2006•LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)Open access
EQUILÍBRIO DO CASCO EQÜINO – UMA REVISÂO
Ubiratan Pereira de Melo, Cíntia Ferreira, Regina Maria Furquim Werneck Santiago, Maristela Silveira Palhares, Renata de Pino Albuquerque Maranhão
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Abstract
A thorough examination and assessment of equine foot forms is an essential part of both the physical and lameness evaluations. Because foot problems are the most common cause of lameness, the examiner must have an accurate knowledge of foot anatomy, function and balance. The balance refers not just to the appearance of the hoof, but also by how it dynamically interacts with the ground. Balanced hooves require attention to the following factors: (1) toe length; (2) hoof angle; (3) medio-lateral hoof orientation; (4) wall contour and ground surface and (5) pair symmetry of hooves. This review article describes how unbalanced hooves, involving at least one of the listed factors, can produce lameness. KEY WORDS: Equine, hoof, balance, lameness, conformation.