The horse-racetrack interface: a preliminary study on the effect of shoeing on impact trauma using a novel wireless data acquisition system.

This research study examines the impact of shoeing on potential injury risks to racehorses exercising at high speeds using a new wireless data acquisition system. It focuses on the accelerations experienced by the equine hoof, specifically comparing two types of shoes – toe grab shoe and flat racing plate.

Research Methodology

• Four well-trained and racing Thoroughbred horses were chosen for the study. The horses served as their own control, allowing the researchers to isolate the variable of shoe type.
• The horses were evaluated at different speeds ranging from 12.0–17.3 m/sec.
• A new wireless data acquisition system (WDAS) was used to measure impact accelerations, acceleration on break over and take-off, and temporal stride parameters.
• The researchers also calculated impact injury scores based on peak accelerations and the time over which they occurred, to see if there was a relation between shoe type and injury risks.

Results

• Observed accelerations for the resultant vector varied across the impact phases, and ranged from 96.3 to 251.1g, using triaxial accelerometers.
• Associations were observed between the type of shoe worn by the horse and the change in impact acceleration. Two horses experienced increased acceleration on initial impact when wearing toe grab shoes.
• During the final impact phase, one horse experienced an increase of 110g while wearing a toe grab shoe. A similar increase in accelerations was observed on break over in two horses while wearing toe grab shoes.

Conclusions

• The type of shoe worn by a horse can significantly influence the impact accelerations it experiences, which could potentially increase the risk of injury.
• Further research is required to establish whether these trends persist across a larger population of horses.
• The newly developed WDAS tool could serve as a useful performance evaluation system, providing detailed insights in individual horses. This could aid in evaluating the interaction between the horse and the performance surface, with the goal of reducing risk and optimizing performance.