Summary
A commercially available instrumented horseshoe, designed to quantitate a fraction
of the vertical component of the ground reaction force (Fz), underwent a series of
mechanical evaluations. This followed the occurrence of considerable variability in
transducer output in response to a given load.
The mechanical evaluation of this system revealed many factors that contributed to
the variability in transducer output. The primary factor appeared to be the disruption
to the transducer required in its calibration in the laboratory and subsequent placement
in the horse-mounted system. This requirement introduced significant (P <0.05) variability
into the system.
A preliminary evaluation of the system when mounted on horses only succeeded in adding
to the variability in transducer output.
In view of the many contributors to transducer output variability it is concluded
that as the system is currently designed it does not allow for accurate or reproducible
quantitation of force transmission, in either the laboratory or when mounted on horses.
An instrumented horseshoe underwent a series of mechanical evaluations. Many factors
contributed to variability in transducer output recorded. It was concluded that the
system, as currently designed, does not provide accurate or reproducible quantification
of the vertical force component (Fz).
Keywords
Instrumented horseshoe - ground reaction force
