Use of a 3D dynamometric horseshoe to assess the effects of an all‐weather waxed track and a crushed sand track at high speed trot: Preliminary study

Abstract

This study demonstrates the ability and sensitivity of the DHS to discriminate track surfaces by measuring the GRF at high speed. These preliminary results show that the loading rate, the amplitude of horizontal braking and shock at impact are attenuated on W, which suggests a reduction of stresses in the distal limb.

Effects of equine racetrack surface type, depth, boundary area, and harrowing on dynamic surface properties measured using a track-testing device in a laboratory setting

“…Consistent with instrumented horse studies [4,5,7], maximum forces, load rates, and accelerations for the synthetic surface were significantly smaller than those for the dirt surface. For Impact 1 (no harrow) through Impact 4 (deep harrow), average load rate, average rebound rate and average stiffness for the synthetic surface never exceeded 52% of dirt surface values.…”

“…In an instrumented horseshoe study, trotters (at the same speed) had a reduced stride length on a synthetic surface versus a crushed sand surface, and the authors suggested that the synthetic surface may reduce the efficiency of performance [5].…”

“…Maximum forces, load rates, maximum accelerations, and tendon forces were lower for synthetic surfaces than traditional surfaces, indicating that engineered surfaces have potential for injury prevention. Unfortunately, the results are limited to effects on the single, instrumented limb and to the specific track surfaces and environmental conditions studied; and, inter-horse variability can be large [5,7]. Further, different racetrack surfaces of the same type can differ greatly in composition and behave differently under different environmental and maintenance conditions.…”

“…Recently, instrumented horses have been used to compare load transfer from synthetic and traditional surfaces (such as dirt, turf, and crushed sand) to the hoof, both in the USA [4] and France [5][6][7]. Maximum forces, load rates, maximum accelerations, and tendon forces were lower for synthetic surfaces than traditional surfaces, indicating that engineered surfaces have potential for injury prevention.…”

Effect of superficial harrowing on surface properties of sand with rubber and waxed-sand with fibre riding arena surfaces: a preliminary study

“…The properties of surfaces used by horses have been assessed using accelerometers attached to the hoof wall and/or fetlock (Barrey et al, 1991;Chateau et al, 2009;Kruse et al, 2012), dynamometric horseshoes (Kai et al, 1999;Robin et al, 2009;Setterbo et al, 2009;Crevier-Denoix et al, 2010) or impact devices (Cheney et al, 1973;Zebarth and Sheard, 1985;Drevemo and Hjertén, 1991;Ratzlaff et al, 1997;Peterson and McIlwraith, 2008a;Peterson et al, 2008b;Kruse et al, 2013;Setterbo et al, 2013). Standardised impact devices have the advantage that repeatable measurements can be obtained from the surface without the variability introduced by a live horse (Hernlund et al, 2013) and are the preferred technique for the comparison of properties between surfaces.…”