Effect of shod status on distal limb thermography in leisure horses

: This study evaluated whether shod status affects distal limb surface temperature in 43 healthy leisure horses using infrared thermography. Thermographic images of 16 regions of interest were acquired at rest from shod (n = 23) and barefoot horses (n = 20), with temperatures corrected for ambient temperature and wind speed. Significant thermal differences existed between anatomical regions (P < 0.001), with frogs coolest (28.6 ± 1.6°C) and tarsi/coronal bands warmest (29.7 ± 1.5°C). Shod vs barefoot status showed no overall temperature effect (P = 0.29), except cooler right hind frogs in barefoot horses (28.1 ± 1.3 vs 29.1 ± 1.6°C, P = 0.034). In multivariable mixed-effects analysis accounting for repeated measures, sex was the only significant predictor (geldings 0.8°C warmer than mares, P = 0.048), while age was non-significant (P > 0.7). These findings indicate shod status has minimal impact on resting distal limb thermography in leisure horses.