Dynamic testing of horseshoe designs at impact on synthetic and dirt Thoroughbred racetrack materials.

This research paper analyzes the performance of different horseshoe designs on Thoroughbred racetracks made from synthetic and dirt materials. The researchers used a biomechanical surface tester to examine how three different aluminium racing shoe designs impacted the materials, discovering that any variations in loading and load rate were largely due to the surface material, rather than the shoe design – with the exception of one particular design on the synthetic surface.

Research Methods

• Three types of aluminium racing shoes were tested: flat racing plates, serrated V-Grip shoes, and a shoe with a six millimeter toe grab with ten millimeter heel calks.
• The shoes were tested on synthetic and dirt surfaces, under varying conditions of temperature and moisture levels.
• Additionally, they recreated the track surface in a laboratory setting, using a latex-lined mould surrounded by silica sand to replicate boundary conditions.
• Various aspects of dynamic loading were measured, simulating different aspects of a galloping horse’s impact on the track.

Key Findings

• They discovered that the maximum vertical and shear loads, as well as the loading rates, were largely consistent no matter what type of shoe was used.
• However, they found that the craniocaudal loading rate for the V-Grip shoe was slightly reduced on the synthetic surface.
• It’s important to note that the above finding was an exception – all other differences were attributed to the specific track material, rather than the shoe design.

Conclusions

• The primary conclusion drawn from the study is that the type of racing shoe used by a Thoroughbred has limited effect on the dynamic loading during the impact phase of the stance.
• The V-Grip shoe did show a reduction in craniocaudal peak load rates when used on a synthetic surface, but this reduction was minimal in comparison to the variances found between different track materials.
• Overall, this study suggests that the material and preparation of the track, rather than the design of the shoe, play a far more significant role in influencing the dynamic loading during the impact phase.