Do Horseshoes Affect the Foot Skeleton?

both conditions.
She says that by combining the 3D model with other research data the team was able to measure the force the horses foot bones generated when they hit the ground and develop comprehensive simulations. The work could well pave the way for new directions in research potentially minimizing injuries in the future and improving animal health and welfare. 
Our preliminary study illustrates that the stainless steel shoe may influence the dynamics and mechanics of a Thoroughbred horses forefoot during slow walking although our results are inconclusive in some important aspects she writes in conclusion. Certainly more research is needed to quantify the effect of the shoe on the equine forefoot during the whole stance phase under different trimming protocols at faster speedsgaits and with more individuals and strides as well as a similar focus on the hindfeet. Expansion of this research question especially via the application of this novel combination of in vivo live animal experiments and computer models should not only create a foundation of stronger data and inferences on which future studies can continue to build but can also bolster confidence in equine biomechanics to better understand the form function and pathological relationships of the anatomical tissues of the equine foot.