In the world of equine competition, one of the most common injuries we face is injury to the tendons. As an owner, rider and competitor, you are probably already familiar with the position of the horse’s tendon behind the cannon bone, and probably already implement measures to help protect them in your training and daily routine. Measures such as hosing down the legs after work and wearing boots during jumping, lunging or conditioning training sessions are all considered part of good horsemanship.There is no better way to kick off the festive season, than with a great reading list. And while diving into the research articles or textbooks is great, this is really a season when we should be slowing down just a little.
So here are my top Equine Blog recommendations for the readers who want to keep their minds sharp, while still allowing themselves times to rest and be rejuvenated over the festive season!
The Role of the Tongue and Hyoid in Equine Movement
In theory, of course, we know that all parts of the body are connected and that the smallest joint, bone, or dysfunction can have a knock-on effect throughout the whole body. I was curious to see exactly how the tongue and hyoid bone could possibly influence the movement and mechanics of the horse.
Upward Fixation of the Patella, Do I Leave it or Treat it?
According to Jennifer H. Brooks, the stifle is the largest and most complex joint in the horse, and can also be the weakest. The stifle is made up of the joint between the femur and the tibia, and the joint between the femur and the patella.
The Thoracic Sling
The range of motion and optimal function of the forelimb, and specifically the shoulder region, is essential to the success of the horse as an athlete, as the forelimb is attached to the body only through muscle, known as a synsarcosis. This muscular ‘joint’ affects the kinetic chains and fascia of the entire horse. A dysfunction in this area can be highly detrimental to the whole body.
Horses with Shivers
Shivers is a condition affecting large breed horses, including warmbloods, thoroughbreds and draft horses. In the years when horses were used as the primary form of transportation and work, Shivers was common – ‘as common as dirt’, as a 1962 neuropathy textbook states. Geldings over 16.3hh are overrepresented in the population of horses with this condition. It typically develops in horses aged between 2 and 10 years, and most often in horses aged 5 to 7 years.
Girth Pain Syndrome
Riders and owners will know this as girthiness, or something similar – a horse that braces against having the girth tightened, flinches or tries to bite or kick. There are many levels of escalation of this behaviour. Oddly, it is considered the norm in many horses.
Putting a Number on Pain
The first hurdle is that pain is both sensory and emotional (Merskey & Bogduk, 1994). These two aspects need to be considered both separately and together, as we saw in our previous blog, where I looked at the relationship between pain and stress. Stress influences pain, and vice versa (Wagner, 2010).
Stress and Pain – Is there a Link?
Ansi and I had discussed the welfare of animals, and their right to be free of pain and to exhibit natural behaviors. We discussed that chronic pain leads to peripheral and central hypersensitization, and that stress will affect this neural hypersensitization. In further researching the topic, I found Effects of stress on pain in horses and incorporating pain scales for equine practice by Ann E. Wagner, DVM, MS. Below I share some of the insights gleaned from this fascinating study.
Mastering Equine Lameness Indicators
The equine is a magnificently designed creature, with a locomotor system that is functional, energy efficient, graceful and compatible with human needs. It is because of its unique, smooth locomotor system that horses have become partners and companions to humans, enabling us at first just to move from place to place, and later to compete in a variety of sports. Most of us recognize the inherent beauty and worth of horses as intelligent and trustworthy companions, too.
And if you would like to get some blogs out to your clients, these are great:
Why Your Foal Should See a Vetrehabber in the First Weeks of Life
We put great amounts of thought, energy and effort into breeding horses to meet these goals, but once they are born we mostly hope and watch until they are of trainable age. There is so much more, however, that we can and should do.
Why your Equine Athlete Should Have a Vetrehabber on their Team
Riding and competing in any equine sport is nerve wracking, fraught with massive highs and devastating lows. The road to every ribbon is paved with hours of work, brainstorming, strategising, falls, fails, set-backs, personal struggles, financial struggles, and so much more.
5 Signs Your Horse Might Have a Tendon Injury
In the world of equine competition, one of the most common injuries we face is injury to the tendons. As an owner, rider and competitor, you are probably already familiar with the position of the horse’s tendon behind the cannon bone, and probably already implement measures to help protect them in your training and daily routine. Measures such as hosing down the legs after work and wearing boots during jumping, lunging or conditioning training sessions are all considered part of good horsemanship.
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