Entropy and Fluctuation Analysis of Horse Riders During Extended and Collected Gait Motions

Purpose: This study investigates the relationship between phase characteristics of horse-riders and subjective harmony scores evaluated by dressage judges. We aim to enhance understanding of how motion patterns reflect harmony perception, hypothesizing that adaptive anti-persistent motion improves subjective evaluations. Methods: Nine elite dressage riders and their horses participated. Accelerometer data from the rider’s centre of gravity were collected during passage and extended trot. Signals were processed using detrended fluctuation analysis ( H ) and Shannon entropy (Ɛ). Subjective harmony scores were correlated with H and Ɛ using Spearman’s rank correlation. Significance was set at p < .05. Results: In passage , H positively correlated with harmony scores (r = 0.77, p < .01, H = 1.07 ± 0.06), suggesting riders exhibiting greater persistence were evaluated as more harmonious. Conversely, in extended trot, H negatively correlated with scores (r = −0.71, p < .02, H = 1.04 ± 0.06), indicating anti-persistent motion correlated with higher ratings. Shannon entropy correlated negatively with scores in passage (r = −0.62, p < .03, Ɛ = 9.28 ± 0.25) and positively in extended trot (r = 0.61, p < .05, Ɛ = 9.46 ± 0.12). Conclusions: Harmony perception in dressage varies by gait. Collected movements benefit from stable and persistent motion, while extended gaits demand adaptive, anti-persistent patterns. Training should focus on stability for precision-oriented gaits and flexibility for dynamic tasks. Objective metrics like detrended fluctuation analysis and entropy may enhance harmony evaluation, though interpretation requires further refinement to address subjectivity in scoring practices.