Has anyone else seen this?

Question

both of these clips are very interesting. they show high speed impact of a barefoot hoof and a shod hooof. look closely and you can see the vibration travel up the leg of the shod hoof, but the vibration gets absorbed into the hoof on the barefoot one.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6yLEdr2EOM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fql-xsofeg0

ELISHA- if you look closely, it is the same ground.

Answer 1

That's because the hoof acts as a shock absorber when it hits the ground, which is why barefoot is always best. It keep the hoof in good working order.
In the case of the shod hoof, no part of the hoof is actually touching the ground, only the shoe, so the the shock of the impact travels up the shoe, and then up the leg. This is why so many people complain about their thoroughbreds having such tender hooves- thier hooves never touch the ground, so the shock absorbers in the hoof become soft from lack of contact with the ground (same thing happens when you break your leg and forced to wear a cast- your muscles waste away and your leg isn't as strong as before). It would take time for those shod horses to harden up their hooves, but they would be better off. Shoes are not a natural thing for horses, otherwise they'd be born wearing them.
Pieces of metal nailed to a hoof does not protect the hoof from injury. Wild horses don't wear shoes, and none of them have soft hooves do they?

Answer 2

Just a correction for Raz...steel/aluminium/iron shoes do not distribute force, they concentrate it. The horses hoof in it's natural unshod form expands to redistribute the force and the concussion of footfall ( regardless of the surface), the frog is a shock absorber and the heels and bulbs of the unshod foot also expand/contract and cushion the foot fall, allowing for less "shock" travelling up the bony column of the leg. Metal shoes hold the foot in a rigid form, making the natural expansion and contraction on footfall impossible, a shoe also keeps the frog from performing it's natural duty as a shock absorber because it dosen't allow frog contact with the ground.
Shoes are not either all bad or all good...it depends on the horse, it's use, it's conformation, the quality of the farrier putting the shoes on, and the type of shoes being used. If you have a horse that can perform the job you would like it to do without being shod, that's great, and it's probably better for the horse, and cheaper/easier for the owner. Some horses need corrective/supportive shoeing, just like some people need glasses. Some horses have jobs where shoes are necessary for traction, support and protection of the foot..and to have them go barefoot would result in a lame horse or a poor performance, or in the case of an eventer, for example, it might be very dangerous for both the horse and rider if they didn't have shoes with caulks for traction. Very few things in the world are black or white...shoes fall into that grey area.

Answer 3

well, I watched these videos twice & the impact vibration travels up the leg IN BOTH SHOD & UNSHOD!!!! It just doesn't travel as high up the leg in the barefoot horse-seems to stop midleg whereas in the shod hoof it stops around or slightly above the knee.

Shod or unshod the footing comes into play as well so the impact would be different based on that as well. Not to mention the size of the hoof based on breed etc......
basically shoeing does not harm them if done correctly. some need it some don't. Ihave 1 who CANNOT be without front shoes & another who is now barefoot & doing well without the shoes after years of being shod.

Answer 4

I went to a lecture about shoeing horses etc and saw a slow mo clip of how a shod horse's hocks twist more than a barefoot horse as well as the shock absorbing aspect.
My mare goes completely foot sore if I take her shoes off as she's been shod all her life but I'm keeping my youngster barefoot.

Answer 5

It is better for horses to be trimmed and barefoot when they are not needing to be shod for specific uses.
It has been proven for horses that the horses that have shoes on all the time and are never allowed to go barefoot actually have more issues with their feet and legs.

Shoes are not bad, they deffinately have their place in protecting the horses hoof when they are walking in certain terrain and can be corrective, but barefoot deffinately has it's place also.

Answer 6

For starters the U.S. no longer exists. Fylingdales isn't a flying station. Nimrods are based at Kinloss. Kinloss isn't in Yorkshire yet in northern Scotland. Having have been given those data out of ways, you and your acquaintances who've leapt on the band wagon to brag over Nimrod's severe twist of fate are patently having a ball. It does not artwork you comprehend, this bullying. What has befell is that some good acquaintances have been made, unlike your 'supporters' who seem incredibly feral to plenty individuals.

Answer 7

That's really amazing! I'm glad ol' Cristo is barefoot. I've noticed when I'm leading Cristo home, his hoof acts almost like an elephant's, only a little subtler. It's amazing.

Answer 8

that's cool! but, the barefoot horse's impact wiggles clear up to to knee, but absorbs better, but the shod impacts badly, but absorbs faster (wiggles only up past the pastern)

but look also at the barefoot- lands at once,
but look at the shod- more of a heel- toe landing.

Answer 9

BULL! Run down a gravel road barefoot. The same thing will happen to you. All the Impact stays on the foot same-same....
And I promise it hurts. Now think about how that impact must feel to a 1000 lb animal. The shoes are designed to distribute the impact.
Where do you get these coc-a-meany ideas People?
Putting shoes on a horse does not hurt them.
My horses are shod during the completion season for their protection. I intend to keep our horses sound well after their 12+ years old.
We have owned athletic horse in their 20's who wore shoes for most of their entire lives and their legs and soundness are flawless and; Yes! they are still competing!
I suggest you find something else to worry about.

Answer 10

whoa....that was kinda cool to watch. I learn something new everyday on here!

AND I am glad my horses go barefoot with regular trims. I think that is one reason why I don't have many lameness problems.