Description
The SURE FOOT Equine Comfort X-Ray Block debuted to rave reviews at AAEP in Denver, CO 2019!
It has just enough give to provide some grip for the horse to stand on while being radiographed without creating distortion.
Dimensions: 8″x 6″x 2″.
Upgrade from your wooden block to SURE FOOT’s Comfort Block!
Introduction
The SURE FOOT Equine X-Ray Block is a new addition to the SURE FOOT product line. Released in January 2019 this Block was developed at the direct request of veterinarians seeking a superior surface for the horses to stand on during equine radiography of the hoof. It is a purpose-designed Block specifically for use by veterinarians and radiograph technologists and is an evolutionary development over the traditional wooden block.
The Problem
Most radiograph equipment requires the use of the wooden block to elevate the hoof in order to correctly align the hoof and equipment. The traditional material used to raise the hoof is a wooden block however there is a general dislike of the wooden block by both horses and humans. Horses can become anxious when standing on the traditional wooden block used in the radiography procedure. The perception is that a woodblock feels slippery and/or does not provide sufficient grip for the horse to be stable and comfortable while being radiographed.
The hoof is a sensory organ through which the horse detects the type of surface he is standing on. If the horse senses the surface is not secure he can become nervous and/or unstable. To make horses more relaxed during the process of being radiographed, a surface is needed that provides sensory input that it is not slippery or unstable and that the hoof can grip. Providing the horse with a surface that makes him feel more secure will make the process safer for the horse and everyone involved in the process.
The Solution
The SURE FOOT Equine X-Ray Block provides a stable, more comfortable, surface for the horse to stand on. It is sufficiently firm to support horses of any weight, yet provides subtle surface deflection to elicit the sensory perception of grip, thus avoiding the sensation of slipperiness. A more secure surface for the horse reduces anxiety. Reducing anxiety makes the procedure safer for all concerned. The X-Ray Block is very hard and has the adequate structural integrity to prevent deflection artifacts in the resulting radiographs. The X-Ray Block works well in wet or dry conditions.
The SURE FOOT X-Ray Block is a user-friendly pad for veterinarians and technicians looking for a better surface for horses to stand on during the radiograph and other veterinary procedures. It has sufficient size and weight that it isn’t easily kicked out of position, and the surface in contact with the ground will not slip or slide on concrete or hard surface barn aisles, wash stalls, veterinary examination room floors, dirt, gravel, stall mats or other surfaces. The colored surface is antibacterial and both sides can be cleaned with a sponge and warm water.
The Difference
The SURE FOOT X-Ray Block is an engineered material, which is significantly firmer than the rest of the SURE FOOT product line. It is designed for no deflection or bending when the horse stands on it and to provide stability and a sense of grip versus eliciting sensory stimulation to evoke changes in balance and movement, which is what the other SURE FOOT pads are designed to do. The X-Ray Block has been tested with Percheron horses over 18 hands (180cm) to be sure they will be useable with horses of varying hoof size and weight.
The previously introduced SURE FOOT Equine Pads (Equitana in 2017) are designed to give under the weight of the horse. Pads have a varying amount of give thus bringing awareness, postural, behavioral, and movement changes. They can be used in a wide variety of settings but are inappropriate for taking radiographs as they are too soft thus causing distortion in the radiograph and/or not supporting or standing up to larger horses. Therefore in order to meet the demand for taking radiographs, we developed an entirely new product.
Background
The SURE FOOT Equine Stability Program and Pads have received Equitana Innovation Award nominations in 2015 and 2017 respectively. The X-Ray Block was nominated in 2019. Innovator, Wendy Murdoch, owner of The Murdoch Method, LLC. is the originator and inventor of SURE FOOT, which is in use worldwide by horse owners, veterinarians, equine physical therapists, trainers, and farriers to relax, calm, treat and train horses to optimum function. SURE FOOT works through the sensory organ of the hoof. Horses become aware of their posture and weight-bearing on each hoof. This awareness provides horses with a self-opportunity to change the way they move. The effect of the pads in many cases appears to restore function, address habitual movement patterns and create a positive learning environment.
