{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,16]],"date-time":"2026-08-16T07:04:15Z","timestamp":1786863855722,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,9]],"date-time":"2025-04-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1744156800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Coordena\u00e7\u00e3o de Aperfei\u00e7oamento de Pessoal de N\u00edvel Superior\u2014Brasil","award":["CAPES\u2014Finance Code 001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CAPES\u2014Finance Code 001"]}]},{"name":"Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient\u00edfico e Tecnol\u00f3gico (CNPQ)","award":["CAPES\u2014Finance Code 001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CAPES\u2014Finance Code 001"]}]},{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o de Amparo \u00e0 Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)","award":["CAPES\u2014Finance Code 001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CAPES\u2014Finance Code 001"]}]},{"name":"Graduate Program of Veterinary Medicine of Universidade Federal de Vi\u00e7osa","award":["CAPES\u2014Finance Code 001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CAPES\u2014Finance Code 001"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The Mangalarga Marchador (MM) breed naturally performs four-beat gaits known as \u201cMarcha\u201d. Kinematic analysis can provide insights for optimizing training and competition performance in this breed while potentially mitigating welfare concerns associated with extreme head and neck positions (HNPs) applied without an adequate understanding of their impacts. We examined how different HNPs affect the MM horse\u2019s Marcha Batida gait. Four HNPs were evaluated: HPN1\u2014loose reins, HPN2\u2014the competition standard for MM, HPN3\u2014an extremely elevated head and neck, and HPN4\u2014a slightly behind-the-vertical position. Kinematic data were collected using an optoelectronic system, and diagonal dissociation, stride length, and step height were analyzed. HNP3 had the highest dissociation, shortest stride length, and higher step height compared to the other HNPs. HNP1 resulted in the longest stride length. HNP2 and HNP4 differed in diagonal dissociation. HNPs significantly impact the kinematics of the Marcha Batida gait in this cohort of Mangalarga Marchador horses. Our results confirm the benefits of HNP2, the recommended position for shows and competitions. Additionally, it discourages the use of HNP3 and reiterates the need for further research into HNPs in four-beat gaits, highlighting the importance of rider training and the careful selection of HNPs to optimize Marcha Batida performance.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani15081090","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,9]],"date-time":"2025-04-09T12:05:56Z","timestamp":1744200356000},"page":"1090","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Head and Neck Positions Affect Equine Kinematic Variables in Marcha Batida Gait\u2014A Pilot Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8880-4024","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nat\u00e1lia Almeida","family":"Martins","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade Federal de Vi\u00e7osa, Vi\u00e7osa 36570-900, MG, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0056-4079","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Brunna Patr\u00edcia Almeida","family":"Fonseca","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Researcher, Sao Paulo 04548-902, SP, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Amanda Piaia","family":"Silvatti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Educa\u00e7\u00e3o F\u00edsica, Universidade Federal de Vi\u00e7osa, Vi\u00e7osa 36570-900, MG, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5037-1887","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fabr\u00edcio Luciani","family":"Valente","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade Federal de Vi\u00e7osa, Vi\u00e7osa 36570-900, MG, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nara Luisa","family":"Soares","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Educa\u00e7\u00e3o F\u00edsica, Universidade Federal de Vi\u00e7osa, Vi\u00e7osa 36570-900, MG, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Samuel Pereira","family":"Simonato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Centro Universit\u00e1rio de Itajub\u00e1\u2014FEPI, Itajub\u00e1 37501-002, MG, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5960-3883","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Laura Patterson","family":"Rosa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Lewyt College of Veterinary Medicine, Long Island University, Brookville, NY 11548, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Millena Oliveira","family":"Andrade","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Zootecnia, Escola de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goi\u00e1s, Goi\u00e2nia 05508-270, GO, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0966-0390","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kate Moura da Costa","family":"Barcelos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Zootecnia, Escola de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goi\u00e1s, Goi\u00e2nia 05508-270, GO, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"147","DOI":"10.1053\/rvsc.2001.0504","article-title":"Kinematic characteristics of Andalusian, Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses: A comparative study","volume":"71","author":"Cano","year":"2001","journal-title":"Res. 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