Eggplate

One step ahead of evolution!

Nature originally intended horses to have four toes, then three, and over time it has reduced to one toe. That is evolution.

The horse is a flight animal, which means that in case of danger it runs away in the opposite direction of the danger, straight ahead and as fast as possible. This is the horse's great strength. In curves and especially in tight radii, things look a little different. That's where my invention, the Eggplate, comes into play.

In today's use of horses in the various equestrian sports, a lot is demanded of the horses and they have to work mainly in curves. Horses must therefore be able to master very tight radii as quickly as possible. My goal is to be able to give the horse the comfort of feeling as good in the turn as if he were going straight. I often find, especially with older horses that have been used a bit more in the sport and may have a health history, that lameness is primarily seen on the volte and only secondarily when going straight. With the Eggplate I have developed something that gives the horses the same comfort in turns as when going straight. The proof is that when we x-ray the horse standing on two legs, we see that the joint gaps remain parallel. If we lift one leg, the joint space normally becomes narrow on the outside, but with the Eggplate it remains parallel.

Slowmotion video

We have created a slow motion video. This shows the horse with old eggplates, without irons, with full rocker shoes and finally with new eggplates. The jump and landing were filmed in each case. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Thomas, Valerio, Jeremy and Rachel for their active support. We have recorded our findings below:

Fitting: Eggplate old

X-ray image 1 (Eggplate old)

Due to being shod, the aluminium plate in the toe area was worn down and the horse was able to develop a toe direction or a rolling point that it liked. The x-ray shows that the position could be maintained, even optimally with the straight lateral toe axis. What has also improved is the roll-off point. All in all, this is the most comfortable shoe the horse has ever had.

X-ray image 2 (Eggplate old)

The joint gaps are parallel, even better than with the new Eggplate. The reason for this is that the Eggplate - because it is made of aluminium and for this reason is not so strong, but very flexible - wears in this way and direction as the horse wishes and controls it through its natural movement.

X-ray image 2 (Eggplate old)

Now here you can see the extreme difference: due to the fact that the toe direction in the toe area of this shoe has worn down so much, the toe sinks in even more for us. It is interesting that the horses like it so much. We measured the distance of the jump length or jump phase and with the old Eggplate the horse jumps the total length of the jump 1.30m further than when it is unshod.

X-ray image 2 (Eggplate old)

Joint gaps in the soft ground where it also becomes a little narrower on the outer side than on the inner side as with the previous fittings.

Fitting: without iron

X-ray 1 (without iron)

This X-ray shows us the lateral view with positive palmar angle and the straight lateral toe axis.

X-ray 1 (without iron)

The dorsopalmary picture (DP), from front to back, shows very nicely in this situation the parallel hoof joint gaps and coronet joint gaps.

X-ray 1 (without iron)

Left Front (LF), x-rayed without shoes in the sand and we see:
- the palmar angle increases
- the toe axis breaks forward a little
- the reason is that the hoof sinks in the toe area.

X-ray 1 (without iron)

In this DP picture, the joint space is assessed. In this situation, i.e. in the soft ground, it is the case that the joint space on the outer side became a little narrower because the hoof sank in more on the inner side and because the resistance from this wooden block was not there.

Fitting: Fullrocker

X-ray image 1 (full rocker)

Same situation regarding the palmar angle, we have a good roll-off point, the way we want it.

X-ray image 2 (full rocker)

DP, we have the joint gaps nice and parallel.

X-ray image 3 (full rocker)

X-rayed in the sand, the toe sinks in a little less than unshod, makes a little more resistance with the horseshoe covering the hoof in the front area.

X-ray image 4 (full rocker)

Parallelism of the joint gaps with fullrocker irons is approximately comparable to when without irons.

Fitting: Eggplate new

X-ray image 1 (Eggplate new)

X-ray identical to the upper ones, palmar angle remains the same, toe axis nice and straight.

X-ray image 2 (Eggplate new)

Hoof joint gaps and coronet joint gaps nicely parallel, better than with full rocker shoeing or if without irons, as the pommel of this iron can balance this out itself.

X-ray image 3 (Eggplate new)

In sand, the toe sinks in, about identical to full rocker. Slightly less than without irons but similar to full rocker.

X-ray image 4 (Eggplate new)

This DP photo shows that the joint gaps behave about the same as with the full rocker shoe and when the horse has no shoes. It has become a bit narrow on the outer side because the pressure from the horse's leg has had a stronger effect on the inner side.