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The original patent for the development of titanium horseshoes appeared May 30, 1978, with the reason behind the development being that while “aluminum horseshoes afford the desired lightness [for horseracing], they do not exhibit particularly good wearability. The average life for an aluminum horseshoe for a racehorse is in the neighborhood of a month or so” (Chiaramonte, 1978). Titanium shoes are more durable, while still not as heavy as a steel shoe (approximately weighing 50% less) ("Titanium's”). One of the major producers of the shoe would be Champion Titanium Horseshoe Co. and you can see their website below. They produce three main styles of shoe, including the Ride-Ti, Racer-Ti and Eggbar-Ti ("TI-Shoes”). According to the company, titanium shoes support healthier hooves and improve performance. The shoes have the capability to stretch under stress, but will not collapse. The shoes can also dissipate heat as titanium is a poor conductor, and releasing heat to the environment helps blood flow move naturally through the foot ("Titanium's”). Trainers are always icing their horses’ legs to keep the distal limbs cool and reduce any signs of inflammation that can be damaging to the horses’ health and careers. Recently, scientists in Australia developed a titanium shoe created through 3-D printing technology. While they are much more expensive than an aluminum shoe, this titanium shoe weighed only half the amount of an aluminum shoe (approximately 1 pound) (H, Jackson, 2013). This process is still a work-in-progress as the horse that has tested the shoes, Titanium Prints, has not raced meaning it is still unknown how the decreased weight will affect performance (H, Jackson, 2013). Even with the untested performance, in the future, titanium may be the new aluminum.
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Chiaramonte, Mildred, and Leonard E. Preiss, Sr. HORSESHOES MADE FROM TITANIUM ALLOY COMPOSITIONS. Patent 4,901,871. 30 May 1978. Print.