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Mouldable, thermoplastic, glue‐on frog‐supportive shoes change hoof kinetics in normal and obese Shetland ponies
Author(s) -
Sleutjens J.,
Serra Bragança F. M.,
Empelen M. W.,
Have R. E.,
Zwaan J.,
Roelfsema E.,
Oosterlinck M.,
Back W.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
equine veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.82
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 2042-3306
pISSN - 0425-1644
DOI - 10.1111/evj.12814
Subject(s) - hoof , shetland , glue , horse , anatomy , kinetics , medicine , materials science , biology , composite material , geology , physics , oceanography , quantum mechanics , paleontology
Summary Background Obesity and hyperinsulinaemia are frequently encountered in the equine population and risk factors for the development of laminitis. There are many options for hoof support that claim a beneficial effect, but often the scientific evidence is scarce. Objectives To quantify the effect of frog‐supportive shoes on hoof kinetics in normal and obese ponies. Study design Controlled in vivo trial. Methods Ten Shetland mares (n = 10) with a normal (n = 5) or obese (n = 5) body condition were led over a dynamically calibrated pressure plate before (T0), immediately after (T1) and 72 h (T2) after application of the shoes. The following locomotor variables were measured: stance duration (StDur), vertical impulse ( VI ), peak vertical force ( PVF ), time to PVF and time from PVF to lift off. The hoof print was divided into a toe and heel region and the StDur toe–heel index was calculated. The toe–heel hoof balance curves of the vertical force were plotted throughout the stance phase. Results The VI and PVF increased significantly 72 h after application of the shoes, when compared with T0 and T1. The StDur toe–heel index and toe–heel balance curves were significantly different between the normal and obese ponies. These variables became more comparable between the groups after application of the frog‐supportive shoes. Main limitations It would have been interesting to measure the effect of the shoe in patients with acute laminitis. However, this would have had major welfare implications. Conclusions The obese ponies moved more carefully than the normal group, demonstrated by a decreased loading of the toe area. The data illustrate that the ponies became more comfortable 72 h after application of the shoes, with a pronounced effect in the obese group. Thus, these results suggest that frog‐supportive shoes could be beneficial, especially for obese ponies.