Usages
1. Prevention
Twin™ Shoes allow the Hoof Mechanism to function naturally (as in barefoot condition). A naturally functioning Hoof Mechanism results in better blood circulation, shock absorption and biomechanics of the lower limb which in turn contribute to stronger and more balanced hooves. No hoof, No horse! As such, stronger and more balanced hooves make the horse more resistant to common injuries and pathologies such as osteoarthritis (especially of the lower limb), navicular syndrome, Suspensory injury and Degenerative suspensory ligament disease, underrun heels, contracted heels etc…
Twin™ Shoes in most cases help preventing/minimizing common injuries, diseases and pathologies affecting the hoof and the lower limb.
2. Treatment
Twin™ Shoes allow for lateral flexibility, reducing excess asymmetrical load on uneven footing and turns (generally, on turns or uneven footing we will cause compression of the joints on one side and tension of the ligaments and tendons on the opposite side). Furthermore Twin™ Shoes do not restrict heel movement. Heel movement together with proper development of frog and digital cushion play a major role in shock absorption, as such reducing the stress on the joints and navicular bone. Twin™ Shoes allow the horse to land, load and breakover where it wants (this is seen through gait analysis and shoe wear pattern at the ground surface of the shoe). Minimal and symmetrical wear pattern especially at the toe indicate less stress during breakover and as such less stress on the deep digital flexor and navicular bone. As the Twin shoe moves with the hoof instead of the hoof moving over the shoe (which is the case with a one-piece shoe), there is minimal and a more even wear pattern from heel to toe on the support surface of the shoe which in turn keeps the coffin bone angle and hoof wall angle more consistent during the shoeing-interval reducing the stresses on the internal structure of the hoof (tendons, joints).
Twin™ Shoes are in most cases effective in treating a wide range of injuries and pathologies such as osteoarthritis (especially of the lower limb), Suspensory injury, collateral ligament injuries, navicular syndrome/caudal heel pain, hoof capsule distortions (e.g. underrun heels, contracted heels, …) etc…
3. Improvement
Horses are shod in a neutral (semi-contracted) state (hoof flexed of the ground). When shod with a one-piece shoe, the shoe is basically too small as soon as the horse puts the foot on the ground and the hoof expands. This feeling of too tight shoe leads in some horses to a short/choppy gait and has a negative effect on the horse’s usability and performance. Twin™ Shoes have two branches which move independently and as such do not rigidly lock the hoof capsule (fixate a 3-dimensional structure in a 1-dimensional plane like a one-piece steel shoe does).
Twin™ Shoes allow to improve the quality of movement and training sessions and help to minimize downtime due to injuries or diseases. Though Twin™ Shoes are basically recommended for all disciplines, they are particularly effective in improving performance in disciplines requiring a lot of turning and medio-lateral motion, work on uneven footing, and where improvement in agility, shock absorption and quality of gait is crucial (e.g. Dressage, vaulting, cow horse, barrel racing, trail riding, endurance, etc…)
4. Transition
Twin™ Shoes allow the hoof to act like it is barefoot while being protected by a shoe (Research and Clinically proven). By freeing up the toe and allowing the hoof mechanism to function naturally we can condition the hoof to become strong again like a barefoot hoof while protecting it during this transition period of +/- 8 months. The hoof adapts to its environment and surface it spends most of the time on which is often very different from the surface it needs to perform on. For this reason, shoeing is often necessary. With Twin™ Shoes, we can keep the health benefits of the barefoot concept while protecting the hoof so the horse can work/perform on a surface it is not adapted to.
Twin™ Shoes provide a good transition from being shod to barefoot or vice versa and out of special therapeutic hoof packages and shoes.