The Effect of Routine Hoof Trimming on Regional Hoof Kinetics

Introduction: With each foot step equine hoof bares extreme forces from the weight of the animal and the ground reaction forces. Hoof balance is critical to absorb and dissipate such stresses. Historically, hoof balance has been primarily evaluated by visual assessment rather than an objective evaluation.

Materials and Methods: Ten sound horses were walked on a calibrated pressure plate before and after routine hoof trimming; the distribution of the force, pressure and contact area in medio-lateral and toe-heel regions of the hoof were examined before and after trimming.

Results: We found that peak contact pressure at the toe increased ~21% after trimming; however, it only slightly (5%) decreased at the heel. Significant changes were found in the contact pressure (p = 0.012) and peak contact pressure (p = 0.013) at the toe region before and after hoof trimming.

Discussion/Conclusion: The greater pressure toward the toe and medial regions may help achieve gait stability and balance by shifting pressures from the heel and lateral soles. Asymmetrical force and pressure distribution will transfer the excess to more sensitive structures either within the hoof or toward more proximal structures, causing subsequent injury. Our results provide a benchmark for kinetic data on mediolateral and to-heel regions of the equine hoof which should be considered by farriers and veterinarians to better assess the horses’ hooves balance.

Acknowledgement: This study was supported by Arabian Horse Foundation.