A naturally functioning hoof mechanism is one of the critical contributors to healthy hooves and for the hoof mechanism to function optimally, the entire hoof needs to be able to move in these 3 dimensions and as a complete unit (not just the heel part as with traditional one-piece shoes) which is exactly what the Twin™ Shoe do:
- Heel movement is considered to be the key variable of hoof deformation and together with a proper development of frog and digital cushion, plays a major role in shock absorption (up to 67% of impact shock can be absorbed by the hoof). Heel movement can only be effectively achieved by freeing up the toe (as in barefoot and with Twin™ Shoes which are being split at the toe).
- By splitting Twin™ Shoes in two equal parts we also allow for side-to-side movement (lateral flexibility). This allows the hoof capsule to balance out the stresses on turns, during medio-lateral motion, and on uneven footing, reducing uneven stresses on the joint (compression) and soft tissues structures (tension).
- By splitting Twin™ Shoes we allow the shoe to move with the hoof instead of the heels moving over the shoe (as in traditional one-piece shoes). This heel movement (friction) over the shoe is a well-known negative effect of traditional shoes causing wear at the heel more than at the toe (lowering the heels and dorsal hoof wall angle towards the end of each shoeing cycle) and increasing the stresses on the structures in the back part of the foot. Twin™ Shoes move with the hoof causing minimal and more equal wear between toe and heel. As a result, the hoof angle stays more constant and stresses on the structures in the back part of the foot are kept to a minimum.
- Twin™ Shoes allows the hoof capsule to move where and how it wants and do not lock/force the hoof in 1-dimension. The horse is no longer fighting a rigid shoe which results in a more balanced landing/loading and breakover pattern during the stride of the horse. This again and further reduces stresses on the lower limb structures and can clearly be seen from the minimal and very symmetrical wear pattern on the ground surface of the shoe at the end of a cycle. (in traditional shoes you often see an excessive wear pattern of the lateral branch and lateral toe).
Horses do recognize the freedom Twin™ Shoes give to its hooves! Once the shoe is split at the toe, in most cases the horse will show signs of relief/relaxation by licking, chewing, yawning, blinking with the eyes, …
Horses are shod with the hoof in a lifted (i.e. neutral or contracted) position, once the hoof is placed on the ground the hoof expands and the one-piece shoe already feels too small causing tension. By splitting the shoe there is no tension as the shoe can move with the hoof and as such not felt as obstructing the expansion (this is also why no extra width or extension is needed when fitting Twin™ Shoes) and often an improvement in gait quality can be seen especially fairly rapidly in those horses that have a short, choppy stride or lack freedom of movement through the shoulders.