Project Description Foot-related problems are a common cause of lameness in the horse and of great concern to owners. This project will investigate how farriery and other external factors such as work pattern and surface type influence the equine fore foot over a two-year period and identify factors associated with foot shape and lameness using prospective cohort of horses in the North-West of England regularly shod by four qualified farriers. Horses will be recruited by owner consent following institutional ethical review and include non-lame horses in a range of disciplines including pleasure/general purpose to professional horses in competition training. Lame horses or horses undergoing veterinary treatment for lameness at the start of the study will not be included but horses that become lame during the study period will be retained to identify risk factors for lameness. Horses will be followed longitudinally for 24 months (approximating to 12-16 shoeing cycles). Data collection will involve visiting equine premises to gather details relating to management, work level and patterns, surface type and local weather patterns. Eleven external hoof measures, gained from calibrated digital photographs of lateral, medial, dorsal and solar views of each forefoot will be measured pre- and post-trimming at each shoeing cycle. A subsample of randomly selected 60 horses will also undergo static and dynamic pressure mat analysis every third shoeing cycle. Data analysis will involve univariable and multivariable analysis to identify risk factors for lameness and to report correlation between external hoof measurements and pressure mat data pre- and post-trimming. Regression modelling will be used to develop predictive models for external hoof measurements, biomechanical variables and incidence of lameness. This will provide owners, veterinary surgeons and farriers with a better understanding of factors influencing foot shape and lameness over an appropriate period of time. The project has the following specific objectives: 1. Using digital photography, record external hoof measures of a number of horses in a range of disciplines pre- and post-trimming over 12-16 hoof trimming cycles 2. Non-invasively measure static and dynamic hoof pressure of a sample group of horses pre- and post-trimming 3. Categorise work patterns, surface type and other management details and relate these to foot shape and lameness 4. Identify horses that develop lameness in the study and correlate foot shape and management to lameness Determining how the farrier and other factors influence foot shape and identifying predisposing factors associated with lameness will be an important step in recommending preventative health measures and hence reduce long-term for horses suffering foot-related issues. The Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease is fully committed to promoting gender equality in all activities. In recruitment we emphasize the supportive nature of the working environment and the flexible family support that the University provides. The Institute holds a silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of on-going commitment to ensuring that the Athena SWAN principles are embedded in its activities and strategic initiatives. Funding Notes Funded by The Horse Trust. This position is available to veterinary and non-veterinary applicants and will suit those with an interest in preventative medicine, epidemiology, orthopaedics, biomechanics and equine studies. The successful candidate must hold a valid UK driving licence and ideally have their own transport. The start date is expected between October 2016 and January 2017. To apply please send your CV and a covering letter to Dr Peter Milner (p.i.milner@liverpool.ac.uk) with a copy to iacdpgr@liverpool.ac.uk References Caldwell M.N., Allan L.A., Pinchbeck G.L., Clegg P.D., Kissick K.E. and Milner P.I. (2015) The use of geometric proportions as a measure of hoof balance in the shod and unshod horses over three hoof trimming cycles. The Veterinary Journal 202 169-175 doi 10.1016/j.tvjl.2015.10.003