Shoeing sound warmblood horses with a rolled toe optimises hoof-unrollment and lowers peak loading during breakover.

Summary

# Editorial Summary: Rolled-Toe Shoeing and Distal Limb Loading Overload injuries remain a significant concern in sport horses, yet scientific evidence supporting specific shoeing interventions has been limited. Van Heel and colleagues investigated whether a rolled-toe shoe modification could improve breakover mechanics and reduce strain on injury-prone structures of the distal limb in 20 clinically sound Warmbloods, using pressure-sensitive force plates and three-dimensional motion capture during trotting trials with both standard flat shoes and rolled-toe shoes (randomised order, 48-hour adaptation period between measurements). Whilst overall limb timing and stride characteristics remained unchanged, the rolled-toe design produced a markedly smoother hoof-unrollment pattern and substantially decreased peak loading moments at breakover onset—the critical transition phase when the hoof leaves the ground. These findings suggest that optimising breakover mechanics through appropriate shoe design may reduce cumulative strain on vulnerable structures such as the deep digital flexor tendon and collateral sesamoidean ligaments, offering a practical, evidence-based approach to injury prevention in performance horses that warrants consideration alongside other management strategies.

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Key Findings

• •Rolled toe shoes produced smoother hoof-unrollment patterns compared to standard flat shoes
• •Peak indicative moment decreased substantially at onset of breakover with rolled toe shoes
• •Limb placement and timing characteristics did not change significantly between shoe types
• •Rolled toe shoes improved coordination of breakover mechanics without altering gait timing

Conditions Studied