Shoe configuration effects on third phalanx and capsule motion of unaffected and laminitic equine hooves in-situ.
Authors: Aoun Rita, Charles Iyana, DeRouen Abigail, Takawira Catherine, Lopez Mandi J
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary Understanding how different shoe types influence internal hoof mechanics is crucial for managing both healthy and compromised feet, yet in-vivo measurement remains technically challenging. Researchers subjected eight distal forelimbs each from unaffected and laminitic horses to progressively increasing compressive loads whilst using motion-capture technology to track third phalanx (P3) displacement and quantify deformation across multiple hoof wall measurements—comparing unshod, open-heel, egg-bar, and heart-bar configurations. Laminitic hooves demonstrated significantly greater P3 motion than unaffected hooves when unshod or fitted with open-heel shoes, whilst both egg-bar and particularly heart-bar shoes substantially reduced pathological P3 displacement in laminitic cases; heart-bar shoes also minimised distal hemi-circumference and quarter deformation whilst promoting controlled heel expansion. The findings reveal that shoe configuration produces distinctly different biomechanical effects depending on hoof integrity: heart-bar shoes conferred the greatest P3 stability in laminitic hooves, suggesting their value in acute or chronic laminitis management, whilst open-heel shoes paradoxically increased proximal P3 motion in laminitic hooves—a consideration when selecting temporal shoeing protocols. These mechanistic insights provide evidence-based guidance for farriers and veterinarians in tailoring shoe selection to hoof pathology rather than applying universal approaches.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Heart-bar shoes offer superior P3 stabilization for laminitic horses compared to standard shoes, supporting their clinical use in acute and chronic laminitis management.
- •Open-heel shoes may allow excessive P3 motion in compromised hooves and should be avoided during active laminitis; closed-heel configurations (egg-bar or heart-bar) provide better support.
- •Shoe selection significantly alters hoof biomechanics differently in laminitic versus sound hooves—one shoe configuration does not provide equivalent benefits across both conditions.
Key Findings
- •Heart-bar shoes provided the greatest P3 stability in laminitic hooves, reducing P3 displacement compared to unshod, open-heel, and egg-bar configurations.
- •P3 displacement was significantly greater in laminitic versus unaffected hooves when unshod or with open-heel shoes.
- •Egg-bar and heart-bar shoes reduced P3 displacement from the dorsal wall in unaffected hooves but decreased dorsal displacement in laminitic hooves.
- •Heart-bar shoes reduced distal hemi-circumference and quarter deformation while increasing heel expansion in laminitic hooves.