The use of tailormade 3D-printed shoes in horses
Summary
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.