A NEW STUDY is shining a light on the differences in the movement and power of the horse with and without shoes. Over the past year, Prof Lars Roepstorff and his team from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) have been working on the project ‘A study of movements and forces with and without shoes’ to identify the impact a shoe can have on a horse's way of going.
In-depth interviews and a first analysis phase have been conducted thanks to funding from equine insurer Agria, followed by tests using markers, video and motion analysis on both shod and unshod horses being ridden over jumps and on the flat, with any difference in movement measured.
The research is being carried out in a collaboration between Swedish showjumper Peder Fredricson, Lars Roepstorff and vet Staffan Lidbeck in an attempt to gain knowledge about when and how it is appropriate to ride horses with or without shoes.
Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Peder Fredricson has trained and competed at the highest level with his horses unshod with positive experiences.
“I've found that [by keeping them] barefoot, the horses are healthier and have fewer injuries, so I think it will be very interesting to
