The perception of ridden video footage by riders and non-riders and its value for equestrian cross country
Year: 2023
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Video feedback is widely used for performance analysis in sport for its convenient, accessible, and objective measure of behaviour, but there is very little evidence of its use in equestrian eventing. The cross country phase of eventing poses risk to both horse and rider. Incorporating video footage gives researchers access to behavioural information, enabling a deeper exploration of the causes and mechanisms behind falls and faults in equestrian sport. This thesis identified that having purchased ridden video footage in the past was associated with greater intention to watch such footage in the future, as was the perception that video footage held value in multiple scenarios and to multiple people. Employment in the equestrian industry also related to respondent intention to analyse ridden video footage. Riders appeared to consider inconsistency in rein aids and upper body position particularly likely to predict a cross country jumping fault. The thesis then illustrates that there are some differences between rider and non-rider visual strategy when watching eventing video footage, which may have implications for fence-judge ability to identify faults. The project culminates by demonstrating that experiential factors, such as the frequency of riding, may contribute to a greater ability of riders to correctly predict the outcome of cross country video footage. The use of pre-recorded video footage enabled the inclusion of non-riders, who were not significantly worse at predicting the outcome of jumping efforts. It is hoped that this thesis forms the basis for future studies to determine specific behavioural risk-factors for cross country riding, and demonstrates the value that video footage holds for identification of these factors. The results of this project have implications for the safety and performance of riders, coaches, and officials, who have a duty of care to members of the equestrian industry and the horses involved.
Author: Johnson, JRE
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6995865319