CANTER New England's Blog

“Thoroughbred Feet”

One of the topics that comes up fairly frequently before, and after a new owner takes home a horse off the trainer listings is the issue of feet: how does the prospective buyer evaluate the horse’s feet, what are common issues seen in horse’s feet at the track, and so forth. Once the horse is home, the new owner may find that the horse has developed abscesses, or they are trying to work with their farrier to adjust hoof angles, or they are challenged dealing with feet that are simply in poor condition…

How Has the Horse Been Shod at the Track?

Thoroughbreds coming off the track have been shod in lightweight aluminum “racing plates” that may have grabs, caulks or rims. These plates may be used in conjunction with rim pads, and the angles maintained by the on-track farrier may not be ideal for a horse on the farm.  Often claiming horses at a track like Suffolk Downs run frequently–even every 7 – 10 days — so they are shod frequently, so they may not have much sole on the foot and the heels may be underslung.

What Types of Racing Shoes May Have Been Used During Your Horse’s Time on the Track?

• Regular Toe Racing Plates:  used for multiple track surfaces
• “Low Toe” Racing Plates: when a track is particularly “hard” or “fast” this style of shoe offers traction while minimizing tendon and ligament strain.
• “Outer Rim” Racing Plates: features a high outside rim which provides good “cupping action” and is often used for horses running on turf.
• “Inner Rim” Racing Plates: provides traction and stability when a horse is running on a deep, sandy track.
• “Wedge” Racing Plates: has a tapered design that raises and protects the heel, which is important for “heel sore” horses who may suffer from concussion to the heel, or who do not grow sufficient heel. Designed to enable “rollover”, this shoe can reduce tendon and muscle strain.
• “Jar Caulk” Racing Plates: are used under extremely wet, muddy conditions when the track is “sloppy”. These shoes must be removed post-race to avoid potential injury to the horse.
• “Queens Plate” Racing Plates: this style of shoes are employed when the track disallows inserts, calks, or toe grabs that protrude above the plate. An “XT” version of these plates does have a slightly raised toe which delivers slightly increased traction.
• “Toe Grabs” are raised attachments on the front of the shoe used to provide traction. These shoes are controversial as research shows this style of shoe produces triple the rate of breakdowns by comparison to shoes without grabs.
• Bar Shoes: just as you may see pleasure horses with a “full bar” forged between the back extensions of the shoe creating on continuous surface. This shoe protects cracks in hoofs and other foot related injuries. Horses with bar shoes rarely run as well as horses with shod otherwise.

What Are “First Steps” in Managing Your New OTTBs Feet?

First: it is important to remove your horse’s racing plates ASAP–preferably BEFORE you turn them out into a paddock. These shoes are lightweight and can twist off very easily; if your horse rips a shoe partially off and then steps on the nail, it can be very serious. Equally, if the horse gets excited and runs, these plates may be somewhat slippery on certain surfaces.

Second, keep in mind that your horse has gone from a stall to a well groomed track surface and likely has not been turned out on hard ground for a good while…so be cautious about turning the horse out, or working it on hard ground when you first get home, especially if your facility is rocky.

Third, work with your farrier to evaluate the state of your horse’s feet and come up with a transition plan. It may be a number of shoeings to get your horse’s angles adjusted comfortably for their new job, and you’ll want to pay special attention to the horse’s soles. Ask your farrier about their preferred hoof care products, if needed.

What Is “Ideal” and What Are the Common Problems in OTTB Feet?

Balance is one of the most important factors in maintaining soundness and maintaining a horse’s feet. However it is not uncommon in OTTBs coming off the track to find that there are different angles on the feet: one front foot may be more upright than the other, leading to additional stress on one leg.

Your farrier will evaluate the angles of the horse’s feet to see if the hoof walls attain the same angles, and if there is lateral (side-to-side) balance. You do not want the horse’s inside or outside hoof wall striking more heavily as this can cause ligament and tendon strains. Check with your farrier, too, to ensure that the horse’s foot has not become contracted–with excessive narrowing at the heel.

Thoroughbreds can run toward having low heels, and frequent shoeings at the track may exacerbate the lack of heel. Growing out the horse’s heel can offer support, avoiding permanent foot damage.

This [underrun heels]  is one of the most prevalent deformities found in the feet of  domestic horses, particularly thoroughbreds that have been through the racing industry – which accounts for most of the pleasure horse industry!  — Barehoofcare.com Note that the angle of the heel on this horse is much steeper than the angle of the hoof wall. This horse’s lack of heel is likely more stressful than on most horses as the pasterns are very, very long. So what is an “ideal angle”? Of course your farrier must adapt to the horse: you cannot force-fit an ideal if the horse’s conformation does not support it, however some studies on hoof angles note that: Loest, in a group of 82 normal horses, found that the hoof and pastern angle (from the middle of the cannon-pastern joint to the middle of the coffin joint) matched at an average of 54 degrees (1981). Clayton found the same results: “In the front limbs the average slope (of the hoof-pastern axis) was 54 degrees, with a range of 48-55 degrees, However, only one horse had an angle of 48 degrees, all the others measured either 54 or 55 degrees in the standing position. For the hind limbs the average hoof-pastern angulation was 55 degress degrees (1987 b).  — Henry Heymering, RJF, CJF, The Proper Hoof Angle, Farrier & Hoofcare Resource Center

In addition to bad angles, thin soles, bruising and unbalanced feet, the horse may have other problems which are related to, or a result of, heel soreness or angular problems such as pedal osteitis.

We always recommend a pre-purchase exam prior to purchasing a horse (on, or off the track, for that matter). It is especially important to engage a qualified veterinarian to examine a horse’s feet if you are hoping to jump, or event the horse.

The old adage “no foot, no horse” becomes all the more significant if you get a horse home only to find that foot problems will prevent or significantly delay your planned retraining.

Here are some useful links to explore these common issues:

OffTrackThoroughbreds.com: Rood & Riddle Q&A Thoroughbred Feet

Stone Bruises (TheHorse.com)

The Hungry Foot [PDF]

Veterinary Topics: Nineteen Hoof Problems [Thoroughbred Times]