Effect of shoeing horses with eggbar shoes and shoes with wedge pads on blood flow parameters in the lateral digital artery in the Doppler ultrasound.

This study investigates the impact of different horseshoe types, specifically egg bar shoes and shoes with wedge pads, on the blood flow in horses’ digital arteries. The findings suggest that shoeing horses with egg bar shoes appears to have a greater impact on blood circulation in lower limb areas than using shoes with wedge pads.

Research Methodology

• The study was performed on a total of 16 horses, divided equally into two groups. Horses in one group were fitted with egg bar shoes, while the second group was shod with shoes containing wedge pads.
• The researchers measured Doppler ultrasound parameters of the lateral palmar digital artery situated near the metacarpophalangeal joint in horses. These assessments were conducted before and after shoeing within a monthly interval.

Key Findings

• According to the research findings, egg bar shoes resulted in greater alterations in blood circulation in the distal area of the horse’s limb when compared to shoes equipped with wedge pads.
• However, significant changes were only observed in two parameters following shoeing with egg bar shoes: end-diastolic velocity (EDV) and mean velocity (Vmn) in the lateral palmar digital artery.
• Before shoeing, a low-resistance blood flow pattern was observed. After shoeing in the first group (those with egg bar shoes), this pattern remained unchanged in 5 horses, but a high-resistance pattern emerged in 3 animals. In contrast, in the second group (those with shoes fitted with wedge pads), a low-resistance blood flow pattern was confirmed after shoeing in all horses.

Possible Explanations and Conclusions

• The distinction between how the two types of shoeing techniques affected blood circulation could be linked to the increase in pressure in the bulb area of the horse’s heel when shod with egg bar shoes.
• Conversely, shoes equipped with wedge pads shift the load away from the heel bulbs which might reduce the pressure exerted on the palmar digital vessels significantly, thus limiting their influence on the parameters measured in the Doppler ultrasound test.
• This study therefore proves useful in helping horse owners and farriers make better informed decisions about the type of shoeing suitable for a horse, considering positional balance and blood circulation.