Version 1
: Received: 17 February 2024 / Approved: 18 February 2024 / Online: 19 February 2024 (10:16:44 CET)
How to cite:
Albanozzo, S.; Borg, L.; Camilleri, L.; Bowker, R.M. Hoof Capability of Barefoot-Kept Horses and Ponies Walking over Artificial Environments: An Anatomical and Radiological Study. Preprints2024, 2024020931. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202402.0931.v1
Albanozzo, S.; Borg, L.; Camilleri, L.; Bowker, R.M. Hoof Capability of Barefoot-Kept Horses and Ponies Walking over Artificial Environments: An Anatomical and Radiological Study. Preprints 2024, 2024020931. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202402.0931.v1
Albanozzo, S.; Borg, L.; Camilleri, L.; Bowker, R.M. Hoof Capability of Barefoot-Kept Horses and Ponies Walking over Artificial Environments: An Anatomical and Radiological Study. Preprints2024, 2024020931. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202402.0931.v1
APA Style
Albanozzo, S., Borg, L., Camilleri, L., & Bowker, R.M. (2024). Hoof Capability of Barefoot-Kept Horses and Ponies Walking over Artificial Environments: An Anatomical and Radiological Study. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202402.0931.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Albanozzo, S., Liberato Camilleri and Robert M Bowker. 2024 "Hoof Capability of Barefoot-Kept Horses and Ponies Walking over Artificial Environments: An Anatomical and Radiological Study" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202402.0931.v1
Abstract
Hoof capability of domesticated, barefoot-kept horses and ponies traversing artificial environments remains undocumented. In this study, four equines were walked in-hand for 16 days, covering a distance of 50 km, over three solid surfaces. Subsequently, we conducted an assessment of hoof morphology. Hooves (n = 16) were radiographed before and after the trial, spaced 3 weeks apart, for sole depth measurement. External measurements of feet were recorded 24 hours before day 1 and repeated on day 9. Radiographs revealed increased sole depth in 11 hooves, notably at the palmar process, and some misalignment in certain phalanges. On day 9, after a 36-km distance, all hooves exhibited calloused soles and frogs, and required trimming. The front hooves of the horses had a pronounced, natural concavity. Hard surfaces were found to stimulate sole growth, with a portion of sole thickness preferentially accumulating within the dermal zone. Collectively, the maintenance of short trimming cycles to prevent misalignment, minimize hoof-wall loading and maintain a load-sharing system, may be necessary for barefoot-kept horses considering their rapid growth rate.
Keywords
radiographs; horses; ponies; barefoot hooves; sole depth; forage
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Zoology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
