An Investigation into the Effects of Changing Dorso-Plantar Hoof Balance on Equine Hind Limb Posture.
Authors: Sharp Yogi, Tabor Gillian
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Poor hind hoof balance has long been suspected of triggering compensatory postures and downstream musculoskeletal problems, yet direct evidence quantifying this relationship has been lacking until now. Sharp and Tabor's 2022 investigation addressed this gap by photographically documenting postural changes in twelve horses with negative plantar angles before and after farriery intervention using prosthetics to establish positive plantar angles and correct three-dimensional proportions around the distal-interphalangeal joint centre of rotation. The intervention produced marked improvements in metatarsal angle—the right hind increased from 81.3° to 88.0° and the left hind from 74.4° to 87.1°—with seven of the twelve horses showing significant changes in overall hind limb orientation, supporting the theory that the hoof functions as a proprioceptive organ governing stance mechanics. These findings have important implications for farriers and veterinarians working with horses displaying abnormal hind limb postures or developing hock and stifle pathologies, suggesting that correcting plantar angle and hoof proportions may help restore normal biomechanics before secondary pathologies become established. Practitioners should consider whether negative plantar angles and compromised hoof balance warrant intervention as a primary strategy, particularly in young horses or those showing early signs of postural compensation.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Assessing and correcting negative plantar angles through farriery should be considered as part of hind limb postural management, particularly in horses displaying canted-in stance
- •Hoof balance appears to function as a neuro-sensory input affecting limb posture and potentially reducing compensatory loading patterns in the hind limb and trunk
- •Farriery interventions achieving positive plantar angles and improved three-dimensional proportions may provide measurable improvements in limb alignment for approximately 60% of horses with negative plantar angles
Key Findings
- •Horses with negative plantar angles demonstrated canted-in hind limb postures
- •Farriery intervention correcting plantar angle had significant effect on hind limb orientation in 7 of 12 horses (58%)
- •Right hind metatarsal angle increased significantly from 81.3° ± 5.1 to 88.0° ± 3.8 post-intervention
- •Left hind metatarsal angle increased significantly from 74.4° ± 3.7 to 87.1° ± 2.9 post-intervention