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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Hoof kinetic patterns differ between sound and laminitic hor...
Equine veterinary journal2020; 53(3); 503-509; doi: 10.1111/evj.13311

Hoof kinetic patterns differ between sound and laminitic horses.

Abstract: No kinetic data on hoof loading in laminitic horses are available, despite their importance for optimising supportive shoeing therapies. Objective: To quantify the load distribution pattern in laminitic and sound horses. Methods: Controlled observational study. Methods: Fifty-four sound and laminitic horses were assigned to three groups: control group (sound horses), group 1 (G1) horses with acute laminitis, evaluated immediately after acute clinical signs subsided, and group 2 (G2) horses that had been free of acute laminitis signs for 6-12 weeks. Measurements on both forelimbs in barefoot condition were performed during walk using the Hoof System. Kinetic parameters were recorded and compared between hoof regions and groups using covariance analyses and t tests (P < .05). Results: Peak loading in the toe region occurred during midstance phase in control group, but during break-over in laminitic horses. This is reflected by the time to peak vertical force in the toe, which was significantly shorter in the control group compared to laminitic horses (G1 and G2) (76% ± 6% vs 89% ± 9 [P = .002], 86% ± 7 [P = .001] of stance duration respectively). The relative vertical force in the toe in the control group (46% ± 7%) was significantly higher compared to laminitic horses (G1: 29% ± 9% [P = .001]; G2: 32% ± 10% [P = .003]). The main shift of the load occurred between toe and middle hoof regions in laminitic horses as compared with the control group. No significant differences were found between G1 and G2. Conclusions: Measurements were not obtained in horses with acute laminitis on admission, to avoid risk of further damage to the lamellae. Conclusions: Supportive therapy in laminitis should focus on supporting both caudal and middle hoof areas to decrease the peak pressure in these regions, and ease break-over during which the maximal loading of the toe occurs.
© 2020 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2020-07-02 PubMed ID: 32542795DOI: 10.1111/evj.13311Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Observational Study
  • Veterinary

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 study examines the differences in load distribution in the hooves of healthy horses and horses with laminitis, a painful and potentially crippling disease. The researchers used observational methods to analyze how laminitis affected the amount of pressure put on different parts of a horse’s hoof, suggesting possible approaches for therapeutic support to ease the symptoms.

Research Objectives and Methodology

  • The main objective of the experiment was to understand how hosting laminitis changes the way horses distribute their weight on their hooves, primarily focused on horses recovered from acute laminitic conditions.
  • The study integrated 54 horses divided into three groups: a control group of sound horses, a group of horses recently recovered from acute laminitis (G1), and a group of horses that recovered from acute laminitis six to twelve weeks prior (G2).
  • Researchers measured the kinetic parameters in the barefoot condition of the horse’s forelimbs while they walked, using a device called the Hoof System. The recorded data from different hoof regions was then analyzed and compared between groups.

Findings

  • Peak loading, or maximum weight pressure, in the toe region happened during the middle stance phase for healthy horses, whereas it occurred during the break-over for laminitic horses.
  • The time taken to reach peak vertical force was significantly lesser in the control group compared to horses in both laminitis groups.
  • The control group horses put a consistently higher relative vertical force on their toe region than the G1 and G2 groups.
  • In laminitic horses, there was a notable shift of load between the toe and the middle hoof regions when compared with sound horses.
  • No significant differences were observed between horses in the G1 and G2 group, indicating the sustained nature of the effects of laminitis.

Conclusions and Recommendations

  • To avoid further damage, measurements were not recorded from horses suffering from acute laminitis.
  • The results of the study suggest that for effective supportive therapy in horses with laminitis, the focus should be on providing support to both the caudal and middle hoof areas. This is to help reduce peak pressure in these regions and make the break-over phase, during which maximum loading of the toe occurs, easier.

Cite This Article

APA
Al Naem M, Litzke LF, Failing K, Burk J, Röcken M. (2020). Hoof kinetic patterns differ between sound and laminitic horses. Equine Vet J, 53(3), 503-509. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13311

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 53
Issue: 3
Pages: 503-509

Researcher Affiliations

Al Naem, Mohamad
  • Equine Clinic (Surgery, Orthopedics), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Litzke, Lutz-Ferdinand
  • Equine Clinic (Surgery, Orthopedics), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Failing, Klaus
  • Unit for Biomathematics and Data Processing, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Burk, Janina
  • Equine Clinic (Surgery, Orthopedics), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Röcken, Michael
  • Equine Clinic (Surgery, Orthopedics), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Foot Diseases / veterinary
  • Forelimb
  • Hoof and Claw
  • Horse Diseases
  • Horses

References

This article includes 17 references
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Citations

This article has been cited 8 times.
  1. Hoffmann JR, Geburek F, Hagen J, Büttner K, Cruz AM, Röcken M. Bilateral Change in Vertical Hoof Force Distribution in Horses with Unilateral Forelimb Lameness before and after Successful Diagnostic Anaesthesia. Animals (Basel) 2022 Sep 19;12(18).
    doi: 10.3390/ani12182485pubmed: 36139345google scholar: lookup
  2. Logan AA, Nielsen BD, Robison CI, Hallock DB, Manfredi JM, Hiney KM, Buskirk DD, Popovich JM Jr. Impact of Gait and Diameter during Circular Exercise on Front Hoof Area, Vertical Force, and Pressure in Mature Horses. Animals (Basel) 2021 Dec 17;11(12).
    doi: 10.3390/ani11123581pubmed: 34944357google scholar: lookup
  3. Meier A, McGree J, Klee R, Preuß J, Reiche D, de Laat M, Sillence M. The application of a new laminitis scoring method to model the rate and pattern of improvement from equine endocrinopathic laminitis in a clinical setting. BMC Vet Res 2021 Jan 7;17(1):16.
    doi: 10.1186/s12917-020-02715-7pubmed: 33413384google scholar: lookup
  4. Al Naem M, Litzke LF, Geburek F, Failing K, Hoffmann J, Röcken M. Effect of heel elevation on breakover phase in horses with laminitis. BMC Vet Res 2020 Oct 1;16(1):370.
    doi: 10.1186/s12917-020-02571-5pubmed: 33004040google scholar: lookup
  5. Chiavaccini L, Reed RA, Spadavecchia C. Editorial: Advancements in equine pain management. Front Pain Res (Lausanne) 2025;6:1547764.
    doi: 10.3389/fpain.2025.1547764pubmed: 39974313google scholar: lookup
  6. Blum S, Gisler J, Dalla Costa E, Montavon S, Spadavecchia C. Investigating conditioned pain modulation in horses: can the lip-twitch be used as a conditioning stimulus?. Front Pain Res (Lausanne) 2024;5:1463688.
    doi: 10.3389/fpain.2024.1463688pubmed: 39512387google scholar: lookup
  7. Gisler J, Chiavaccini L, Blum S, Montavon S, Spadavecchia C. Pressure pain mapping of equine distal joints: feasibility and reliability. Front Pain Res (Lausanne) 2024;5:1342954.
    doi: 10.3389/fpain.2024.1342954pubmed: 38726353google scholar: lookup
  8. Buser LI, Torelli N, Andreis S, Witte S, Spadavecchia C. Evaluation of the hoof centre-of-pressure path in horses affected by chronic osteoarthritic pain. PLoS One 2023;18(9):e0291630.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291630pubmed: 37713390google scholar: lookup
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