By Carole Herder
Jumping is a multifaceted sport. Success requires harmonization of both horse and human bodies, individually and collectively. Rewarding when accomplished with finesse and agility. Life-threatening when uncoordinated and clumsy. Let’s look at the effect jumping has on the equine body – primarily horses’ hooves. This is always the favorite topic at Cavallo! Concussion. Impact. Shock. Massive force of weight, descending on relatively small hooves.
Here’s what one foremost authority on this topic has to say:
Dr. Robert Bowker, DVM – from Horse & Rider, Feb. 2006,
“The blood in horses’ feet does much more than provide nutrients to hoof tissues. It also enables the unshod foot to function as a hydraulic system, in much the same way that gel-filled athletic shoes do. We need to be trimming hooves so that more of the back part of the foot — including the frog — bears the initial ground impact forces and weight. Horseshoes provide a much smaller surface area to absorb shock. So, if a bare hoof landing after a jump experiences, say, 1,000 pounds of loading per square foot, then with a traditional shoe, there’s going to be 2,000 pounds per square foot.”
Cavallos Under Study
Gabriella Lynn, a student at Western Kentucky University in the USA, recently conducted a study to determine Cavallo Trek boots’ effects on hoof pressure distribution. She chose these boots because they cover the entire foot and have tread for riding over rough ground. Lynn presented her findings at the 2019 Equine Science Society Symposium, held June 3-6 in Asheville, North Carolina.
Lynn measured pressure distribution as horses walked over Fujifilm Low Prescale Film barefoot and when wearing boots, on asphalt and over crushed stone. The color film images revealed pressure over the hoof wall and sole, as well as minimum and maximum pressure, mean pressure, size of contact area, and force. After analyzing, Lynn observed that hoof boots created more low-pressure regions on the film than bare feet, meaning, in Lynn’s words, “that hoof boots absorbed more force and distributed more pressure upon impact”.
To read more about Gabriella’s study, please read the article HERE.
Not only can you jump in Cavallos, but your horse will benefit from the shock absorbing, weight distributing and pressure minimizing features of these technically advanced apparatus of ingenuity. Trek have risen to become the most popular style in the Cavallo Hoof Boot collection. It’s obvious. ‘YES’ you can indeed jump in Cavallos. And if you require more traction, stud kits are available!
Carole Herder is the author of #1 bestselling books There Are No Horseshoes in Heaven and Hoofprints on The Journey. Her company, Cavallo, manufactures, and distributes Cavallo Hoof Boots and Saddle Pads to 26 countries worldwide, and all Cavallo products are designed and developed by Carole. She’s an honoured recipient of the BCBusiness Women Innovator Award, Royal Bank of Canada Woman Entrepreneur Award, a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization and a certified Chopra University Yoga Instructor and Ayurvedic Teacher.
