Foot placement of the equine forelimb: Relationship between foot conformation, foot placement and movement asymmetry.
Authors: Wilson A, Agass R, Vaux S, Sherlock E, Day P, Pfau T, Weller R
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Wilson and colleagues examined how foot conformation, the way horses place their feet, and movement asymmetry relate to one another—three parameters routinely assessed during lameness examinations yet poorly characterised in sound horses. Forty-three general-purpose horses underwent detailed analysis, with hoof measurements taken from photographs, foot placement classified from video recorded at walk and trot using perpendicular camera angles, and movement symmetry quantified via inertial sensors measuring head motion at trot. The researchers found considerable individual variation in foot placement strategies, with lateral heel placement predominating at walk and lateral placement at trot; whilst foot placement correlated with dorsal and palmar hoof angles, it showed no relationship with other conformation variables or with movement asymmetry. However, moderate negative correlations emerged between several hoof conformation parameters and asymmetry, specifically that narrower and shorter hooves were associated with greater movement asymmetry. For practitioners, these findings suggest that foot placement patterns in sound horses are largely independent of both conformation and asymmetry, implying that an individual horse's preferred foot placement strategy should not be interpreted as pathological; conversely, hoof dimensions—particularly length and width—warrant attention as potential contributors to asymmetrical movement, even in animals their owners consider well-functioning.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Foot placement variation is normal in healthy horses and should not be automatically considered abnormal without other lameness indicators
- •Hoof size (width and length) appears more relevant to movement symmetry than foot placement patterns in clinical assessment
- •Focus on hoof angle measurements when evaluating conformation's relationship to movement, as these correlate with foot placement while other conformation traits do not
Key Findings
- •Lateral heel placement was most common at walk and lateral placement most common at trot across the study population
- •Foot placement was associated with dorsal and palmar hoof angles but not with other conformation parameters or movement asymmetry
- •Decreasing hoof width and hoof length showed moderate negative correlations with increasing movement asymmetry
- •In well-functioning horses, foot placement was largely independent of both foot conformation and movement asymmetry