The fact that the mean is the same in wet semi wet and dry is in fact interesting. the ranges either side of the mean on the dry is less, while you would, I guess expect that, I would also of expected the mean to be lower. We have just had the wettest summer for one hundred years, (in the UK) and I can tell you the feet are dreadful!!! In Denise's article it states that on good feet there was little or no penetration on water into the wall on healthy feet, but quite the reverse on unhealthy feet. not sure how she catagorises them. So did Mr Hampsons horses all have healthy feet, do the domestic horses have crap feet, Are feet only caperble of carrying a certain percentage of water regardless. Are other factors involved such as diet? Do wet and warm conditions alter the modulus of elasticity. So if we ignore other variables we can conclude that wet conditions dont alter moisture content in hoof walls. Things do degrade when wet all the time, so maybe they degrade but dont increase in moisture content.
Soft feet to me mean, longer lasting rasps, lot of oily product to repel too much moisture. Good hot fit...reverse in hot dry conditions..lanolin and a rasp every two days..((Hot fits help ..sure is hot tho..
The soaking experiment was on live horses and showed no increased moisture content in the hoofwall, but "significantly" (whatever that number was) higher moisture content of the soles in soaked hooves. Makes me wonder about the moisture content of the inner hoofwall vs outer hoofwall,( don't know if they distinguished between the two or not). It also makes me wonder about the mechanism of moisture absorption, that moisture is absorbed through the sole surface/white line/ inner wall and then migrates outward (through osmosis) to outer wall over time. I have seen really dry hooves where soaking for two hours makes no difference as to softening the outer walls, but overnight does make a difference. I think their point was that soaking softens the soles and may not be in the best interest of the horse if the horse is on really hard, dry ground. I agree with that conclusion. The rest of the study on dead horse hooves is meaningless (in my opinion). Constantly wet hooves on living horses are different from very dry hooves on living horses. I do think hooves that are unhealthy to begin with, (due to some of the variables David mentioned) do not fare as well as healthy hooves when they are constantly wet. One variable in Kempson's study was effect of manure--it destroys wall integrity.
In one of the referenced links it was reported that Hampson stated: ""The moisture content (of the hoof) is controlled by the internal circulation, which is fairly constant in the healthy horse." "
Soaking for 2 hours doesn't give a water absorption profile that represents anything but soaking feet for 2 hours.
Which is fairly constant--the circulation, or the moisture content? Do horses out 24/7 have increased circulation in their hooves compared to a stalled horse? I would assume an increased activity level would increase circulation. Does a dry bedding cause a hoof to dry out, or is it lack of activity?
So when it's hot and dry with low humidity for days or weeks there is more circulation and when it's hot and wet with high humidity for days or weeks there is less circulation?
Soak Would you expect a different absorption profile on a hoof that has been soaked for 24 hours compared to a 2 hour soak?
I don't know and I don't know if that was addressed in the study. Regardless, are you stating a fact or offering an early stage of an hypothesis you are formulating?
I'm waiting for the IPCC to cite this research in regards to the effects of global warming on hoof circulation.
Weather has went from weeks of rain to finally a few sunny days here and there. I shod the gelding of mine during the "wet" season, and this past Friday I heard him clicking. Checked his shoes and they were loose, I mean I could move them up, down, left, right to a small degree. So I went on to work and was intending to fix it today. Checked him and they are back tight, as in I can't budge them. It had been dry for a few days when they were loose, and while it didn't necessarily rain it was a lot of humidity and the threat of rain yesterday evening and this morning. Just thought was an interesting observation that fit this discussion to a degree.
If the wall doesn't change it's moisture content that much, and it is indeed the sole swelling then this adds a new light to what John Muldoon was saying about "jams and dams". Going on that, I'm guessing the sole dried up a bit and drew the walls in with it and the shoe was loose. Then got some more moisture from the dew, etc. and pushed the walls back out to make the shoe tight again.
Two whole hours in a rubber boot? Both hours consecutively? During the same day? Have them come check a ranch horse out here in Humboldt in April, that's been in water for six months. Then come back to the same horse at the end of September after it's been in hot dust since April. I've had horses that swell or shrink a shoe size depending on the season.
