The understanding of the normal position of the third phalanx (P3) and the distal sesamoid bone in relation to the size and shape of the hoof capsule in sound horses is helpful in the diagnosis of equine foot lameness. Some measurements on radiographs used to define the position of the pedal bone within the hoof capsule are significantly influenced by hoof trimming and the height of the withers...

Variation in equine hoof conformation between farriery interventions lacks research, despite associations with distal limb injuries. This study aimed to determine linear and angular hoof variations pre- and post-farriery within a four to six week shoeing/trimming interval. Seventeen hoof and distal limb measurements were drawn from lateral and anterior digital photographs from 26 horses pre- an...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether a shoe with an axialcontoured lateral branch would induce greater lateral roll of the forelimb hoof during the time between heel and toe lift-off at end of the stance phase (breakover). Animals-10 adult horses. PROCEDURE A gyroscopic transducer was placed on the hoof of the right forelimb and connected to a transmitter. Data on hoof angular velocity were collect...

Tensile moduli and J-integral fracture toughness values were determined for horse hoof-wall keratin at four hydration levels. The stiffness of hoof-wall was influenced by water content to a greater degree than is the stiffness of other mammalian hard keratins. Young's modulus increased from 410 MPa at 100% relative hydration (RH) to 14.6 GPa at 0% RH. Fracture toughness was maximal (22.8 kJ m-2...

A pelleted ration was fed limited or ad libiturn to two groups of seven Shetland 8month-old ponies for 117 days. During the last 56 days, gelatin was added to the diets of four animals in each of the two intake groups. Gelatin was added at levels of 30 and 90 g per 100 kg body weight for the first and second 28-day periods, respectively. Ponies fed the diet ad libitum consumed 180% more feed, h...

Horses belong to the order Perissodactyla and bear the majority of their weight on their third toe; therefore, tremendous force is applied to each hoof. An inherited disease characterized by a phenotype restricted to the dorsal hoof wall was identified in the Connemara pony. Hoof wall separation disease (HWSD) manifests clinically as separation of the dorsal hoof wall along the weight-bearing s...

This study uses elliptic Fourier analysis (EFA), an outline method of shape analysis, for describing hoof contours symmetries in the Catalan Pyrenean Horse (“Cavall Pirinenc Català”, CPC), a breed from the Spanish Pyrenees. Hoof outlines of 54 limbs (26 forelimbs and 28 hindlimbs, including the same number of left and right limbs) obtained from 15 CPC horses were compared using EFA. Symmetry wa...

Laminitis is one of the most common diseases in horses. It is not only painful for the animal, but also has a significant financial impact on the equine industry. This multifactorial disease affects the connective tissue of the hoof. However, the pathogenesis of laminitis is still not fully understood. Endotoxins, also known as lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and bacterial exotoxins seem to play an ...

BACKGROUND Hoof lesions are very common among sows and have been associated with lameness, early removal and compromised welfare and productivity. Although housing conditions and management can have an external effect on hoof health status, the role of trace mineral intake is vital in developing hoof structure and integrity. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect o...

Research into the structure and function of the hoof wall has proven fundamental to the understanding of how important diseases such as laminitis develop. This article reviews current information on the equine hoof wall and its internal lamellar layer (with notes on the developmental mechanism of laminitis) in the hope that a more unified approach to the rational management of the hoof wall, by...