Horse stress analysis using biomechanical modelling and machine learning approach

Horse transport is a common practice in the equestrian industry, especially with the expansion of this industry around the world. Research has proved that horse transport by road is responsible for high stress levels, which sometimes exceed stress levels caused by exercising during professional horse races. Stress symptoms are reflected in the physiological functions of horses leading to horses suffering from horses fatigue or the injury. The horses stand still in a small box during transport to ensure safety and avoid falls or injuries. The weight is held by the four limbs while the vehicle is moving and vibration forces keep interrupting the balance. This requires the horse to counter these forces in order to keep its balance which demands high energy consumption even for short trips. The horse blood circulation system tries to support the muscles with enough oxygen forcing the heart to beat at high rates. This paper suggests an analytical biomechanical model for the vibration forces to understand how these forces move through horse limbs. This model is proposed to associate vibration forces with high stress levels during transport. Such a direct relationship between vehicle vibration forces and high stress levels will lead to a low cost non-invasive early stress detection system without the need to measure any direct physiological response of the horse. This relationship will also shed light on the importance of optimised vehicle design to reduce vibrations.