Associations between hoof shape and the position of the frontal plane ground reaction force vector in walking horses

To determine the frontal plane position of the ground reaction force vector at its centre of pressure under the hoof of walking horses, and its projection through the distal limb joints, and to relate this to hoof geometric measurements.

Reflective markers were glued to the forelimb hooves and skin of 26 horses, over palpable landmarks representing centres of the coffin, fetlock and carpal joints, and the dorsal toe at its most distal point. A 4-camera kinematic system recorded the position of these markers as the horse walked in hand across a force platform, to generate a frontal plane representation of the ground reaction force vector passing between the markers at the joints. The position of the vector was calculated as the relative distance between the lateral (0%) and medial (100%) markers at each joint. Digital photos were taken of the hoof in frontal and sagittal views to determine hoof geometric measurements. Associations between these and the position of the force vector at each joint were examined using Pearson correlation coefficients.

Mean vector position for both forelimbs at the toe, coffin, fetlock and carpal joint was 50.1 (SD 8.9), 53.0 (SD 9.2), 54.6 (SD 11.4) and 50.5 (SD17.3)%, respectively, of the distance between the lateral and medial sides of the joint in the frontal plane. Across all four joints, the vector position was slightly more medial (2-4%) for the right than left limb (p>0.05). Medial hoof wall angle was correlated (p<0.05) with force vector position at the fetlock (r=-0.402) and carpal (r=-0.317) joints; lateral hoof wall angle with vector position at the toe (r=0.288) and carpal (r=-0.34) joint, and medial hoof wall height with vector position at the fetlock (r=-0.306) and carpal (r=-0.303) joints.

The position of the two-dimensional frontal plane ground reaction force vector at the toe, and at the fetlock and carpal joints was associated with hoof shape. Mediolateral hoof balance has been shown in vitro to affect articular forces, which may be a factor in development of joint disease. The effect of hoof shape needs to be evaluated at faster gaits to determine the potential for joint injury in the presence of larger forces.