The effect of perineural anaesthesia and handler position on limb loading and hoof balance of the vertical ground reaction force in sound horses.

The study investigates the impact of handler position and perineural anaesthesia on a horse’s limb loading and hoof balance. The results showed that neither handler position nor perineural anaesthesia significantly affected these two parameters. This information is critical when using pressure plate analysis for diagnosing lameness in horses.

Study Objective and Methodology

• The main objective of the study was to understand how the position of the handler and the application of perineural anaesthesia impacts factors like peak vertical force, vertical impulse, stance time and hoof balance in healthy horses.
• The study used a nonrandomized crossover methodology on a sample of six sound, or healthy, horses. These horses were walked and trotted over a pressure plate under different conditions – with the handler on the left and right sides and then after the application of a bilateral low palmar digital nerve block.
• The procedure was repeated a week later, both before and after a bilateral abaxial sesamoidean nerve block.
• Data was collected on several aspects, including the peak vertical force, vertical impulse, and stance time of five hoof prints from both forelimbs. The vertical force’s hoof balance curves were then plotted throughout the stance phase.
• All of these collected data points were statistically compared under different scenarios – handler on left vs. right, before and after the two nerve blocks, and comparing the baseline at the first and second measurement sessions.

Results and Conclusions

• The results showed no significant effects of handler position and perineural anaesthesia on peak vertical force, vertical impulse, and stance time. It was also found that the hoof balance curves were not affected by either the handler’s position or the administration of perineural anaesthesia.
• The data collected for limb loading and hoof balance curves were found to be consistent for each horse over the one-week interval.
• The study concludes that for sound horses, neither the handler’s position nor the use of perineural anaesthesia influence the limb loading and hoof balance. This finding is vital for effectively using pressure plate analysis for diagnosing lameness in horses.