The Epona Institute is currently engaged in research of a biomechanical nature related to the horse.Our mission is to integrate knowledge from different fields (engineering, mathematics, biology, anatomy), make it accessible, and help people ‘connect the dots’.
Evolution & Comparative Anatomy
Insight into the evolution of the horse, and in particular the lower leg, is fascinating and informs our thinking about trimming and shoeing.Drawing parallels between the horse and other species, including humans, aids our understanding of the horse.
Biomaterials
The structural properties of materials help us make proper choices in our treatment of the hoof.The structure of the keratin of the hoof is an amazing feat of engineering by nature.
Arch Support & the Sole Under Load
The sole is not rigid. In nature the hoof often packs with dirt and other supportive materials.In our research we have assembled a sequence of 80 radiographs to render the motion of the sole under various conditions.
Analyzing the Pedal Bone – Shape Matters
Pedal bones show wide variation.Their shape goes hand-in-hand with sole shape.Pedal bone shape influences shoeing decisions.In our research we find that pedal bones tend to de-mineralize over the animal’s lifetime, and we have developed a method to gauge this from a simple lateral radiograph.
Biomechanics
Muscles pull tendons which articulate the joints for motion.How do toe length, shoe bevel, and various internal lever-arms interrelate and what are the conclusions relative to effects of shoe placement and comparison to the barefoot horse?How many tendons are required to control N joints, and how does leg posture relate to the animal’s size?
Amazing Before/After Case Studies
The software we have developed allows us to create dynamic video showing changes in the hoof from photographs and radiographs.Want to see how much a hoof can change over a few months?Want to see a founder case recover before your eyes.We have a growing collection of case studies which are fun to watch and help practitioners understand what is possible.
The Epona 3-D Trim
We present an approach that utilizes landmarks from the bony column to help orient the trim.This lets you get away from “trimming to deformities” that may exist in the hoof and let you do things in a three-dimensional, bone-referenced way.We focus on the biomechanics of the lower leg, and on soft tissue rehabilitation, working with the best available materials for the health of the horse’s hoof.
