Changes in growth of the hoof wall and hoof morphology in response to regular periods of trotting exercise in Standardbreds.

The research studied the impact of regular trotting exercise on the growth and shape of the hoof wall in Standardbred horses for 17 weeks. It found no significant changes in hoof wall growth or hoof shape, meaning that mild exercise might not significantly alter the horse’s hoof health.

Research Methodology

• The study involved 18 Standardbred horses were divided into two groups – one exercise group and one non-exercise or control group.
• The exercise group horses were asked to trot at about 6 m/s for 4 days every week for a total period of 17 weeks.
• Both the groups of horses were kept in a large paddock throughout the study.
• The researchers took digital photographs and magnetic resonance images of the right forelimb feet of all the horses at the beginning and the end of the study.
• From these images, measurements were taken to assess hoof wall growth and various morphometric variables.
• Data was compared between the exercise and non-exercise groups, as well as within each group using a quadratic model.
• Changes in each variable and pairwise correlations between variables were evaluated.

Results

• The study found no significant difference in morphometric variables between the control and exercise groups.
• Within each group, there were significant changes for several variables between the start and the end of the study, with hoof wall variables generally increasing, and solar variables generally reducing.
• The variation in hoof capsule variables in the exercise group reduced to a greater extent compared to the control group, between the beginning and the end of the study.
• The patterns of pairwise correlations for variables differed between the two groups.

Conclusion

• Standardbred horses trotting mildly for 17 weeks did not caused any substantial changes to the hoof wall growth or morphometric variables.
• The research thus concluded that the effect of mild exercise on horse hooves might be insignificant or very subtle.
• Hooves of horses might undergo very subtle changes in response to loading, but mild exercise might not serve as a strong enough stimulus for adaptation.