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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2019; 9(12); 1017; doi: 10.3390/ani9121017

Changes in Hoof Shape During a Seven-Week Period When Horses Were Shod Versus Barefoot.

Abstract: This crossover study tested the hypothesis that hoof shape would differ after a seven-week period of horses ( = 11) wearing shoes versus barefoot. An ANOVA appropriate to a crossover design was used to assess the differences in the change in hoof shape over the seven-week period and significance was set at < 0.05. Results are displayed as the mean difference for horses when shod versus barefoot ± the SEM for the left (L) and right (R) front hooves. Proximal hoof circumference (PHC) decreased when horses were shod and barefoot, but this decrease was greater when horses were shod (L -0.65 ± 0.16 cm; = 0.0026; R -0.78 ± 0.13 cm; = 0.0002). Hoof angle increased slightly when horses were barefoot and decreased when they were shod (L -1.70 ± 0.31°; = 0.0004; R -1.84 ± 0.54°; = 0.0079). Sole length decreased more when horses were barefoot, but this was only significant for the right fore (R 5.07 ± 1.06 mm; = 0.0010). Solar circumference increased when horses were barefoot but decreased when shod (L -1.19 ± 0.41 cm; = 0.0182; R -1.50 ± 0.31 cm; = 0.0010). This is the first study to show a significantly lower PHC when horses were shod compared to barefoot. The study suggests that shod horses may benefit from a shorter shoeing interval to help mitigate the changes in hoof angle.
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Publication Date: 2019-11-22 PubMed ID: 31766684PubMed Central: PMC6940763DOI: 10.3390/ani9121017Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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.

This research study aimed to understand if the shape of a horse’s hoof would differ after seven weeks of either wearing shoes or being barefoot. The study found significant shape differences between these two scenarios, notably a decrease in proximal hoof circumference and changes to the hoof angle as well as sole length and solar circumference.

Research Methodology

  • The researchers conducted a crossover study, testing on 11 horses over a period of seven weeks.
  • They used a statistical test known as ANOVA, specifically suited for a crossover design, to examine the differences in hoof shape change over the period.
  • A significant result was determined at a p-value less than 0.05.
  • The results were presented as mean differences for horses when shod versus barefoot, along with the standard error of the mean for both the left and right front hooves.

Key Findings

  • The proximal hoof circumference (PHC) decreased for horses both shod and barefoot, but the decrease was more significant when the horses were shod.
  • The hoof angle increased marginally when horses were barefoot, but decreased when shod.
  • The sole length reduced more when horses were barefoot, though this was only significant for the right fore.
  • The solar circumference increased when horses were barefoot but decreased when shod.

Implications of the Study

  • This is the first research of its kind to evidence a significant decrease in PHC when horses are shod compared to when they are barefoot.
  • The findings suggest that shod horses could benefit from a shorter shoeing interval to alleviate the changes observed in hoof angle.
  • Understanding these differences in hoof shape could be useful for horse caretakers, vets, and farriers to develop appropriate shoeing methods, strategies to prevent hoof-related issues, and overall better care practices for horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Malone SR, Davies HMS. (2019). Changes in Hoof Shape During a Seven-Week Period When Horses Were Shod Versus Barefoot. Animals (Basel), 9(12), 1017. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9121017

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 12
PII: 1017

Researcher Affiliations

Malone, Sara R
  • Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey 08901-1281, NJ, USA.
Davies, Helen M S
  • Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
  1. Ennsmann LH, Licka TF. Association between radiographic equine distal phalanx characteristics and absence, presence and type of horseshoes. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1598038.
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  2. Mata F, Franca I, Araújo J, Paixão G, Lesniak K, Cerqueira JL. Investigating Associations between Horse Hoof Conformation and Presence of Lameness. Animals (Basel) 2024 Sep 17;14(18).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14182697pubmed: 39335286google scholar: lookup
  3. 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
  4. Horan K, Coburn J, Kourdache K, Day P, Harborne D, Brinkley L, Carnall H, Hammond L, Peterson M, Millard S, Pfau T. Influence of Speed, Ground Surface and Shoeing Condition on Hoof Breakover Duration in Galloping Thoroughbred Racehorses. Animals (Basel) 2021 Sep 3;11(9).
    doi: 10.3390/ani11092588pubmed: 34573553google scholar: lookup
  5. Seidel SRT, de Souza AF, Fülber J, Bogossian PM, Rodrigues NNP, Baccarin RYA. Evaluation of platelet-rich plasma applied in the coronary band of healthy equine hooves. Can Vet J 2021 Jul;62(7):729-735.
    pubmed: 34219782
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