Effect of two months whole body vibration on hoof growth rate in the horse: A pilot study

Hoof problems are commonly seen in veterinary practice and manipulation of hoof growth rate can be practical and beneficial for that matter. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effect of whole body vibration (WBV) on hoof growth rate of front feet in the horse. The study was an experimental, single subject, repeated measure design, with all horses serving as control and treatment. Ten horses were subject to WBV, 30 min, twice daily, five days a week, for 60 days in addition to their regular exercise routine. Hoof growth was measured from the reference hairline down to a horizontal groove in both front feet at 30-day (monthly) intervals starting 30 days before the start of treatment (WBV) up until 60 days post cessation of the treatment (WBV). The data analysis was carried out, by applying several paired t-tests to the mean 30-day hoof growth before, during, and after treatment (WBV). A significant mean increase in hoof growth was seen after 30 days WBV (p < 0.001) as well as after 60 days WBV (p = 0.001) with the increase occurring mainly during the first 30 days of WBV. No prolonged effect on hoof growth rate was seen after cessation of WBV. These results indicate that whole body vibration can be used as a non-invasive, safe and non labor-intensive therapeutic modality to accelerate hoof growth in the horse.