Sheared heels and the correlation to spontaneous quarter cracks

The strong association between sheared heels and a spontaneous quarter crack is hard to ignore. Although inappropriate farriery may play a role, limb conformation and the landing pattern of the horse appear to be the dominant factors causing this type of hoof capsule deformation. The importance of determining the underlying cause and implementing the appropriate farriery cannot be over emphasised when managing a quarter crack associated with a sheared heel. The repair of spontaneous quarter cracks will be of little value, and the defect will have a tendency to recur, unless the cause is identified and rectified.     

The Forelimb and Hoof Conformation in a Population of Mongolian Horses

This article describes the lower limb and hoof conformation of a population of semi-feral Mongolian horses living on an open tundra/steppe environment. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 120 Mongolian horses used in the 2011 Mongolian Derby. Digital images of the hooves were obtained, and the lower limb conformation was assessed by four veterinarians involved in the screening of the horses offered for the derby. The horses were predominantly geldings (96%, 100/104), approximately 8.6 ± 2.5 years old, and 137 ± 8 cm at the withers. None of the horses were subjected to routine hoof trimming. Based on a 7-point linear score, lower limb conformation was normal, with a trend (>1 linear score deviation) slightly toward carpal valgus, mildly offset cannon (third metacarpal), and valgus at the matacarpophalangeal joint. Hoof measurements were within the norm for horses of this size. Fetlock valgus was associated with a smaller hoof width:length ratio (P = .016). None of the other hoof measurements were significantly associated with abnormal conformation scores. Overall, few conformation abnormalities were observed, and hoof shape and size was within the normal expected range for horses of this size. The hoof conformation in this population of Mongolian horses represented the natural interaction of the hoof with the environment.     

Assessing the Association Between Hoof Thermography and Hoof Doppler Ultrasonography for the Diagnosis of Lameness in Horses

The objectives of this study were to assess the correlation between hoof surface temperature and ultrasonographic measurements of digital blood vessels in horses and to evaluate the measurements' potential as predictors for clinical lameness. Twelve 3-year-old American Quarter Horses, 6 geldings and 6 mares, with average initial body weight of 459 ± 31 kg were used. On days 0, 30, 60, and 90 of the study, horses were weighed and subjected to clinical lameness examinations. Doppler ultrasonography was used to measure diameter of the medial palmar artery in the distal left forelimb and velocity of blood flow through that artery, starting at 60 minutes after morning feeding and repeated at 30-minute intervals. Temperature measurements on the hoof were collected at 15-minute intervals beginning 75 minutes after feeding, using a digital thermographic camera. A series of bivariate linear mixed models were fitted to estimate the correlation between Doppler and temperature measurements. The within-horse and between-horse correlations between hoof surface temperature and velocity of blood flow in the distal limb through the medial palmar artery was estimated at 0.40 (P > .50) and 0.99 (P < .001), respectively. These results indicate that at the horse level, the correlation between hoof temperature and velocity of blood flow in the distal limb was very high but that the within-horse correlation was not significantly different from 0. Velocity of blood flow at 60 minutes after feeding improved model fit to the lameness data, so it was included as a model predictor for lameness.     

A Cross-Sectional Survey of Forelimb Hoof Conformation and the Prevalence of Flat Feet in a Cohort of Thoroughbred Racehorses in New Zealand

Racehorses in New Zealand predominantly train counter clockwise. This training pattern has been associated with between forelimb differences in bone mineral density profile and asymmetrical limb loading after training. At present, there is limited data on the hoof conformation of these racehorses. Distal forelimb and digital hoof conformation data were collected from 75 Thoroughbred racehorses (2–5 years old) from two training yards. Digital conformation was subjectively graded, and multiple hoof measurements were made with a modified tire gauge (sole and sulci depth) and from digital photographs. All the horses were shod by two registered master farriers within a median of 15 (interquartile range [IQR], 1–25) days before measurement. There were few distal limb conformation abnormalities scored. Most (62/75) horses presented with some deviation from normal hoof parameters, with 2 (IQR, 1–3) abnormalities reported per horse. The most common hoof abnormality was uneven sulci, which was identified in 43 horses and 59 affected hooves, followed by higher medial hoof wall height in 38 horses and 53 affected hooves. Many of the linear and hoof angle measurements and their ratios were within the bounds reported within the literature and indicative of a balanced foot. The length and width measurements increased with horse age. The dorsal hoof wall (DHW) length:heel length ratios were consistently less than 3:1, and the absolute difference between toe and heel angle was generally greater than 5°. Between limb hoof variation was identified for a number of the morphologic measurements including frog length and sole length and the ratio of sole width:sole length. Flat feet (lack of concave solar surface) were identified in 21/75 (28%) horses and in 28/150 (19%) forelimb hoofs. More horses had a flat left foot (10/75) than right foot (4/75), but seven horses had both feet classified as being flat. Flat feet had 2.4 (1.1–5.6, P = .036) greater odds of presenting with uneven sulci. These data indicate that uneven sulci depth and flatter hooves with may be a typical presentation of Thoroughbred feet. Asymmetry in measurements between limb may reflect the greater loading of the left forelimb when race training counter clockwise.     

Use of a Grading System to Facilitate Treatment and Prognosis in Horses with Negative Palmar Angle Syndrome (Heel Collapse): 107 Cases

Negative palmar angle syndrome refers to the condition of progressive heel collapse and its consequences on gait and performance. Treatment and prognosis are facilitated by grading the severity of biomechanical disorder according to physical and radiographic features. Although negative palmar angle syndrome in grades I (mild) and II (moderate) can be corrected with trimming and routine shoeing, grades III (severe) and IV (complicated by flexor contracture) require more intensive mechanical intervention and patience—however, comfort and function can be improved immediately.     

The Use of a Technical Device for Testing the Sport-Functional Properties of Riding Surfaces

The riding surface is an important and modifiable factor in the development injuries in sport horses. An objective and simple examination of the sport-functional properties of riding surfaces, such as shock absorption, is thus desirable. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of a handy device to test the sport-functional properties of riding surfaces. Therefore, a technical device, called Artificial Athlete, was used on five riding surfaces: two sand–synthetic indoor arenas, one sand–sawdust indoor arena, and two outdoor arenas, one with a sand footing layer and one with a grass surface. The shock absorption, the energy restitution, and the vertical deformation measurements were acquired by the Artificial Athlete. Additionally, the hoof acceleration of six warmblood horses trotting by hand on the five investigated riding surfaces was recorded. The parameters of the Artificial Athlete and the acceleration data during hoof landing were compared. The outcome of the statistical analysis illustrated that the shock absorbing parameter was not in agreement with the results of the acceleration data, whereas the results of the vertical deformation parameter were mostly in accordance with the results of the hoof-acceleration measurement. In conclusion, the use of the Artificial Athlete for testing the sport-functional properties of riding surfaces was assessed as unsuitable because of the large deviations between the results of the shock absorption measured by the Artificial Athlete and the hoof-acceleration data. However, it could be shown that the vertical deformation parameter could be helpful in the assessment of the sport-functional quality of riding surfaces.     

Di-tri-octahedral smectite for the prevention of post-operative diarrhea in equids with surgical disease of the large intestine: Results of a randomized clinical trial

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a commercially available di-tri-octahedral (DTO) smectite product on clinical signs and prevalence of post-operative diarrhea in horses with colic associated with disease of the large intestine. Sixty-seven horses with surgical disease of the large intestine were randomly assigned to be treated with DTO smectite (n = 37; 0.5 kg via nasogastric intubation every 24 h for 3 days post-operatively) or a placebo (n = 30). The effect of treatment on fecal scores and clinical and hematological parameters, including heart rate, mucous membrane color, temperature, total white blood cell count, total neutrophil count and total plasma protein values, were determined.Horses treated with DTO smectite had a significant reduction in the prevalence of post-operative diarrhea (10.8%), compared with controls (41.4%). A significant improvement in mucous membrane color was observed 72 h post-operatively in horses receiving treatment, compared with placebo. Administration of DTO smectite to colic patients with disease of the large intestine reduced the occurrence of diarrhea in the early post-operative period.