Biomechanical effects of rocker-toed shoes in sound horses

In many Western European countries rocker-toed shoes are applied routinely in sound horses. This is in contrast to most Anglo-Saxon countries where rocker-toed shoes are used almost exclusively for corrective or orthopaedic shoeing. The purposes of rocker-toed shoes are to hasten or facilitate breakover, or to encourage breakover to occur at the centre of the toe. This study compares the biomechanical effects of rocker-toed shoes with standard flat shoes in twelve sound Dutch warmblood horses, using a modified CODA-3 gait analysis system and a force plate. The variables analysed were speed of breakover, the moment of force in the coffin joint which is related to the 'ease' of breakover, the flight arc of the hoof in the sagittal and horizontal planes and some more general linear, temporal and angular stride characteristics. No differences between rocker-toed shoes and standard flat shoes were found with respect to the duration or ease of breakover or the proximity of breakover to the centre of the toe. It is concluded that rocker-toed shoes do not influence the stride characteristics of sound Dutch warmblood horses, and the findings of this study showed no objective grounds for the use of rocker-toed shoes in sound horses.