Comparison of Heel Movement Between two Different Glue-on Type Shoes and Nailed Shoes in Thoroughbreds.
Authors: Takahashi Yuji, Yoshihara Eiru, Takahashi Toshiyuki
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Concerns about compromised heel movement and shock absorption have traditionally limited the clinical application of glue-on shoes in performance horses, prompting Takahashi and colleagues to evaluate whether newer adhesive-fastening designs could match the biomechanical performance of conventional nailed shoes. Using displacement sensors to measure mediolateral heel movement, the researchers compared two glue-on designs—flexible polyurethane shoes and Hanton-type shoes (featuring side clips for improved adhesive retention)—against standard nailed shoes across walk, trot, and canter on a treadmill in Thoroughbreds. Polyurethane glued shoes demonstrated equivalent heel expansion, contraction, and total movement across all gaits compared to nailed shoes, whilst Hanton shoes showed only minor differences at trotting speed (14% less expansion and 11% greater contraction), with no significant variation in total heel movement or any gait parameters above trotting velocity. These findings suggest that modern polyurethane glue-on systems may now offer practitioners a viable alternative to nailed shoes without sacrificing the dynamic heel function essential for shock dissipation and digital blood flow, potentially benefiting horses with poor hoof quality, recurrent nail-related pathology, or those requiring frequent remedial farriery adjustments.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Polyurethane glue-on shoes can be considered as a viable alternative to nailed shoes without compromising heel movement mechanics
- •Hanton-type glue-on shoes show minor restrictions in heel expansion during trotting but maintain comparable total movement, making them acceptable for general use
- •New glue-on shoe designs appear to address previous concerns about heel movement restriction that plagued earlier adhesive shoe systems
Key Findings
- •Polyurethane glue-on shoes showed no significant differences in heel movement compared to nailed shoes across all gaits
- •Hanton-type glue-on shoes caused 14% smaller heel expansion during trotting (P < 0.01) and 11% larger heel contraction (P = 0.03) compared to nailed shoes
- •Total heel movement was not significantly different between Hanton shoes and nailed shoes in any gait
- •Both glue-on shoe types demonstrated similar heel movement patterns to conventional nailed shoes overall