A comparison of three horseshoeing styles on the kinetics of breakover in sound horses.
Authors: Eliashar E, McGuigan M P, Rogers K A, Wilson A M
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Horseshoe Design and Breakover Mechanics Three common horseshoeing approaches—conventional toe-clip shoes, quarter-clip shoes positioned at the white line, and Natural Balance shoes—were compared to evaluate their effect on distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint loading during breakover in nine sound Irish Draught-cross horses. Using forceplate analysis and video motion capture during trotting, researchers measured the moment arm of ground reaction force on the DIP joint, peak DIP joint moments, and compressive forces on the navicular bone. Both Natural Balance and quarter-clip shoes significantly reduced the DIP joint moment arm during breakover (77–78 mm versus 86 mm with conventional shoes, P<0.01), yet this biomechanical advantage did not translate into reduced peak joint moments (approximately 171–175 Nmm/kg across all three shoe types) or navicular bone loading (5.52–6.14 N/kg); breakover duration also remained consistent at 39–42 milliseconds regardless of shoe design. The findings suggest that whilst Natural Balance and quarter-clip shoeing does alter the mechanics of breakover by shortening the effective lever arm, this modification does not meaningfully diminish the actual loading demands on the distal joint structures in sound horses, warranting caution against overstating the therapeutic benefits of these designs in the absence of specific pathology.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Natural Balance shoes reduce the mechanical advantage of ground reaction forces during breakover, but this does not translate to reduced joint moments or navicular bone loading in sound horses
- •Marketing claims that Natural Balance shoes 'ease' breakover by reducing joint stress are not supported by this biomechanical data
- •Quarter-clip shoes offer similar mechanical benefits to Natural Balance shoes at potentially lower cost, though neither significantly reduces actual joint loading or breakover duration
Key Findings
- •Natural Balance and quarter-clip shoes reduced DIP joint moment arm during breakover (77-78 mm) compared to toe-clip shoes (86 mm, P<0.01)
- •Peak DIP joint moment was not significantly different between shoe types (171-175 Nmm/kg)
- •Peak compressive force on navicular bone was not significantly reduced by Natural Balance or quarter-clip shoes (5.52-6.14 N/kg)
- •Breakover duration was not significantly reduced by Natural Balance (39 ms) or quarter-clip shoes (40 ms) versus toe-clip shoes (42 ms)