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Topic:Hoof Health
Hoof health in horses involves the study of the structure, function, and maintenance of the horse's hoof, which is vital for overall mobility and wellbeing. The hoof is composed of various structures, including the outer hoof wall, sole, frog, and internal components such as the laminae. These structures work together to support the horse's weight, absorb shock, and provide traction. Factors affecting hoof health include nutrition, environment, genetics, and management practices. Common hoof-related conditions include laminitis, thrush, and hoof cracks, which can impact a horse's performance and quality of life. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the anatomy, physiology, and management of hoof health in horses, as well as strategies for prevention and treatment of hoof disorders.
[Mini-invasive distraction technique for treatment of severe ankle and foot deformities secondary to ischemic contracture of the leg]. To explore the Ilizarov mini-invasive distraction technique for the treatment of severer ankle and foot deformities secondary to ischemic contracture of the leg. Methods: Based on the tension-stress low of Ilizarov, a serial of adjustable three dimensions external distractive instrument was developed in our department. From April 2002 to March 2004, 8 patients with ankle and foot deformities secondary to ischemic contracture of the leg induced by trauma and fracture were treated with the distractive instrument. Of them, 4 patient were male and 4 female, aged from 13 to 31 years with an average...
The effect of hoof trimming on radiographic measurements of the front feet of normal Warmblood horses. The understanding of the normal position of the third phalanx (P3) and the distal sesamoid bone in relation to the size and shape of the hoof capsule in sound horses is helpful in the diagnosis of equine foot lameness. Some measurements on radiographs used to define the position of the pedal bone within the hoof capsule are significantly influenced by hoof trimming and the height of the withers. In this study, the front hooves of 40 Warmblood horses were radiographed twice, eight weeks apart, both before and after their hooves were trimmed by an experienced farrier. Using the software programm...
Insulin resistance in equids: possible role in laminitis. Insulin is a major regulatory hormone in glucose and fat metabolism, vascular function, inflammation, tissue remodeling, and the somatotropic axis of growth. Insulin resistance alters insulin signaling by decreasing insulin action in certain resistant pathways while increasing insulin signaling in other unaffected pathways via compensatory hyperinsulinemia. In humans, altered insulin signaling is implicated in reduced glucose availability to insulin-sensitive cells, vasoconstriction and endothelial damage, and inflammatory response. Although no direct evidence exists for insulin's role in thes...
Shoeing sound warmblood horses with a rolled toe optimises hoof-unrollment and lowers peak loading during breakover. Overload injuries in sport horses commonly occur; shoeing techniques are believed to be important in prevention of these injuries, but there is a paucity of scientific information identifying the potential connection. Objective: To test a horseshoe with a modified rolled toe designed to ease the process of breakover and decrease loading of lesion-prone structures of the distal limb. Methods: Twenty clinically sound Warmblood horses trotted over a track containing a pressure/force measuring system and 6 infrared cameras. The horses were measured with 2 types of shoes, standard flat shoes and sh...
Hoof growth between two shoeing sessions leads to a substantial increase of the moment about the distal, but not the proximal, interphalangeal joint. There is little insight into the effects of routine farriery on the internal structures of the distal limb in sound horses. Objective: To measure the effect of change in hoof conformation during a shoeing interval on the moments about the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints (PIPJ, DIPJ) and to determine whether and how the horse compensates for this change in hoof conformation. Methods: Both front feet of 9 sound Warmblood horses were measured while standing on a pressure-force measuring system and radiographed in a lateromedial direction shortly after shoeing and 8 weeks later. From th...
Complete and partial hoof wall resection for keratoma removal: post operative complications and final outcome in 26 horses (1994-2004). There are no data on the frequency of post operative complications following keratoma removal, such as recurrence, hoof wall instability and excessive granulation tissue formation, or their relation to the method of surgical removal. Objective: To identify important factors in the outcome for horses undergoing surgical removal of a keratoma and compare the post operative complications encountered following keratoma removal by complete hoof wall resection (CR) and partial hoof wall resection (PR). Objective: Horses undergoing PR would have fewer post operative complications and would return to ...
[The art of horseshoeing–between empiricism and science]. To correctly shoe a horse requires the farriers to have a good working knowledge of postural anomalies and movement patterns, as well as of the different concepts of horseshoeing and to be able to apply the appropriate technique to every individual horse they shoe. The correct technique for specific problem cases is frequently a subject of debate amongst specialists and many theories would benefit from objective gait analyses. The case study presented examines the influence of different shoeing conditions on selected gait analysis parameters. The measurements were conducted on a Warmblood mare...
[Do we need a quality control for horse shoes and farriery]. In the past few years marked changes in the field of farriery have been noted. In addition to the classical farrier, many new occupations concerned with hoof care have emerged, such as hoof trimmer, hoof technician, hoof orthopedist and hoof naturopath. Furthermore, a tremendous number of hoof protection systems have been developed, with an ever-increasing application to horses. However, regulations regarding alternative shoeing methods are insufficient and it is not clear, who governs the quality of the work of the individuals involved. Thus, a neutral authority composed of farriers and veter...
[Interactive educational DVD on hoof protection, horseshoeing and diseases of the hoof]. Good cooperation between farrier, veterinarian and horse owner is an important prerequisite for optimal support of the horse with regards to shoeing and hoof health. The introduction of a joint educational aid aims to improve the level of education of both veterinarians and farriers. The interactive, multimedia approach represents an innovative new dimension in instruction techniques, predominantly provided through images and videos. The contents of the new teaching aid will focus on detailed anatomy of the foot and distal limb, as well as currently accepted shoeing practices and techniques an...
[Do hoof cracks represent a superficial hoof-problem?]. Fifty-four horses with hoof cracks were referred to the Equine Hospital of the University of Zurich, for treatment. The horses were admitted because of lameness or other symptoms caused by the cracks. Deep or complicated quarter cracks were the most common type of cracks diagnosed. Poor conformation and abnormal hoof shape were the most important causes of hoof crack development, whereas injury to the coronary band was a less frequently encountered cause. Effective treatment of this problem includes corrective shoeing, removing horn from the weight-bearing surface as well as from the crack wit...
Use of gyroscopic sensors for objective evaluation of trimming and shoeing to alter time between heel and toe lift-off at end of the stance phase in horses walking and trotting on a treadmill. To determine whether a shoe with an axialcontoured lateral branch would induce greater lateral roll of the forelimb hoof during the time between heel and toe lift-off at end of the stance phase (breakover). Animals-10 adult horses. Methods: A gyroscopic transducer was placed on the hoof of the right forelimb and connected to a transmitter. Data on hoof angular velocity were collected as each horse walked and trotted on a treadmill before (treatment 1, no trim-no shoe) and after 2 treatments by a farrier (treatment 2, trim-standard shoe; and treatment 3, trim-contoured shoe). Data were converte...
In vitro degradation of equine keratin by dermatophytes and other keratinophilic fungi. Keratinolytic properties of two dermatophytes (Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes) and three moulds (Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Alternaria alternata, Geotrichum candidum) isolated from diseased equine hooves were examined to improve the understanding of pathogenic mechanisms leading to equine onychomycosis. Equine hoof horn material and skin, as well as hoof keratin and dermal keratin extracted from corresponding tissues, were used as sole carbon and nitrogen sources in five test tubes for each fungus. Within 18 days, supernatants of all tubes were repeatedly examined for kerati...
Evaluation using hoof wall strain gauges of a therapeutic shoe and a hoof cast with a heel wedge as potential supportive therapy for horses with laminitis. To evaluate using strain gauges, a hoof cast with heel wedge, and a therapeutic shoe with unsupported toe for their effectiveness in redistribution of load from the dorsal hoof wall. Methods: In vitro biomechanical study. Methods: Twenty forelimb specimens. Methods: Rosette strain gauges were placed on the dorsal and lateral hoof wall of 20 normal shaped hooves. Limbs were loaded vertically using a tensile testing machine with a 1 Hz sinusoidally cycling load up to 3000 N during 15 seconds. Mean values of principal strain and direction at 2500 N load were calculated for 3 experimental conditio...
Changes in location of centre of pressure and hoof-unrollment pattern in relation to an 8-week shoeing interval in the horse. In order to optimise shoeing and shoeing conditions, it is essential to know how the horse adapts to a common shoeing interval. Objective: To measure changes in location of the centre of pressure (CoP) and hoof-unrollment pattern during a shoeing interval and to assess whether these changes in CoP result directly from changes in hoof conformation or are also influenced by compensatory mechanisms. Methods: Eighteen horses were trotted over a pressure-force measurement system shortly after shoeing and 8 weeks later. The position of the CoP was measured and also predicted using calculations based...
Predisposition for venoconstriction in the equine laminar dermis: implications in equine laminitis. Equine laminitis is a crippling condition associated with a variety of systemic diseases. Although it is apparent that the prodromal stages of laminitis involve microvascular dysfunction, little is known regarding the physiology of this vasculature. The aim of the present study was to determine the relative responses of equine laminar arteries and veins to the vasoconstrictor agonists phenylephrine (1 nM-10 microM), 5-HT (1 nM-10 microM), PGF2alpha (1 nM-100 microM), and endothelin-1 (1 pM-1 microM). We have determined that laminar veins were more sensitive, with respect to the concentration o...
Membrane-coating granules and the intercellular cementing substance (membrane-coating material) in the epidermis in different regions of the equine hoof. This study aimed to carry out a comprehensive morphological examination of the structure and ultrastructure of the membrane-coating granules (MCG) and membrane-coating material (MCM) common to all hoof segments as well as segment-specific features in the MCG and MCM regarding their synthesis, structure and biochemical composition. Tissue samples from the hooves of the left front and right hind limb of 20 adult riding horses were used. Samples were preserved and embedded for histological routine methods as well as for histochemical techniques and tracer techniques for light and electron microsc...
Relationships between hoof-acceleration patterns of galloping horses and dynamic properties of the track. To define relationships between hoof-acceleration patterns of galloping horses and dynamic properties of the track. Methods: 8 Thoroughbred horses without lameness. Methods: Acceleration-time curves were recorded by use of accelerometers attached to each hoof as each horse galloped over the track straightaway. Four sessions were conducted for each horse, with the track surface modified by sequentially adding water before each session. These acceleration-time curves were analyzed to determine peak accelerations during the support phase of the stride. Track dynamic properties (hardness, rebound,...
Evaluation of architectural changes along the proximal to distal regions of the dorsal laminar interface in the equine hoof. To describe architectural changes along the dorsal laminar interface of the equine foot. Methods: 6 macroscopically normal forefeet obtained from 6 equine cadavers. Methods: Histologic sections of 8 evenly spaced, proximal to distal, samples of the dorsal laminar interface were photographed, digitized, and examined for differences in architecture. Laminar depth; secondary laminar density; number and consistency of bifurcations occurring within the secondary laminae, and areas composed of primary dermal lamina, primary epidermal lamina, and secondary laminar interface were recorded. Data were e...
Mechanical behavior and quantitative morphology of the equine laminar junction. The horse's hoof is structurally modified for its mechanical functions, but studying the functional design of internal structures is hampered by the external keratinous capsule. Finite-element analysis offers one method for evaluating mechanical function of components within the capsule, such as the laminar junction. This is the epidermodermal connection that binds the hoof wall strongly to the distal phalanx. Primary epidermal laminae (PEL), projecting inward from the wall, vary in morphology and are remodeled despite being keratinous. The aim of this study is to investigate the suggestion th...
Management of equine hoof injuries. Hoof injuries are common in horses. Some wounds can pose diagnostic and treatment challenges because of the rigid nature of horn,the tissue involved, the deeper underlying structures eventually invaded, or the pattern of healing. By combining knowledge about the anatomy and biomechanical properties of the foot and healing characteristics of the hoof with adapted general principles of wound management, satisfactory clinical outcomes usually result.
In vitro measurement of internal hoof strain. Strains during stance on the hoof wall surface have been measured by a number of authors in vitro and in vivo. Histological structure and mechanical properties vary through the wall thickness (radially); radial strain measurements may therefore aid the understanding of mechanical function of the capsule and adjacent tissues. Objective: To develop instrumentation capable of measuring internal hoof strain, and to carry out a preliminary comparison of normal and laminitic hooves. Methods: Six forelimbs from 4 horses, including 2 with laminitis from the same horse, were tested using an Instron tes...
Relationships between fore- and hindlimb ground reaction force and hoof deceleration patterns in trotting horses. The transmission of shockwaves following hoof impact is proposed to be one major source of stress to the limb. In the forelimb, there are indications that the period of horizontal deceleration of the hoof is related to the attenuation of shockwaves. In the hindlimb, information about the hoof deceleration has been lacking. Objective: To compare hoof deceleration patterns between the fore- and hindlimbs. Methods: Seven Standardbreds were trotted by hand over a force plate covered with sand, with triaxial accelerometers mounted on the fore and hind hooves. Variables representative of deceleratio...
Dynamic pressure measurements for the detailed study of hoof balance: the effect of trimming. Studies on hoof balance have, so far, only assessed the effects of strong and relatively unrealistic interventions due to technical limitations of measuring equipment. For the assessment of more subtle interventions, other techniques are necessary. Objective: To test a sensitive pressure measurement system during locomotion and to set a standard for further studies by using the system to evaluate the effects of trimming. Methods: Eighteen horses were measured before and after trimming with an interval of 4 weeks. Trimming was standardised to a straight hoof-pastern axis. The horses trotted ove...
Demographics, management, and welfare of nonracing horses in Prince Edward Island. There are no detailed, representative, horse-level data about equine management practices in different parts of Canada. To help address this, the demographics, management, and welfare of 312 nonracing horses in Prince Edward Island were examined in a randomized, horse-level survey during summer 2002. Owners completed a pretested questionnaire, and a veterinarian examined each horse. Owners were experienced caregivers and the horses were generally in good condition. Areas for improvement included parasite control, dental and hoof care, and tail docking. The mean fecal egg count was 428 eggs per...
Glucocorticoids and laminitis in the horse. The administration of exogenously administered GCs and syndromes associated with GC excess are both attended by increased risk for the development of laminitis in adult horses. However, there exists substantial controversy as to whether excess GCs cause laminitis de novo. If true, the pathogenesis of laminitis arising from the effects of GC excess is probably different from that associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and endotoxemia. Although a satisfactory explanation for the development of laminitis as a consequence of GC action is currently lacking, numerous possible and pla...
Evaluation of a standardised radiographic technique of the equine hoof. Radiography of the equine hoof is often used to obtain a diagnosis. Quantitative interpretation, especially for research purposes requires high quality and accuracy of radiographs. The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate a radiographic technique for the lateromedial (LM) and the dorsopalmar (DP) view of the equine hoof. Ten radiographs for each view from one cadaver limb and from both front feet in a standing horse were taken in order to assess repeatability of the radiographic technique. The method requires easy to use adjustable and portable equipment and strictly defined exte...
Use of a topical disinfectant as part of a hoof care programme for horses with diseases of the hoof capsule. Twenty-three horses with persistent hoof horn defects were treated topically with a hoof disinfectant as part of a hoof care programme for a year. The active ingredients of the disinfectant were a poloaximer-iodine complex, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, isopropyl alcohol and propylene glycol. Hoof trimmings were taken at the start of the study and every six weeks, and examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. At the beginning of the study all the horn samples contained large numbers of bacteria, and samples from eight of the horses also had fungal hyphae intermingled with the ...
Equine laminitis: loss of hemidesmosomes in hoof secondary epidermal lamellae correlates to dose in an oligofructose induction model: an ultrastructural study. Light microscopical studies show that the key lesion of laminitis is separation at the hoof lamellar dermal-epidermal interface. More precise knowledge of the damage occurring in the lamellar basement membrane zone may result if laminitis affected tissue is examined with the transmission electron microscope. This could lead to better understanding of the pathogenesis of lesions and the means of treatment or prevention. Objective: To investigate the ultrastructure of acute laminitis as disease of greater severity is induced by increasing oligofructose (OF) dosage. Methods: Three pairs of normal...
Hoof wall wound repair. Surgical stripping of the hoof wall results in a wound that heals remarkabley well. In contrast, lamellae recovering from laminitis are often deformed. Investigating lamellar wound healing may aid understanding of laminitis. Objective: To document temporal changes in the lamellar basement membrane (BM), dermis and epidermis after surgery. Methods: Wall strips were made in the dorsal hoof wall midline of 6 mature horses. Immunohistochemistry was used to document changes in the basement membrane (BM) and detect proliferation of epidermal cells in lamellar tissues harvested at intervals. A confor...
Epidermal cell proliferation in the equine hoof wall. Current theories explaining how the hoof wall 'grows' and moves past the stationary distal phalanx are speculative and based on incomplete evidence. Movement in the lamellar region could occur by cell proliferation or an enzyme-based remodelling process. Since laminitis pathogenesis appears to involve increased transcription and activation of enzymes normally involved in tissue remodelling, it is important to know precisely which process dominates the lamellar region of the hoof.. Objective: To investigate epidermal cell proliferation in the equine hoof wall and calculate a proliferative index...
