Relationship between locomotor forces, hoof position and joint motion during the support phase of the stride of galloping horses.

This study investigates the connection between the forces exerted on a galloping horse’s hooves, the orientation of those hooves, and the animal’s joint movements. The research was conducted using two horses on a track, utilizing a combination of force-measuring shoes, joint motion measuring devices, and slow-motion film analysis.

Research Methodology

• The study made use of three methods to gain a thorough understanding of the relationships between hoof position, joint movement, and locomotor forces in galloping horses.
• The first was an instrumented shoe that could measure the vertical forces applied on a horse’s hoof during a gallop.
• An electrogoniometer, an instrument used to measure angles between adjacent parts, was used to monitor fetlock joint motion. The fetlock joint is a horse’s equivalent to a human ankle joint.
• Additionally, slow-motion films were analyzed to accurately determine the angles of the carpus (equivalent to human wrist joint), fetlock, and hoof at various points of the stride.

Key Findings

• During initial hoof contact with the ground, the mean angles of the carpus and fetlock were found to be 181-182 degrees and 199-206 degrees respectively.
• The peak vertical force exerted on the heel coincided with the maximum extension of both the carpal and fetlock joints.
• Conversely, peak force on the toe of the hoof was observed when the fetlock joint was flexing, with the mean hoof angles found to be 28-31 degrees from the horizontal.
• The angles of the hoof from the horizontal at the time of heel contact were found to be between 6 and 7 degrees.
• Hoof lift occurred at mean carpal angles of 173-174 degrees and mean fetlock angles of 199-200 degrees.

The results gathered from this research present significant insights into the biomechanics of a horse’s gallop, which could be useful in veterinary science, horse training, and the design of equine athletic equipment.