Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T18:04:17.689Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of hoof shape, body mass and velocity on surface strain in the wall of the unshod forehoof of Standardbreds trotting on a treadmill

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

JJ Thomason ,
WW Bignell ,
D Batiste  and
W Sears
JJ Thomason*
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1
WW Bignell
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1
D Batiste
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1
W Sears
Affiliation:
Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
*
*[email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to investigate the effects of body mass (BM), velocity (V), and hoof shape on compressive surface strains in the wall of the front hoof at the trot. Toe angle (TA), heel angle (HA), toe length (TL), medial and lateral wall length (MWL, LWL) and BM were measured for nine adult, unshod Standardbreds. Five rosette gauges were glued around the circumference of the left forehoof of each animal which was then trotted on a treadmill at a set range of velocities from 3.5 to 7.5 m s−1. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of principal compressive strains ɛ2 at midstance identified that all primary variables (BM, V, TA, HA, etc.) had a significant effect as did the interactions of TA×HA and BM×TA. These significant variables explained over 96% of the variation in ɛ2. Multiple regression of ɛ2 on these variables gave equations which accurately predicted ɛ2 within 3%, but the individual coefficients did not accurately describe how each variable affected ɛ2. Further tests using bivariate regression gave equations that enabled ɛ2 data to be standardized for BM and V at the gauge locations used here. Strain ɛ2 increased linearly with mass and curvilinearly with velocity (ɛ2∝V+V2), and both caused redistribution of strain to the dorsum and lateral quarter. Variation in each shape variable caused redistribution rather than simple increase or decrease in strains. The primary conclusion with regard to hoof shape is that the effects of change in any one measurement on strain magnitudes are affected by the values of all other measurements. Resolving the interplay among measurements in their effects on ɛ2 will need a considerably larger sample size than that used here.

Keywords

hoofstrainshapehorsemassvelocity
Type
Research Article
Information
Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology , Volume 1 , Issue 2 , May 2004 , pp. 87 - 97
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Thomason, JJ (1998). Variation in surface strain on the equine hoof wall at the midstep with shoeing, gait, substrate, direction of travel, and hoof shape. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement (26): 86–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2Thomason, JJ, Bignell, WW and Sears, W (2001). Components of variation in surface hoof strain with time. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement (33): 63–66.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Summerley, HL, Thomason, JJ and Bignell, WW (1998). Effect of riding style on deformation of the front hoof wall in Warmblood horses. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement (26): 81–85.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4Bertram, JEA and Gosline, JM (1987). Functional design of horse hoof keratin: the modulation of mechanical properties through hydration effects. Journal of Experimental Biology 130: 121–136.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Douglas, J, Mittal, C, Thomason, JJ and Jofriet, JC (1996). Mechanical properties of the equine hoof wall: implications for hoof function. Journal of Experimental Biology 199: 1829–1836.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6Douglas, JE, Biddick, TL, Thomason, JJ and Jofriet, JC (1998). Stress/strain behaviour in the laminar junction. Journal of Experimental Biology 201: 2287–2297.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Douglas, JE and Thomason, JJ (2000). Shape, orientation and spacing of the primary epidermal laminae in the hooves of neonatal and adult horses (Equus caballus). Cells Tissues Organs 166: 304–318.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8Jackson, J (1993). Learning from Nature's farrier. Paint Horse Journal February 24–30.Google Scholar
9Bowker, RM, van Wulffen, KK, Springer, SE and Linder, KE (1998). Functional anatomy of the cartilage of the distal phalanx and digital cushion in the equine foot and a hemodynamic flow hypothesis of energy dissipation. American Journal of Veterinary Research 59: 961–968.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10Pollitt, C (1998). The anatomy and physiology of the hoof wall. Equine Veterinary Education 4: 3–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11McLaughlin, RM Jr, Gaughan, EM, Roush, JK and Skaggs, CL (1996). Effect of subject velocity on ground reaction force measurements and stance times in clinically normal horses at the walk and trot. American. Journal of Veterinary Research 57: 7–11.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12McClinchey, HL, Thomason, JJ and Jofriet, JC (2003). Isolating the effects of hoof shape measurements on capsule strain with finite element analysis. Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology (in press).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13Franchetto, LJ (2000). Influence of growth related changes in hoof shape on hoof wall mechanics. M.Sc. dissertation, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada.Google Scholar
14Thomason, JJ, Douglas, JE and Sears, W (2001). Morphology of the laminar junction in relation to the shape of the hoof capsule and third phalanx in adult horses (Equus caballus). Cells Tissues Organs 168: 295–311.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15Merkens, HW, Schamhardt, HC, van Osche, GJVM and van den Bogert, AJ (1993). Ground reaction forces patterns of Dutch Warmblood horses and normal trot. Equine Veterinary Journal 25: 134–137.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16Clayton, HM, Lanovaz, JL, Schamhardt, HC, Willemen, MA and Colborne, GR (1998). Net joint moments and powers in the equine forelimb during the stance phase of the trot. Equine Veterinary Journal 30: 384–389.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17Thomason, JJ, McClinchey, HL and Jofriet, JC (2002). Analysis of strains and stresses in the equine hoof capsule using finite element methods: comparison with principal strains recorded in vivo. Equine Veterinary Journal 34: 719–725.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed