The use of tailormade 3D-printed shoes in horses

Abstract

Researchers of the University of Utrecht recently introduced a tailormade three-dimensional (3D) printed shoe. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of this 3D-printed shoe on kinetic parameters, hoof conformation and to investigate its wear characteristics. The shoes were designed based on a 3D scan of the hoof, printed in plastic materials, and then glued to the hooves. Six horses underwent a 3D-printed shoeing cycle and a steel shoeing cycle of seven weeks in randomised order. Kinetic parameters were collected in trot using pressure- and force plates at a frequency of 250 Hz at week 1 (T0) and week 7 (T1). Hoof pictures were taken at T0 and T1 to determine the hoof conformation and wear characterises of the shoes. Data were analysed using a linear mixed effect model with shoeing conditions and timepoints as fixed effects and horse and limbs as random effects. The results showed a significantly larger peak vertical force (PVF) and vertical impulse (VI) at both timepoints in the 3D-printed shoes (T0: +0.9 N/kg; p value = .001 and +179.0 N.s/kg; p value = .005, T1: +1.3 N/kg; p value < .001 and +294.7 N.s/kg; p value < .001). The peak pressure was more evenly distributed between the regions of the hoof in the 3D-printed shoes at both timepoints. The hoof conformation variables indicate a more balanced hoof growth (and/or wear) in the 3D-printed shoeing cycle. The wear distribution of the 3D-printed shoes was more homogenous. The higher PVF and VI values in the 3D-printed shoes suggest that horses exerted more force on the concerning limb. The homogenous wear distribution in the 3D-printed shoes could be explained by the evenly distributed peak pressure in tailormade 3D-printed shoes.