A preliminary investigation of hoof circumferential changes of riding school horses with an increase in workload.

Hoof conformation responds to mechanical demands; the impact of these are not well documented, especially for horses in a non-competitive but high workload environment. This study investigated changes in circumferential hoof variables of shod and unshod riding school horses at three intervals over a period of increasing workload.
The reported coronet band increase differed from the decrease previously reported for racehorses. Such contrasts potentially indicate discipline orientated differences resulting from differences in the training surfaces and loading forces experienced. Significant differences between values for shod and unshod hooves indicate variation in foot conformation associated with the use of shoes.