Relationship between hoof parameters and racing time in racehorses

경주마의 발굽지표와 경주기록과의 관계

The hoof parameters - hoof angle, toe length, heel length, hoof width, hoof length, heel width, hoof circumference - of 1372 Thoroughbred racehorses in Seoul racecourse were measured. Each parameter was compared with the racing time. The parameters were as follows: fore hoof angle $50.1{\pm}0.09^{\circ}$, hind hoof angle $50.1{\pm}0.08^{\circ}$; fore toe fength $82.8{\pm}0.21mm$, hind toe length $88.8{\pm}0.23mm$; fore heel length $28.6{\pm}0.19mm$, hind heel length $24.5{\pm}0.19mm$; fore hoof width $130.9{\pm}0.30mm$, hind hoof width $125.7{\pm}0.28mm$; fore hoof length $133.3{\pm}0.22mm$, hind hoof length $28.1{\pm}0.22mm$; fore heel width $61.2{\pm}0.32mm$, hind heel width $67.9{\p}0.35mm$; fore hoof circumference $264.2{\pm}0.48mm$, hind hoof circumference $253.8{\pm}0.40mm$. Apart from the hoof angle, the hoof parameters increased in proportion to the body weight. The parameters of forelimbs affected the racing time more than those of hindlimbs. The correlation between hoof parameters and racing time was shown more in short-distance race (1000M) than in long-distance race(2200M). The parameters that had correlation with racing time were hoof width, hoof length, heel width of forelimbs and heel width of hindlimbs.