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Articles ( * = TheHorse.com members only )Date Posted
Paralyzed Foal Recovering after Surgery, Therapy   *
A once-paralyzed foal is now up and running about with the help of an equine "walker" following a groundbreaking surgery to remove a cyst from the spinal cord, according to the treating veterinarians in Belgium. The Boulonnais draft horse filly, "Vittel," underwent surgical laminectomy of the L2/L3 vertebrae at one month old on July 3, one week after ... Read full story
 8/25/2009
Saddle Pad Research Shows Variable Changes in Rider Pressure  *
Saddle pads might help reduce painful pressure on a horse's back caused by ill-fitting saddles, but the ideal pad will vary from horse to horse and from saddle to saddle, according to a new study by Austrian researchers. Optimum pressure relief will also depend on the discipline and even the gait, said primary study author Anja Kotschwar, DVM, research ... Read full story
 8/12/2009
Rider Pressure Affects Horse Tack Evaluation   *
The force a rider exerts on the horse's back will shift depending on his or her position and should be included in any evaluation of tack pressure, researchers recently reported. "You need a force that is distributed over a certain area to make a good evaluation of the saddle pressure, therefore saddle measurements should be performed with a rider," ... Read full story
 7/11/2009
Scoliosis in Adult Equines
Q: I purchased my Thoroughbred gelding when he was 5 years old. Within the next two years we were doing really well at entry level dressage. He looked and behaved fantastically. Then the problems started. As I ride on my own and hadn't had this problem before, it took me a while to figure out that his refusing to go (forward), bucking, and general ... Read full story
 7/1/2009
Researchers Examine Effects of Rider Stability  *
Austrian researchers have reported that the stability of a rider’s seat affects the forces acting on a horse’s back. Using an electronic pressure mat placed under a dressage saddle, scientists with the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna’s Movement Science Group measured the forces created when an experienced rider rode 10 different sound horses ... Read full story
 5/22/2009
AAEP 2008: Sacroiliac Joint Motion and Pelvic Deformation   *
An equine athlete uses the pelvis and sacroiliac (SI) joint in many different fashions: A rope horse uses the pelvis to rapidly accelerate and decelerate, a Standardbred races at high speed at a constrained gait, and a dressage horse exercises with repetitive and isometric control of his haunches. Furthermore, a vaulting horse is constrained to a circle, ... Read full story
 3/29/2009
AAEP 2008: Acquired Scoliosis in Equids   *
Scoliosis, a curvature of the spine, is most often attributed to congenital vertebral malformations, possibly associated with malposition of the fetus in the uterus. However, researchers have linked cases of acquired scoliosis presented at Cornell University to migration of a parasite only recently reported in horses. Amy Johnson, DVM, a resident in ... Read full story
 3/17/2009
AAEP 2008: Equine Bone Fragility Syndrome   *
Women aren't the only ones suffering from decreased bone density and bone mass loss--horses in Central California have experienced a systemic osteoporotic disorder At the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., Amanda Murray, DVM, MPVM, of the University of California, Davis, presented a paper ... Read full story
 3/13/2009
Funny Cide to Get First Real Rest at Horse Park  *
When Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide is welcomed at the Kentucky Horse Park this Friday, Dec. 5, it will signal a new era of complete retirement and rest for a phenomenal athlete. "Funny has really been in training or working almost his entire life," noted assistant trainer Robin Smullen. The chestnut gelding will turn nine on April ... Read full story
 12/4/2008
Risk Factors for Spinal Cord Compression Found   *
A triad of factors, namely sex, breed, and age, are all associated with the development of cervical vertebral compressive myelopathy (CVCM) according to one of the latest studies published by researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. "CVCM is a catch-all phrase for cervical lesions that ... Read full story
 11/28/2008
Equine Bone Fragility Disorder Reported in California  *
Veterinary researchers at the University of California, Davis, are working to classify a newly observed bone fragility disorder that might prove to be the culprit behind some cases of intermittent chronic lameness that have no other explanation. After an extensive review of medical records from horses examined at the university's Veterinary Medical ... Read full story
 6/28/2008
Michigan State Opens Equine Back Pain Clinic  *
"Oh, my aching back!" It's a complaint heard worldwide and one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor or miss work. So, it's not hard to imagine what a horse with back pain might feel like. Unfortunately, very few veterinarians are equipped to comprehensively diagnose and treat back pain in horses. In mid-June, Michigan State University's ... Read full story
 6/9/2008
Neck Problems in Sport Horses  *
Remember the last time you rolled out of bed in the morning feeling like you must have slept with your neck contorted like a noodle? The lingering stiffness lasts all day, making simple things like dressing and driving a pain. Now, imagine you're a horse with neck pain--consider how uncomfortable it would be to move in a frame, on the bit, to flex ... Read full story
 5/11/2008
Sacroiliac Injection Technique  *
The sacroiliac joint, which forms the articulation between the pelvis and the spine, is often considered as a location of elusive pain in horses. However, its deep location and, thereby, limited accessibility make diagnosis (via nerve blocks) and injection-based treatment difficult. At the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, ... Read full story
 4/15/2008
Reducing Back Sensitivity  *
Back pain is often suspected in horses, but most treatments haven't been researched much or at all. Results of a study designed to measure the effects of massage, chiropractic, and phenylbutazone (Bute) on back sensitivity were presented at the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in Orlando, Fla. Kevin Haussler, ... Read full story
 3/30/2008
Diagnosing Coxofemoral Subluxation with Ultrasound  *
Subluxation (partial dislocation) of the coxofemoral joint between the femur and pelvis in horses is rare; only two cases have been reported in the literature. However, six cases were seen at the University of California, Davis, in a three-year period, suggesting that perhaps this problem is somewhat more common than previously thought. At the 2007 ... Read full story
 3/28/2008
Higher Silicate-Associated Osteoporosis Risk in Some Regions  *
Silicosis in horses is a respiratory condition caused by exposure to certain types of silicate dust that are found in some geographic regions. While silicosis is not a commonly diagnosed equine ailment in most areas of the country, Matthew Durham, DVM, of Steinbeck Country Equine Clinic in Salinas, Calif., said he sees cases far too often in his practice. ... Read full story
 7/19/2007
Special Report: Anatomy and Physiology
Want to know how your horse’s body works? Find out in The Horse's 12-part Anatomy and Physiology series, sponsored by the American Association of Equine Veterinary Technicians (AAEVT), Classic Medical, OCD Equine, and Succeed. You can download these PDF files separately or as one file at no charge. We hope you enjoy these educational articles. SPONSORED ... Read full story
 4/19/2007
The Equine Back: Conformation and Injuries  *
Horses have been carrying burdens on their backs since man discovered that he could cover more ground faster while riding a horse as opposed to striding along on his own two legs. Man also discovered that it was far less strenuous to pack a load on a horse's back rather than on his own. The horse's spinal column starts at the poll and ... Read full story
 7/1/2006
Biomechanical Efficiency   *
The horse is an amazing athlete, with great speed and endurance considering his body size and weight. For the past 20 years, researchers have evaluated what makes the equine locomotive system so efficient for racing and other strenuous performance activities. But why are some horses better, more efficient movers than others? Hilary Clayton, BVMS, ... Read full story
 10/1/2005
Medical Messengers--British Equine Veterinary Association   *
The annual meeting of the British Equine Veterinary Association provided a wealth of information on topics ranging from tendons and ligaments to muscle diseases, from disorders of the back to conformation. Sue Dyson, MA, VetMB, PhD, DEO, FRCVS, president of BEVA and a member of the Centre for Equine Studies at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, ... Read full story
 10/8/2001
Back To Work--The Equine Spine  *
Think of your fondest memory of a time spent with a horse. Chances are you were going for a ride, enjoying the scenery and the companionship that exists between horse and human. It is no wonder that with the time we endeavor to spend on our horses' backs, we spend thousands of dollars each year to pamper them--gel pads, foam pads, air pads, saddles ... Read full story
 3/1/2001
Solving Equine Back Pain  *
A recent survey published in England revealed that 70% of all sport horses sustain at least one musculo-skeletal disorder in any training season. In the past few years, horse health professionals have expressed the need for better and more definitive ways to treat back soreness in horses and to be able to differentiate between lameness caused by injury ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Conformation in Horses  *
Conformation...what does it mean? If you've spent any time around horses or horse people, you've heard this word or related words used again and again. "Wow, that horse has great conformation!" or "My trainer said not to buy that horse because he has such horrible conformation--he won't hold up." Conformation is discussed ... Read full story
 10/1/2000
Sports Medicine Meeting  *
The 17th annual meeting of the Association for Equine Sports Medicine was held in Leesburg, Va., from March 5-8. The meeting was attended by 400 veterinarians, sports physiology researchers, as well as others interested in equine health. The meeting offered topics ranging from how stall housing can impair bone development in young horses, to diagnostic ... Read full story
 6/1/1998
Equine Back Problems  *
Equine back problems are common, particularly in performance horses. The conditions involved can be primary or can result from lameness, ill-fitting tack, or even inadequate schooling. It is noteworthy that the most common reason for presentation of a back problem is poor performance rather than pain. Despite the availability of sophisticated clinical ... Read full story
 5/1/1998
Saddle Fit  *
Wearing boots or shoes that don't fit properly can be both uncomfortable and painful. So much so, in fact, that few of us will tolerate the condition. Instead, we quickly will locate or purchase footwear that is comfortable. The good news is that as articulate humans with, generally speaking, enough disposable income available, we not only can express ... Read full story
 5/1/1998




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