Use of a 3D dynamometric horseshoe to assess the effects of an all-weather waxed track and a crushed sand track at high speed trot: preliminary study.

The study under discussion examines the impact of an all-weather waxed track versus a crushed sand track on the ground reaction force (GRF) experienced by horses during high-speed trotting, using a specially designed 3D dynamometric horseshoe (DHS).

Objective and Methodology

• The research aims to use the DHS to study how the two different track surfaces affect the GRF in training horses.
• GRF measurement is a particularly relevant method in this case as it provides information on the interaction between the horse’s hoof and varying ground conditions.
• The DHS was fixed to the right forelimb of three French Trotters and they were made to run on a straight line on both tracks.
• The trotting speed was set to 10 m/s and was synchronously recorded.
• Each test run was repeated three times in a Latin square design to ensure reliable results. Data was gathered at 600 Hz and ten consecutive strides from each horse were analysed.

Findings and Implications

• The study found that the maximal longitudinal braking force (Fx) was notably less on the all-weather waxed track (W) than on the crushed sand track (S).
• This observation could potentially imply that the waxed track is less stressful on the horse’s limbs, as the braking and impact forces were lower.
• Moreover, the average speed and the mean stance phase duration were not significantly different across both surfaces, indicating that the horses adapted well to the different track types.
• It was also observed that the stride length was about 6 cm longer on the sand track. This difference could be attributed to the various properties of the track surfaces.

Conclusions

• The research confirms the efficacy of the DHS in discerning differences in GRF among various track surfaces, even at high speeds.
• The preliminary findings from the research indicate that an all-weather waxed track might put less strain on trotter horses than a crushed sand track.
• However, further studies with bigger samples would be needed to corroborate these findings and thoroughly analyse the potential benefits of different track types.