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Study: Do Laminitic Horses Move Differently, And If So, How Should We Shoe Them?

German researchers created a study to compare hoof loading patterns of laminitic and sound horses. They used 16 sound horses and ponies as controls, 17 animals that had recently recovered from laminitis and 21 animals that had recovered from laminitis 6 to 12 weeks before.

The scientists placed an instrumented boot on the horses and had them walk across a level, concrete surface with a pressure sensor.

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The sound horses bore the most weight (peak loading) at the toe during mid-stance; the laminitis horses showed peak loading at breakover, when the hoof goes from full loading to leaving the ground. Interestingly, the laminitic group did not show an increase in loading in the heel region; the middle hoof bore most of the weight in loading.

The study team concluded that laminitic horses should be shod with support focused on the middle of the hoof, frog and heel. They should also be shod with the intent to ease breakover, which should reduce loading of the damaged lamellae in the toe.

Ny Traffic Lost Shoe In Kentucky Derby; Colt May Target Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes

Ny Traffic exited his eighth-place finish in last Saturday's Kentucky Derby (G1) with a cut in his left front ankle, but trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. hasn't ruled out the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) as a possible next start for the son of Cross Traffic.

“We got a couple cuts. He has a staple in his ankle from a cut he got. It looks like he should be OK. Within 7 to 10 days we'll decide,” Joseph said. “The main thing is the staple and when it gets taken out, how it's going to be.”

Ny Traffic also lost right front shoe in the Derby, in which he showed early speed to chase pacesetter and eventual winner Authentic while racing five wide before tiring.

“Would I say he ran his best race? No,” Joseph said. “I don't know when he lost his shoe. When you're at that level, you need to have everything go right. He wasn't the best horse in the race to begin with, so he can't afford to give away advantages.”

Ny Traffic, who came within a nose of defeating victorious Authentic in the July 18 Haskell (G1) at Monmouth, won his first start for Joseph in a Jan. 11 optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Park. The New York-bred colt earned his way to the Kentucky Derby with a third-place finish in the Risen Star (G2) and runner-up finish in the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds before falling just short of catching Authentic in the Haskell.

Tonalist's Shape, a disappointing fifth as the favorite in the Charles Town Oaks (G3) last time out, is being considered for the Black-Eyed Susan (G2), which will be run on the Preakness undercard this year.

“She's back in Florida now. We haven't decided what to do with her yet,” Joseph said. “It's possible she could run there.”

Tonalist's Shape captured the Forward Gal (G3) and Davona Dale (G2) during Gulfstream's 2019-2020 Championship Meet.

The post Ny Traffic Lost Shoe In Kentucky Derby; Colt May Target Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Study Shows Unique Equine Shoes Mimic Barefoot Benefits

A study out of Belgium sought to determine how medial-lateral heel movement in horses was affected by shoe configuration when compared to barefoot hooves. Drs. Brunsting, Dumoulin, Oosterlinck, Haspeslagh, Lefère and Pille worked eight Warmbloods on a treadmill at the walk, trot and canter for the study.

Barefoot hooves are flexible; they move with each step and have an elastic rebound as the horse moves off each hoof. This motion absorbs concussion and improves blood flow in limbs. Wearing shoes, however, restricts heel movement, limiting concussion absorption and blood flow.

All 16 forelimbs were tested. The hooves were either left barefoot, fitted with a conventional shoe or fitted with a split-toe shoe. The conventional shoe was a standard steel shoe with a toe clip. The split-toe shoe is a new shoe designed to enable heel expansion. The shoe has a toe clip and side clips between the second and third nail hole on each side. Once in place, the shoe is sawn through at the toe so the two halves of the shoe move independently of each other.

Typically, barefoot hooves expand during impact and midstance; heels contract during breakover. Heel expansion is greater at the trot and canter than at the walk, but heel contraction is consistent in all gaits.

The researchers found that conventional shoes restrict heel expansion by 36 percent compared to barefoot hooves. The team found no significant difference in heel expansion between hooves wearing split-toe shoes and barefoot hooves. They also noted that though shoes protect the hoof from excessive wear and can increase traction, that they can increase shock impact and weight on the distal limb. They conclude that the split-toe shoe provides advantages of both barefoot and shod hooves.