A preliminary case study of the effect of shoe-wearing on the biomechanics of a horse’s foot.

This study presents a new method that combines three-dimensional data from biplanar radiography with inverse dynamics methods and finite element analysis to assess the effects of a stainless steel horse shoe on the biomechanics of a Thoroughbred horse’s foot. Although preliminary, the results suggest that shoeing may cause shifts in the horse’s foot and increase mechanical loading, potentially affecting long-term health and welfare of the horse.

Introduction and Background

• The research addresses the welfare concerns in the horse racing industry where many horses suffer from musculoskeletal injuries leading to morbidity and mortality.
• While various factors contribute to these injuries, this study explores whether the use of horseshoes exacerbates these problems or not.
• Unlike past studies that chiefly dealt with the shoes’ impact on performance, this work extends to biomechanical effects on the foot skeleton using a novel methodology.

Methodology

• The study introduces a novel method which combines three-dimensional data from biplanar radiography with inverse dynamics methods and finite element analysis (FEA).
• This methodology allows for an in-depth understanding of the impact of a stainless steel shoe on a Thoroughbred horse’s forefoot during locomotion.
• The biomechanics analyses focus on the changes in stance and joint angles in both shod and unshod conditions.

Preliminary Results

• The findings suggest that the stainless steel shoe alters craniocaudal, mediolateral and vertical ground reaction forces (GRFs) during mid-stance.
• A similar pattern of flexion-extension with minor variation in the PIP (pastern) and DIP (coffin) joints is observed across the two conditions.
• Small differences in joint angles were noted under the two conditions. With shoes, the PIP joint was more extended than it was for the unshod horse and consequently DIP joint extended more in unshod condition.
• A shift in the DIP joint towards a greater extension in both conditions is recorded after the mid-stance phase.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

• The FEA, conducted solely on the bones, shows an increase in the von Mises and Maximum principal stresses on the forefoot phalanges when the horse was wearing the shoe, implying increased mechanical loading on the foot.
• The researchers clarify that due to the limited sample size, the differences observed haven’t been tested for statistical significance – an aspect to address in future research.

Conclusions and Future Research

• This study highlights how the horse shoe may influence the dynamics and mechanics of a Thoroughbred horse’s foot, even during slow locomotion.
• Future research needs to consider a larger sample, higher speeds/gaits, and a more comprehensive analysis spanning the whole stance phase. This will help in quantifying the effects of the shoe on the horse’s health and welfare.
• The ultimate goal of such research is to minimize injuries and improve animal health and welfare in the horse racing industry.