Synthetic shoes attenuate hoof impact in the trotting warmblood horse
Authors: Back Willem, van Schie Maaike HM, Pol Jessica N
Journal: Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology
Summary
# Editorial Summary Back and colleagues used triaxial accelerometry to quantify impact forces in the forelimbs of 12 sound warmblood horses trotted at 3.5 m/s under three conditions—unshod, steel-shod, and polyurethane (PU) synthetic shoes—employing a Latin square design to control for individual variation. Peak vertical and horizontal accelerations at hoof impact were significantly lower with PU shoes compared to both unshod and steel-shod conditions, though interestingly the unshod state demonstrated the shortest impact vibration duration overall, suggesting that impact attenuation and vibration dampening are distinct mechanical phenomena. The synthetic shoes achieved their dampening effect through improved shock absorption and reduced friction at hoof level rather than through prolonged contact time, which carries implications for managing horses predisposed to degenerative joint disease. Whilst these short-term laboratory findings are encouraging, practitioners should note that the study was conducted on asphalt rather than natural surfaces, and the durability and sustained effectiveness of synthetic materials under field conditions with wear and tear remains unproven. The research provides a mechanistic basis for the clinical use of synthetic shoes in chronic lameness cases, but further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm whether reduced peak vibrations translate to meaningful clinical outcomes in osteoarthritis prevention.
Read the full abstract on the publisher's site
Practical Takeaways
- •Consider polyurethane synthetic shoes for horses prone to impact-related joint problems, as they demonstrably reduce peak vibrations during impact
- •While unshod provides fastest vibration dissipation, PU shoes offer better damping for horses that need to remain shod
- •Synthetic shoes show promise for osteoarthritis prevention, but long-term field data under realistic wear conditions is still needed before recommending them as standard preventive treatment
Key Findings
- •Polyurethane shoes significantly reduced maximum vertical and horizontal acceleration at hoof impact compared to steel shoes and unshod conditions (P<0.05)
- •Unshod hooves showed the shortest impact vibration duration, but polyurethane shoes provided superior damping and shock absorption
- •Synthetic polyurethane shoes caused less friction and slower shock absorption at hoof level compared to steel shoes