phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at o:2903 DOI 10.3390/biomechanics3030029 The Development of a Standardized Protocol for Quantifying Equestrian Eventing Cross-Country Ground The ground has long been cited as a key contributing factor for injury risk in the cross-country phase of eventing. The current study aimed to develop a practically useful standardized protocol for measuring eventing cross country ground. Data collection was split into three phases: Phase 1 (Validation), Phase 2 (Expansion of data set), and Phase 3 (Threshold establishment). During Phase 1, data from nine event courses were collected using an Orono Biomechanical Surface Tester (OBST), Vienna Surface Tester (VST), Lang Penetrometer, Going Stick, and moisture meter. Using linear regression, 80% of the variability in cushioning measured with the OBST was predicted from moisture and VST measurements (p < 0.001). In Phase 2, objective data from 81 event courses and subjective assessments from 180 event riders were collected. In Phase 3, k-means cluster analysis was used to classify the courses into ten clusters based on average course measurements of moisture, cushioning, firmness, stiffness, depth, and coefficient of restitution. Based on cluster membership, course average subjective data (16 courses) were compared using a General Linear Model. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in subjective impact firmness (p = 0.038) and subjective cushioning (p = 0.010) were found between clusters. These data and cluster thresholds provide an event course baseline for future comparisons. eng cushioning; equine; eventing; firmness; injury risk; moisture; soil; surface measurement; surface stiffness; turf 2024-04-26T08:18:10.033Z LOMv1.0 Author BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Graydon;Robert; FN:Robert Graydon END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Hobbs;Sarah Jane; FN:Sarah Jane Hobbs END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Sinclair;Jonathan; FN:Jonathan Sinclair END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Roepstorff;Lars; FN:Lars Roepstorff END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Peham;Christian; FN:Christian Peham END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Schramel;Johannes Peter; FN:Johannes Peter Schramel X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3254-370X END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Lucey;Mark; FN:Mark Lucey END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Northrop;Alison J.; FN:Alison J. Northrop END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Martin;Jaime H.; FN:Jaime H. Martin END:VCARD https://w3id.org/kim/hcrt/scheme https://w3id.org/kim/hcrt/text Textdokument Text LOMv1.0 yes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 application/pdf 605711 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:2903 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:2903/thumbnail LOMv1.0 discipline