9wPgo8cD5NcyBXb29kIHNhaWQgdGhlIHJlc2VhcmNoIHNob3dzIHRoZXJlIGlzIGEgbmVlZCBmb3IgbW9yZSBkaWZmZXJlbnQgdHlwZXMgb2YgZnJhbmdpYmxlIGRldmljZXMuPC9wPgo8ZGl2IGNsYXNzPSJhZC1jb250YWluZXIgYWQtY29udGFpbmVyLS1tb2JpbGUiPjxkaXYgaWQ9InBvc3QtaW5saW5lLTQiIGNsYXNzPSJpcGMtYWR2ZXJ0Ij48L2Rpdj48L2Rpdj4KPHA+4oCcSW4gRkVJIGNvbXBldGl0aW9uLCBjb3Vyc2UtZGVzaWduZXJzIGFuZCBqdW1wIGJ1aWxkZXJzIGhhdmUgTUlNIGNsaXBzLCB0aGUgZnJhbmdpYmxlIHBpbiBhbmQgdGhlIHJldmVyc2UgcGluLCBidXQgdGhlcmUgYXJlIHNvIG1hbnkgZGlmZmVyZW50IHBvc3NpYmxlIHNjZW5hcmlvcyzigJ0gc2hlIHNhaWQuIOKAnFRoZSBpZGVhIGlzIHRvIHByb3ZpZGUgZ3VpZGVsaW5lcyBmb3IgZGVzaWduZXJzIHRvIGNyZWF0ZSBtb3JlIGZyYW5naWJsZSBvcHRpb25zIHRhaWxvcmVkIHRvIHNwZWNpZmljIHNpdHVhdGlvbnMuPC9wPgo8cD7igJxFdmVudGluZyBpcyBkZWZpbml0ZWx5IG1vdmluZyBpbiB0aGUgcmlnaHQgZGlyZWN0aW9uIGJ1dCBpdCBtdXN0IGJlIGZpbmUtdHVuZWQgYW5kIHRoYXTigJlzIHdoeSBhZGRpbmcgbW9yZSBvcHRpb25zIGZvciBjb3Vyc2UtZGVzaWduZXJzIGlzIHNvIGltcG9ydGFudC7igJ08L3A+CjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9ImFkLWNvbnRhaW5lciBhZC1jb250YWluZXItLW1vYmlsZSI+PGRpdiBpZD0icG9zdC1pbmxpbmUtNSIgY2xhc3M9ImlwYy1hZHZlcnQiPjwvZGl2PjwvZGl2Pgo8cD5Vbml0ZWQgU3RhdGVzIEV2ZW50aW5nIEFzc29jaWF0aW9uIGNoaWVmIGV4ZWN1dGl2ZSBSb2IgQnVya2Ugc2FpZCB0aGUgcmVzZWFyY2ggd2FzIGEg4oCcdml0YWwgc3RlcOKAnSBpbiBjb25uZWN0aW5nIHByZXZpb3VzIHN0dWRpZXMuPC9wPgo8cD7igJxXaXRoIHRoZXNlIG1vZGVscyB3ZSBjYW4gbWFrZSBtb3JlIGVkdWNhdGVkIHJ1bGVzIHJlbGF0ZWQgdG8gY3Jvc3MtY291bnRyeSBjb3Vyc2UgYW5kIGZlbmNlIGRlc2lnbi4gVGhyb3VnaCBlbmdpbmVlcmluZyBhbmQgZWR1Y2F0aW9uIHdlIGNhbiBmdXJ0aGVyIG1pdGlnYXRlIHJpc2sgYnkgaW1wbGVtZW50aW5nIHRoZSBmaW5kaW5ncyBpbnRvIHRoZSBmaWVsZCBhbmQgaW4gcmlkZXIgYW5kIGhvcnNlIHRyYWluaW5nLOKAnSBoZSBzYWlkLjwvcD4KPHA+4oCcV2UgaGF2ZSBhbWF6aW5nIGJ1aWxkZXJzLCBkZXNpZ25lcnMsIHJpZGVycywgY29hY2hlcywgYW5kIG9mZmljaWFscywgYW5kIHdlIGFpbSB0byBwcm92aWRlIHRoZW0gd2l0aCBhcyBtYW55IHRvb2xzIGFzIHBvc3NpYmxlIHRvIHJlZHVjZSByaXNrLiBUaGlzIHJlc2VhcmNoIHdpbGwgaGVscCB1cyB0byB0aGF0IGVuZCBhbmQgaXQgYWxzbyBwcm92aWRlcyBkaXJlY3Rpb24gYW5kIGZvY3VzIGZvciB0aGUgZnV0dXJlLiBSZWR1Y2luZyByaXNrIGluIGV2ZW50aW5nIGlzLCBhbmQgd2lsbCBiZSwgYW4gb25nb2luZyBlZmZvcnQsIGJ1dCB0aHJvdWdoIHJlc2VhcmNoIHN1Y2ggYXMgdGhpcyB3ZSBhcmUgaG9wZWZ1bCB0aGF0IHJpc2sgd2lsbCBiZSBjb250aW51YWxseSBsZXNzZW5lZC7igJ08L3A+CjxwPkEgc3Bva2VzbWFuIGZvciB0aGUgRkVJLCB3aGljaCBhbm5vdW5jZWQgYSBuZXcgZnJhbmdpYmxlIHN0YW5kYXJkIGZvciBKYW51YXJ5IDIwMjEgd2l0aCByZWdhcmQgdG8gc3BlY2lmaWMgZW5lcmdpZXMgYXQgd2hpY2ggcmFpbHMgbXVzdCBhY3RpdmF0ZSBhbmQgY2hhbmdlcyB0byB0ZXN0aW5nIChuZXdzIDcgTWF5KSwgc2FpZCB0aGUgRkVJIHJpc2sgbWFuYWdlbWVudCBzdGVlcmluZyBncm91cCB3ZWxjb21lcyBNcyBXb29k4oCZcyBzdHVkeS48L3A+CjxwPuKAnEZyYW5naWJsZSBkZXZpY2VzIGFyZSBvbmUgb2YgdGhlIGltcG9ydGFudCBwcm90ZWN0aXZlIG1lYXN1cmVzIGRldmVsb3BlZCB0byByZWR1Y2UgaG9yc2UgZmFsbHMsIHBhcnRpY3VsYXJseSByb3RhdGlvbmFsLCBjb25zZXF1ZW50bHksIEZFSS1hcHByb3ZlZCBmcmFuZ2libGUgZGV2aWNlcyBoYXZlIGJlZW4gY29tcHVsc29yeSBvbiB0aGUgZGVmaW5lZCBmZW5jZXMgd2hlcmUgdGhleSBjYW4gYmUgZml0dGVkIGluIGZvdXItIGFuZCBmaXZlLXN0YXIgY29tcGV0aXRpb25zIGluIDIwMjAgYW5kIGFjcm9zcyBhbGwgRkVJIGNvbXBldGl0aW9uIGxldmVscyBhcyBvZiAyMDIxLOKAncKgaGUgc2FpZC48L3A+CjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9ImluamVjdGlvbiI+PC9kaXY+CjxwPuKAnFRoZSBnb2FsIG9mIHRoZSBGRUkgaXMgdG8gZW5jb3VyYWdlIGludmVudG9ycyB0byBiZSBjcmVhdGl2ZSwgZGV2ZWxvcCBhbmQgdGVzdCB1c2luZyB0aGlzIG5ldyBzdGFuZGFyZC4gVGhlIGZlZWRiYWNrIGhhcyBiZWVuIHZlcnkgcG9zaXRpdmUsIGFuZCB3ZSBsb29rIGZvcndhcmQgdG8gbWFueSBtb3JlIG5ldyBhbmQgZGlmZmVyZW50IGNvbmNlcHRzIGluIHRoZSBuZWFyIGZ1dHVyZS7igJ08L3A+CjxwPlRoZSBzcG9rZXNtYW4gYWRkZWQgdGhhdCBzZXZlcmFsIG1hbnVmYWN0dXJlcnMgYXJlIHdvcmtpbmcgb24gaGF2aW5nIGN1cnJlbnQgYW5kIG5ldyBkZXZpY2VzIHRlc3RlZCB0byBtZWV0IHRoZSBuZXcgc3RhbmRhcmQuPC9wPgo8cD7igJxUaGUgRkVJIGxvb2tzIGZvcndhcmQgdG8gcmV2aWV3aW5nIHRoaXMgbmV3IHJlc2VhcmNoIGZyb20gS2VudHVja3kgYW5kIHdpbGwgaW5jbHVkZSBpdCBpbiB0aGUgb25nb2luZyBlZmZvcnRzIHRvIGtlZXAgbGVhcm5pbmcgYW5kIGltcHJvdmluZyBzYWZldHks4oCdIGhlIHNhaWQuPC9wPgo8cD4K"}
You may also be interested in…
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
H&H senior news writer
Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
