Horan Kate, Coburn James, Kourdache Kieran, Day Peter, Carnall Henry, Brinkley Liam, Harborne Dan, Hammond Lucy, Peterson Mick, Millard Sean, Pfau Thilo
Department of Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK.
James Coburn AWCF Farriers Ltd., 8 Moulton Road, Newmarket CB8 8DU, UK.
Animals (Basel). 2022 Aug 23;12(17):2161. doi: 10.3390/ani12172161.
The athletic performance and safety of racehorses is influenced by hoof−surface interactions. This intervention study assessed the effect of eight horseshoe−surface combinations on hoof acceleration patterns at impact and foot-off in 13 galloping Thoroughbred racehorses retired from racing. Aluminium, barefoot, GluShu (aluminium−rubber composite) and steel shoeing conditions were trialled on turf and artificial (Martin Collins Activ-Track) surfaces. Shod conditions were applied across all four hooves. Tri-axial accelerometers (SlamStickX, range ±500 g, sampling rate 5000 Hz) were attached to the dorsal hoof wall (x: medio-lateral, medial = positive; y: along dorsal hoof wall, proximal = positive; and z: perpendicular to hoof wall, dorsal = positive). Linear mixed models assessed whether surface, shoeing condition or stride time influenced maximum (most positive) or minimum (most negative) accelerations in x, y and z directions, using ≥40,691 strides (significance at p < 0.05). Day and horse−rider pair were included as random factors, and stride time was included as a covariate. Collective mean accelerations across x, y and z axes were 22−98 g at impact and 17−89 g at foot-off. The mean stride time was 0.48 ± 0.07 s (mean ±2 SD). Impact accelerations were larger on turf in all directions for forelimbs and hindlimbs (p ≤ 0.015), with the exception of the forelimb z-minimum, and in absolute terms, maximum values were typically double the minimum values. The surface type affected all foot-off accelerations (p ≤ 0.022), with the exception of the hindlimb x-maximum; for example, there was an average increase of 17% in z-maximum across limbs on the artificial track. The shoeing condition influenced all impact and foot-off accelerations in the forelimb and hindlimb datasets (p ≤ 0.024), with the exception of the hindlimb impact y-maximum. Barefoot hooves generally experienced the lowest accelerations. The stride time affected all impact and foot-off accelerations (p < 0.001). Identifying factors influencing hoof vibrations upon landing and hoof motion during propulsion bears implication for injury risk and racing outcomes.
赛马的运动表现和安全性受蹄与地面相互作用的影响。这项干预性研究评估了8种马蹄与地面组合对13匹退役的奔跑纯种赛马在着地和离地时蹄部加速度模式的影响。在草地和人工（马丁·柯林斯 Activ-Track）地面上试验了铝制、裸蹄、GluShu（铝-橡胶复合材料）和钢制蹄铁条件。所有四只蹄子都采用了钉蹄条件。将三轴加速度计（SlamStickX，量程±500 g，采样率5000 Hz）附着在蹄背壁上（x：内外侧，内侧为正；y：沿蹄背壁，近端为正；z：垂直于蹄壁，背侧为正）。线性混合模型使用≥40,691步评估地面类型、钉蹄条件或步幅时间是否会影响x、y和z方向上的最大（最正向）或最小（最负向）加速度（p < 0.05时有统计学意义）。将日期和马-骑手组合作为随机因素，步幅时间作为协变量。x、y和z轴上的集体平均加速度在着地时为22 - 98 g，在离地时为17 - 89 g。平均步幅时间为0.48 ± 0.07 s（平均值±2标准差）。前肢和后肢在各个方向上，着地加速度在草地上都更大（p ≤ 0.015），前肢z方向最小加速度除外，从绝对值来看，最大值通常是最小值的两倍。地面类型影响所有离地加速度（p ≤ 0.022），后肢x方向最大加速度除外；例如，在人工跑道上，四肢z方向最大加速度平均增加了17%。钉蹄条件影响前肢和后肢数据集中的所有着地和离地加速度（p ≤ 0.024），后肢着地y方向最大加速度除外。裸蹄通常加速度最低。步幅时间影响所有着地和离地加速度（p < 0.001）。确定影响着地时蹄部振动和推进过程中蹄部运动的因素对受伤风险和比赛结果具有重要意义。
