Effects of racetrack surface and nail placement on movement between heels of the hoof and horseshoes of racehorses.

This research is basically about understanding the effects of racetrack surface and shoe characteristics on the formation of wear grooves in the horseshoes of racehorses, which could provide insight into hoof interactions with different surfaces.

Objective of the Study

• The main objective of this study was to determine how racetrack surface and characteristics of horseshoes affect the formation of wear grooves in the horseshoes of racehorses.

Methods and Samples

• The research analysed data from 1,121 horseshoes from 242 Thoroughbred racehorses collected during routine horseshoeing procedures at four different racetracks with either dirt or synthetic surfaces.
• The researchers photographed each of the horseshoes and measured the length and width of grooves formed at the heels of the solar surface of the horseshoes.

Procedure

• The study examined the effects of racetrack, racetrack surface, and shoe characteristics such as shoe size, clips, and nails on the length and width of the grooves.
• The scientists used a mixed-model ANOVA to assess the effects of these variables.

Results

• The length and width of wear grooves varied significantly depending on the racetrack, nail placement, and limb side (left vs right).
• Differences in groove sizes between different racetrack surfaces (dirt vs synthetic) were less obvious than differences among racetracks.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

• The study concludes that measurements of the length and width of wear grooves in the horseshoes of racehorses could help us understand some aspects of how horse hooves interact with different racetrack surfaces.
• However, the interpretation of differences in wear grooves for various racetrack surfaces will likely require understanding of the mechanical behavior of the surfaces.