Equine hoof function investigated by pressure transducers inside the hoof and accelerometers mounted on the first phalanx.

The research article is about an investigation into how the equine hoof dampens the impact of trotting on asphalt, and how shoeing affects this process.

Investigating Hoof Function

• The study focuses on understanding how a horse’s hoof functions, particularly its ability to dampen the impact of trotting on a hard surface like asphalt.
• Researchers did so by inserting pressure transducers inside the horse’s hoof and mounting accelerometers on the first phalanx (the bone inside the hoof).
• The measurements from these instruments enabled the researchers to assess the acceleration of vibrations that are transmitted through various structures within the horse hoof.
• The study’s initial finding was that the hoof naturally lessens the vibrational effects of trotting, thereby protecting the horse’s leg from the impact.

Impact of Shoeing

• Further investigation was conducted to evaluate the impact of shoeing on the hoof’s vibration-dampening function.
• Data suggested that shoeing interferes with the hoof’s natural dampening attributes by reducing its viscous dampening capacity.
• The frequency of vibrations and their amplitude were also found to increase in the hooves of shod horses, possibly indicating a greater transmission of impact to the horse’s leg.

Hoof Expansion and Pressure

• Another dimension of this study was to explore the internal changes within the hoof during movement, particularly the pressure inside the digital cushion of the foreleg.
• The researchers found that during the stance phase (when the horse’s foot is on the ground), the pressure within the digital cushion decreases, implying that the hoof expands during this phase.
• The authors ruled out frog or sole weight bearing as the cause of this expansion as it would have increased intra-digital cushion pressure. Hence, they rejected the pressure theory of hoof function.

Shoeing and Hoof Wall Movement

• Finally, when horses were shod, the drop in the intra-digital cushion pressure was even greater, leading researchers to believe that shoeing could be impairing the hoof wall’s movements.