The current study sheds new light on how laminitic horses distribute pressure on the rest of the foot away from the toe. | Photo: iStock

Laminitic horses try to keep off their painful toes as much as possible. But as a new biomechanics study shows, they can’t—at least not all the time. These horses “hold out” on putting pressure on their toes as long as they can, but at the last stage of a step as the foot breaks over and the heels lift off the ground, toe pressure is high and probably painful, according to researchers in Germany.

Using high-tech pressure-reading equipment on horses at a walk, the scientists also determined that, contrary to popular belief, laminitic horses shift weight off the toe onto the middle of the foot more than the heel. This means therapeutic shoeing should also support the middle hoof and not just the heel, said Mohamad Al Naem, DrMedVet, at the Equine Clinic (Surgery, Orthopedics) at Justus‐Liebig‐University, in Giessen, Germany.

“Until now, all orthopedic therapeutic procedures for horses with laminitis have been based on observations of experts (rather than objective studies),” said Al Naem. “Moreover, we still encounter some laminitis cases that are refractory to treatment despite trying all available therapeutic options we have.” By carrying out an objective comparison of kinetic load distribution in laminitic and sound horses in movement, Al Naem said he hopes to provide concrete knowledge that could “optimize the orthopedic therapeutic procedures” in horses with laminitis