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Animal science journal = Nihon chikusan Gakkaiho2020; 91(1); e13380; doi: 10.1111/asj.13380

Benefits and risks of barefoot harness racing in Standardbred trotters.

Abstract: There is a lack of research on the benefits and risks of shoeing conditions in harness racing. Thus, our objectives were to: (a) investigate whether velocity times (VT; s/km) are affected by racing unshod (N = 76,932 records on 5,247 horses); (b) determine the potential risks of galloping, being penalized, and disqualification when competing unshod (N = 111,755 records on 6,423 horses); and (c) identify additional environmental factors that affect VT and risks. VT was found to be significantly influenced by shoeing condition (e.g., unshod, shod front, shod hind, or fully shod), but also by sex, age, season, track, track condition, start method, start position, distance, and driver-horse performance level (p < 2e-16). The risks of galloping and disqualification were significantly influenced by shoeing condition, sex, age, season, track, start method, start position, or driver-horse performance level (p ≤ .05). Horses racing unshod had 0.7 s/km lower VT than fully shod horses and showed better performance when racing on neutral tracks during the late summer than horses with other shoeing conditions during the same period. However, racing unshod increased the relative risks of galloping and disqualification by 15%-35% in all seasons. Horses shod only on the hind hooves showed better performance than fully shod horses, without higher risks associated with competing unshod.
© 2020 The Authors. Animal Science Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Animal Science.
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Publication Date: 2020-05-05 PubMed ID: 32363779DOI: 10.1111/asj.13380Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Observational Study
  • Veterinary

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article explores the impacts of harness racing with barefoot horses. It investigates how shoe condition affects racing performance and the associated risks.

Objectives of the Research

  • The research had three main objectives. The first was to study the influence of shoeing condition (barefoot or shod) on the horse’s racing velocity times, using data from 76,932 race records involving 5,247 horses.
  • Secondly, it sought to identify the potential risks of running barefoot, like the risk of galloping, being penalized, and getting disqualified, using data from 111,755 race records of 6,423 horses.
  • The final objective was to pick out any additional environmental factors that may affect the velocity times and risks, such as the horse’s sex and age, the season, track and track condition, the start method and position, race distance, and driver-horse performance level.

Key Findings & Implications

  • The research results showed that shoeing condition markedly affected the velocity times. Surprisingly, horses racing barefoot showed 0.7 s/km lower velocity times than fully-shod horses. Moreover, barefoot racing horses performed better on “neutral” racing tracks during late summer as compared to shod horses.
  • However, running barefoot increased the likelihood of horses galloping and getting disqualified by 15%-35% across all seasons. This suggests that while barefoot racing may improve speed, it also introduces additional risks.
  • In addition to shoe condition, multiple factors were also found to significantly affect velocity times and risks. These included the horse’s sex and age, the season, the type and condition of the racing track, the start method and position, race distance, and driver-horse performance level.
  • The study also unveiled that horses with shoes only on their hind hooves performed better than those fully shod, but did not carry the higher racing risks associated with running barefoot. This could imply a potential benefit of partially shoeing horses for harness racing.

Conclusions and Future Work

  • In conclusion, this research provides key insights into the impact of shoeing condition on harness racing performance and risks. It reveals an intriguing trade-off between the racing speed benefits and the heightened risk of galloping and disqualification associated with barefoot racing.
  • The findings could be instrumental in informing horse training and racing practices, particularly in relation to shoeing decisions. It opens avenues for further research into optimizing shoeing conditions for maximal race performance and minimal risks.

Cite This Article

APA
Solé M, Lindgren G, Bongcam-Rudloff E, Jansson A. (2020). Benefits and risks of barefoot harness racing in Standardbred trotters. Anim Sci J, 91(1), e13380. https://doi.org/10.1111/asj.13380

Publication

Animal science journal = Nihon chikusan Gakkaiho
ISSN: 1740-0929
NlmUniqueID: 100956805
Country: Australia
Language: English
Volume: 91
Issue: 1
Pages: e13380

Researcher Affiliations

Solé, Marina
  • Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Lindgren, Gabriella
  • Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
  • Department of Biosystems, Livestock Genetics Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Bongcam-Rudloff, Erik
  • Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Jansson, Anna
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Hoof and Claw / physiology
  • Horses / physiology
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Risk Assessment / methods
  • Running
  • Seasons
  • Shoes
  • Sports

Grant Funding

  • H-17-47-299 / Stiftelsen Hu00e4stforskning

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This article includes 17 references
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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Panos KE, Morgan K, Gately R, Wilkinson J, Uden A, Reed SA. Short Communication: changes in gait after 12 wk of shoeing in previously barefoot horses. J Anim Sci 2023 Jan 3;101.
    doi: 10.1093/jas/skac374pubmed: 36383438google scholar: lookup
  2. Schwochow D, Alameddine A, Spörndly-Nees E, Montigny M, Naboulsi R, Jansson A, Niazi A, Lindgren G. RNA-seq analysis identifies key genes enhancing hoof strength to withstand barefoot racing in Standardbred trotters. BMC Genomics 2025 Aug 18;26(1):751.
    doi: 10.1186/s12864-025-11814-4pubmed: 40826322google scholar: lookup
  3. Berglund P, Andonov S, Jansson A, Olsson C, Lundqvist T, Strandberg E, Eriksson S. The ability to race barefoot is a heritable trait in Standardbred and Coldblooded trotters. Genet Sel Evol 2025 Feb 25;57(1):8.
    doi: 10.1186/s12711-025-00958-2pubmed: 40000964google scholar: lookup
  4. Spörndly-Nees E, Jansson A, Pökelmann M, Pickova J, Ringmark S. Chemical composition of horse hooves with functional qualities for competing barefoot. J Anim Sci 2023 Jan 3;101.
    doi: 10.1093/jas/skad346pubmed: 37814393google scholar: lookup
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