What is your opinion of this video?

I wonder what safety precautions are in place in the event of the horse tripping?

He didn't look like he was struggling that much to me, though - he'd barely raised a sweat. He just looked like a horse galloping on the spot.
 
I think the 'safety precaution' may have been the strap attached to something over the roller? I.e may have prevented a fall completely down onto the moving belt?

This: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOTc35OrNgw&NR=1&feature=endscreen shows some in a veterinary setting being trained for it.

I wouldn't like it (similarly to how I don't like horse walkers) for an animal of mine of avoidable but the video in OP's link didn't, to me, look like a horse in as much stress as most of the dressage videos HHO members post. Not vastly happy looking, and yes, working, but didn't see heaps of fear or any visible discomfort.

E T Add: would expect this to be acceptable for veterinary or (human) training/education purposes. Would be less pleased if this was done for public entertainment.
 
I didn't much like watching it, I don't know why, the safety straps were there, but it just didn't sit right for me.

That horse had a very even rhythm - like a metronome!
 
That horses very well used to the treadmill. It takes many sessions to get that used to it!

It a super fit TB finding the canter/gallop very easy. And they slowed it the second it lower its head near the end.

It's as boring as sin (and noisy!) but it doesn't look uncomfortable or stressed.
 
I think I just found it clinical and far from the romantic vision of the equine, but that's not to say it's wrong or doesn't have its uses.

I have used a horsewalker, incidentally, and found that a bit weird, too.
 
Kallibear said:
It's as boring as sin
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Each to their own I suppose but I've usually found sin quite interesting!

That horses very well used to the treadmill .......... but it doesn't look uncomfortable or stressed.
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I agree, but those machines scare the hell out of me - and the idea that people are allowed to suddenly stand up in the horse's eyeline and take flash photographs - OMG!
 
Horrible things. We used them at uni. Took ages to get horses used to them. And so noisy. The force the get hit the tread belt with is frightening.

It's boring for the horse ;)
Interestingffo humans maybe but the novelty quickly wears off. It make you tired just watching them!
 
Was it simply to test gait?

What's round his neck?

I think there's possibly more to why this horse is on a treadmill and looking like one that's been on it a few times and that people were possibly there to see gaits as a secondary reason.
 
I see nothing wrong with it, a horse obviously well trained to the treadmill in a safe set up.

eta I guessed it was an id tag round his neck.
 
The main thing I didn't like was the straps from the head collar to a fixed point. Horrendous pressure and very unnatural stress on his neck?! We had a treadmill years ago when I worked for a race horse breeder. The horses were not tied in that manner and would pace themselves ie no danger of them out running it, we would just hold their lead rope. They also really liked it where as that horse looked like it didn't!
 
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