The study was conducted by Dr Sue Dyson, head of clinical orthopaedics at the Centre for Equine Studies at the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and Line Greve, PhD student and was supported by World Horse Welfare (WHW).

More than 200 horses and riders were clinically assessed for the trial and the riders interviewed via an online questionnaire, without the riders being aware of the link between the two initiatives. The horses were selected from a variety of work disciplines, were in regular work and were presumed by their riders or owners to be sound.