Recent News for Limb Anatomy & Physiology
Article
Saddle Pads: Best Shock Absorber Identified in Study
August 02, 2011
Researchers recently examined what saddle pad material is best suited for reducing equine back pressure.... Read More
Article
Long Toes in Horses: A Pain in the Butt?
May 03, 2011
Your equine athlete's performance hasn't been blue ribbon-worthy as of late. Or maybe your broodmare's gaits are looking a little off kilter. Could long toes on the hind feet be to blame? According to the results of a recent study, the answer in some... Read More
Article
Link Between Chronic Pain and Aggression in Horses Identified
April 11, 2011
Anyone who's suffered from chronic aches and pains will likely say the ever-present irritation can put a damper on their day, possibly even making them cranky. But is the same true for horses? A group of French researchers recently completed a study ... Read More
Article
Prosthetic Limbs for Horses: A Closer Look
April 10, 2011
Horses have traditionally been considered obligate four-legged animals; however, the dogma is changing. ... Read More
Article
Diagnosing Equine Bone Fragility Syndrome (AAEP 2011)
April 08, 2011
Clearly defined diagnostic criteria could help veterinarians detect BFS earlier and more accurately.... Read More
Article
Diagnosing and Treating Back Pain in the Sport Horse (AAEP 2010)
February 01, 2011
"Back problems can be performance-limiting in the horse due to pain and reduced range of motion and flexibility," reported Kent Allen, DVM, of Virginia Equine Imaging, as he presented on equine back pain at the 2010 American Association of Equine ... Read More
Article
Equine Navicular Disease
January 01, 2011
The navicular bone, a small, boat-shaped bone nestled deep in the protective womb of the hoof, only measures approximately 6 cm wide and 2 cm deep (top to bottom) in an average 1,200-pound horse, so how can such a small bone be such a nuisance?... Read More
Article
Bone Spavin Researchers: Alcohol Joint Fusion Effective (AAEP 2010)
December 29, 2010
Bone spavin in horses, or osteoarthritis of the distal tarsal (lower hock) joints, is a "common cause of equine lameness, resulting in lost training days and limiting affected horses' careers," says James Carmalt, MA, VetMB, MVetSc, FRCVS, Dipl. ABVP... Read More
Article
Large and Small Animal Veterinarians Work Together to Save Foal
December 20, 2010
When a Quarter Horse colt born with a severely deformed right hind limb arrived at the University of Florida's Large Animal Hospital last May, equine veterinarians recognized that traditional methods used for straightening abnormal legs in foals... Read More
Article
Genetics of Swayback in Saddlebred Horses Examined
December 20, 2010
The gene responsible for causing the swaybacked appearance of many American Saddlebred horses might be playing an advanced game of "hide and go seek," but genetic researchers at the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center are one step ... Read More
Article
Sudden Conformation Change in an Aged Mare
December 01, 2010
Q: My 20-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare has been in extensive training and showing since she was four and has been awarded high honors in breeding quality status. However, over the past two years she has become increasingly over at the knee ... Read More
Article
Ringbone in Horses
November 01, 2010
Thanks to advancements in treatment, ringbone is no longer Âautomatically career-ending.... Read More
Article
Horse Conformation Conundrums
October 01, 2010
A horse needs to be put together properly, but does he need to be put together perfectly?... Read More
Article
Once-Paralyzed Foal Now Walking Freely
August 03, 2010
Vitelle, the once-paralyzed filly, is finally walking, trotting, and cantering without a walker at the farm in Belgium she left more than a year ago. In June 2009, at 3 weeks old, the Boulonnais Draft horse foal developed sudden paralysis and urinary... Read More
Article
Vets Assess Back Pain, Vertebral Lesions in Trotting Horses
March 29, 2010
In a retrospective study of 118 French Trotters, a team of veterinarians found that horses with back pain had more severe and localized lesions identifiable on X ray than horses with no evidence of back pain, but even pain-free horses had lesio... Read More
Article
Improve Regional Limb Perfusion of Antibiotics in Horses
January 27, 2010
The equine lower limb can be a notoriously difficult part of the horse to treat with systemic antibiotics, mainly because the limited blood supply in this area makes it tough to deliver enough antibiotic to be effective. One option for getting ... Read More
Article
Carpometacarpal Osteoarthritis in Horses Reviewed
January 09, 2010
Osteoarthritis of the carpometacarpal joint (the lower joint space of the knee in a horse's front leg) is a debilitating and life-threatening condition. However, surgically fusing the joint appears to be a viable treatment option in affected ... Read More
Article
Rider Position, Horse Back Movement Evaluated
December 22, 2009
A rising trot is less loading to a horse's back than a sitting trot, producing less vertical force as measured through new biomechanical techniques, according to Dutch researchers. From the kinematic data of 13 riders on two horses, scientists were ... Read More
Article
Investigating Platelet-Rich Plasma for Equine Tendon Injuries
September 09, 2009
Asingle injection of platelet-rich plasma appears beneficial for acute clinical tendon injuries in horses, report a group of scientists from The Netherlands. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a fraction of whole blood that contains a... Read More
Article
Paralyzed Foal Recovering after Surgery, Therapy
August 25, 2009
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... Read More
Article
Saddle Pad Research Shows Variable Changes in Rider Pressure
August 12, 2009
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... Read More
Article
Horses' Sleep 'Stay Apparatus' Can Cause Limb to Lock
August 11, 2009
It might be nice to doze off while waiting in the checkout line at the grocery store, but unlike horses, humans cannot sleep standing up. Having evolved to flee in an instant, horses are equipped with a "stay apparatus" that allows them to remai... Read More
Article
Equine Leg Wounds: Should You Bandage?
August 05, 2009
Managing wounds on the lower limbs of horses can be expensive, frustrating, and wrought with complications. ... Read More
Article
Molly the Pony to Visit Ohio State Vet School
July 22, 2009
Molly the Pony, one of the world's only prosthesis-wearing ponies, will be visiting The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine Aug. 6 from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Visitors will have the chance to hear the presentation "It's All About Molly" at 5... Read More
Article
Rider Pressure Affects Horse Tack Evaluation
July 11, 2009
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... Read More
