Dr Sarah Jane Hobbs

Sarah’s research is predominantly in equine biomechanics. Although she also supports researchers and projects in sports biomechanics.

Sarah has worked with an international team of researchers concerned with measuring and improving equine surfaces for over a decade. The team includes Lars Roepstorff (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), Mick Peterson (University of Kentucky), Alison Northrop and Jaime Martin (Nottingham Trent University), Christian Peham and Peter Schrammel (University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna) and Mark Lucey. One of their primary goals was to standardise equine surface testing for competition and one of their first protocols became an ASTM standard in 2019. Their work together has extended to developing a protocol to quantify turf going for eventing cross-country tracks, published in 2023. Research to investigate the potential for the protocol to assist in turf-going classification on UK racetracks also began in 2023.

Sarah’s work with Professor Hilary Clayton (Michigan State University) initially focussed on developing techniques to study fundamental aspects of balance and stability in horses. This has allowed them to explore the challenges in performing high-level dressage movements. This work was extended to the horse/rider interaction and led to Sarah assembling a team of scientists from UCLan and Hartpury University to develop a project to evidence the Para dressage classification system for the FEI, which began in 2018. This project was completed in 2023 and there is evidence that the team developed throughout the project.

Sarah’s work on hoof function in her PhD made her an obvious choice as Director of Studies for Dr Simon Curtis, who investigated hoof growth, structure and loading patterns, and she continues to supervise and support farriery research students. She also supports current and former students in their research, including advancing knowledge and understanding of equine muscle function (Dr Lindsay St George) and investigating factors associated with risks and performance in eventing cross country (Dr Heather Cameron-Whytock).