Do Metal Shoes Contract Heels?-A Retrospective Study on 114 Horses

Comparison of heel movement between two different glue-on type shoes and nailed shoes in Thoroughbreds

Gluing an aluminum shoe onto equine hooves has been known to restrict heel movement and might cause interference with shock absorption and blood flow to the hoof. To investigate the effects of new glue-on type shoes on heel movement, two experiments that compared forelimb heel movement between conventional nailed shoes and flexible polyurethane glue-on shoes or Hanton-type shoes, which had two side clips for adhesive, were conducted on separate days. A displacement sensor was fixed on the heel to measure the forelimb's mediolateral heel movement. Exercise consisted of walking at 1.7 m/s, trotting at 4 m/s, cantering at 8 and 12 m/s for 30 s on a treadmill without a slope. The average heel expansion, contraction, and total heel movement (sum of the absolute expansion and contraction values) of 10 consecutive strides between the nailed shoes and glue-on shoes were compared using the paired t-tests. No significant differences in heel movement were observed between polyurethane glued shoes and nailed shoes regardless of gait. During trotting, Hanton shoes promoted significantly smaller heel expansion (14% decrease, P < 0.01) and larger heel contraction (11% increase, P = 0.03) compared to conventional nailed shoes, although no difference in total heel movement was observed. Furthermore, neither heel expansion nor contraction nor total movement in other gaits showed significant differences between Hanton shoes and conventional nailed shoes. The aforementioned results suggested that the new glue-on type shoes promoted similar heel movement compared to conventional nailed shoes.

The Effect of Horse Shoeing with Egg Bar Shoes and Shoes with Wedge Pads on the Results of Thermal Imaging of the Equine Distal Limb

Simple Summary

Thermography is a non-invasive and contact-free imaging method that measures temperature on the surface of the body and determines temperature distribution across the examined surface. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of horse shoeing with egg bar shoes and shoes with wedge pads on hoof temperature measured by thermography. The authors decided to use egg bar shoes and shoes with wedge pads as they are commonly used in the treatment of navicular syndrome in horses. This study was conducted on 16 client-owned warmblood horses. The horses were directed for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) according to unilateral front limb lameness, specifically associated with the hoof. For thermographic analysis, we took into consideration only one limb that was not lame and that showed no radiological changes. After the application of egg bar shoes, the temperature decreased on the palmar surface of the hoof. After shoeing with wedge pads, the temperature decreased in the dorsal and palmar views. Thermography, despite its great usefulness, is only an indirect method of assessing the blood supply in a given area, so we cannot uncritically conclude about the harmfulness of shoeing.

Abstract

The presented manuscript provides reference for practitioners when measuring normal hoof temperature, as well as controlling the temperature after shoeing with particular shoes. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of horse shoeing with egg bar shoes and shoes with wedge pads on hoof temperature measured by thermography. This was a prospective study conducted on 16 horses. The horses were divided into two groups: horses from group 1 were shod with egg bar shoes, while horses from group 2 were shod with shoes with wedge pads. Thermographic examination was performed below the metacarpophalangeal joint before and one month after shoeing. After shoeing with egg bar shoes, there was a decrease in the median of the minimal temperature in the palmar view. After shoeing with wedge pads, thermography revealed decreased hoof temperature in the dorsal and palmar views. Horse shoes may have a negative impact on the blood circulation and metabolism within the distal part of the limb; however, our study found this only to a minor extent.