Heart-bar horseshoes that incorporate an adjustable pressure screw are used as a reversible model of hoof pain for experimental studies of anti-inflammatory medications. In this trial, researchers applied heart-bar shoes to five mares. They measured three biochemical markers for inflammation in the bloodstream, as well as dorsal coronary band temperature, before and after the shoes were adjusted to create a Grade 4 lameness (obvious at a walk, AAEP scale 0-5) to determine the role inflammation plays in this model of hoof pain.

Clodronate, a bisphosphonate medication, has become a popular treatment for navicular disease despite little understanding of how it affects the bones of horses.

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College’s Structure and Motion Laboratory in the United Kingdom examined the effects of three common hacking surfaces (asphalt, gravel and grass) on foot placement, movement symmetry and hoof impact deceleration during the walk and trot.

A cross sectional study examined the association between insulin levels and the severity of laminitis among horses diagnosed with Cushing’s disease, also known as equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction.

Examination of a series of lameness cases in Texas revealed insights into why owners of 200 cutting horses sought treatment at the Texas A&M Veterinary Teaching Hospital.