• Corpus ID: 53974853

The Thoroughbred Racehorse Foot : Evaluation and Management of Common Problems

@inproceedings{Morrison2013TheTR,
  title={The Thoroughbred Racehorse Foot : Evaluation and Management of Common Problems},
  author={S. E. Morrison},
  year={2013}
}

• S. Morrison
• Published 2013
• Medicine

The importance of foot shape and balance in highperformance racehorses is paramount to maintaining soundness and optimal performance. Functionally adapted for speed and efficient use of energy, the Thoroughbred foot is light and lacks the mass for protection commonly seen in other heavier-boned breeds. The relatively thin walls and soles of the Thoroughbred foot make it more susceptible to injury and hoof capsule distortion. Hoof capsule distortion refers to hoof abnormalities such as flares, cracks, under-run, collapsed, and sheared heels—all of which result from long-term abnormal weight distribution on the foot. Distortions affect function and have been correlated to musculoskeletal injuries and lameness. The racehorse practitioner is often presented with an acute or chronic foot problem to manage. Having knowledge of the etiology of the more common foot problem will help formulate a successful treatment plan to heal the acute condition, return the horse back to soundness, and prevent reoccurrence. Without the proper knowledge of the entire problem, most foot problems are quickly fixed and patched up, and the underlying hoof capsule distortion is never effectively addressed. Therefore, it is likely to reoccur. Balance is the term used when describing the shape, angle, and spatial arrangement of anatomical structures of the foot. Learning how to evaluate a foot and detect imbalance or overloaded regions of a foot are important for formulating a treatment plan. Although some properties of balance will vary with limb conformation and are subjective, it is generally accepted that balanced Thoroughbred feet possess the following characteristics: