Rolled Shoe with Pad is one of the craftable items in the game. Users in the Blacksmithing stream can produce it using aluminum and leather.

Course Article

Shoeing Lower Limb Joint Arthritis

The lower limb joints in the hoof are susceptible to developing arthritic changes, particularly in performance horses. Often, these arthritic changes lead to bony proliferations (osteophytes) where the tendons of the lower limb attach on the bones of the hoof. In general, these osteophytes decrease the range of motion of the joints leading to lameness.

The osteophytes of lower limb joint arthritis can occur in several areas of the lower limb. On the front side of the limb, they most commonly occur where the common digital extensor, the main tendon on the front of the leg, inserts on the coffin bone. On the back side of the limb, they typically occur on the short pastern and where the navicular bone and the coffin bone interact.

Lower limb joint arthritis primarily causes pain when the foot experiences concussive forces, such as when the horse steps down. They may also experience pain when the tendons come under strain, such as when the limb is undergoing flexion or extension. The source of the pain largely depends on where the osteophytes occur.

The main goals of shoeing lower limb joint arthritis are to reduce tension in the tendons, and reduce concussive forces. Reducing the tension in the tendons is often done by using a rolled shoe, which is a shoe that has a curved surface with ground. Traditional shoes form a 90 degree angle with the ground, which can increase resistance when the horse tries to lift its foot off the ground, thus increasing tension on the tendons. Curving this surface smooths out the transition of lifting the hoof, making the horse more comfortable. Adding a shock-absorbing pad to the shoe can help reduce the concussive forces to further improve comfort.

In Oxer to Oxer, applying a rolled shoe with a pad to a horse diagnosed with lower limb joint arthritis will reduce their recovery time by half. These shoes are crafted by users in the Blacksmithing stream using two aluminum ingots and a piece of leather. Aluminum is used for these shoes because it is easier to mold, to make the rolled surface!

1. Eliashar, E. An evidence based assessment of the biomechanical effects of the common shoeing and farriery techniques. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice 2007;23: 425-442.