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Re: [RC] blood flow to hoof (was archives and barefoot) - Joe LongOn Tue, 27 Jan 2004 23:04:54 -0500, "Brenda Jo Jones" <jonesbjo@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: There is an old saying that "a horse has 5 hearts". Unlike humans, as horses have no muscles from the "knee" on down, they depend on the expansion and contraction of the hoof to pump blood back up against gravity. Hooves expand when the horse's weight is put on them and contract when they are lifted. When rigid horseshoes are nailed on the hoof when there is no weight on them, they lock the hoof into a state of contraction. This restricts the blood flow. The first part of what you say is true, but the second is a not-uncommon misconception. When a horse is properly shod, nailed-on iron shoes do not prevent expansion of the hoof and do not significantly reduce blood circulation, let alone stop it. All you need to do is look at all of the high-mileage horses (and I'm talking 5,000, 10,000 miles and more) whose hooves have stayed healthy throughout all those shod miles. Concussion and excessive blood flow due to inflammation are a real concern at/following a ride. I ALWAYS check my horse's hoof temperature (by feel) regularly following a ride. A little warmth is not unusual but if it's too much, or persists, it's a red flag. And heat results from MORE blood flow, not less!!! (Hey, why do people put their horse's hooves in cold water after a ride, or stand them in a nice, cool creek if one is available? The evidence of circulation in shod hooves is overwhelming if you just look.) -- Joe Long jlong@xxxxxxxx http://www.rnbw.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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