Recent News for Limb Anatomy & Physiology
Article
On the Forehand
March 01, 2006
The foreleg of the horse is, for the most part, a model of good engineering. It is structured in such a fashion that the horse can move slowly or at speed with the concussion of each footfall minimized by a sophisticated shock absorbing system.... Read More
Article
AAEP Convention 2005: Forelimb Conformation of the Growing Thoroughbred
February 16, 2006
University of Wisconsin researchers have shown that certain forelimb characteristics in the growing foal are associated with higher birth weights, and a foal's carpal (knee) conformation is associated with the carpal conformation of both of its... Read More
Article
AAEP Convention 2005: Forelimb Conformation and Race Performance
February 16, 2006
Straight conformation in the forelimb doesn't necessarily beget a more successful racehorse. This is what a research group from the University of Wisconsin's School of Veterinary Medicine discovered in a recent study. However, the group also... Read More
Article
Biomechanical Efficiency
October 01, 2005
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... Read More
Article
Sales Integrity Program Committee Addresses Concerns Over Surgery Disclosure
August 02, 2005
The monitoring committee for the Sales Integrity Program is taking action to address some consignors' concerns about how the Thoroughbred auction industry will handle the disclosure of invasive joint surgeries and other procedures designed to... Read More
Article
Conformation of Racehorses
May 01, 2005
In her study, nearly all racing-bred Thoroughbred foals were carpus valgus (knock-kneed) at birth, many toed out, and a few had offset knees. But at about 18 months of age, nearly two-thirds had offset knees and the incidence of knock knees ... Read More
Article
Joint Cartilage Adaptation in Young Horses
April 22, 2005
It is widely believed that exercise and limb-loading in foals help joint cartilage functionally adapt to the rigors of athletic activity. In 2005, Dutch researchers set out to find out if they could verify the concept of functional adaptation of... Read More
Article
Forelimb Conformation and the Thoroughbred Racehorse
March 15, 2005
"What is the relationship between conformation and performance, and what can we do to impact it?" These questions have been asked by those focused on performance in many species, and they were the focus of one presentation by Liz Santschi, DVM,... Read More
Article
Conformation Development in Growing Thoroughbreds
February 18, 2005
Selection of Thoroughbred horses for racing and breeding is based primarily on equine performance, pedigree, and phenotype (physical characteristics). Although conformation plays a critical role in the evaluation of horses, current methods of... Read More
Article
Evaluating Saddle Fit
February 04, 2005
The initial saddle fit examination begins with evaluation of the horse's back, including a fingertip exploration of the entire area under the saddle to identify any bumps caused by friction or areas of localized pain or swelling, he said. Also, the h... Read More
Article
Conformation And Racing Problems (AAEP 2003)
February 23, 2004
Genetics, racing surface, number of starts, age of the horse, pre-existing disease, conformation, and trauma have all been implicated as potential factors in the cause of racing and training injuries.... Read More
Article
Shoeing in the Frontal and Horizontal Planes
April 16, 2003
When evaluating horseshoeing, many people don't look at the hoof correctly, according to Hans Castelijns, DVM and farrier based in Italy. "There are the sagittal, frontal, and horizontal planes (illustrationincluded in this story)," he sai... Read More
Article
The Right Saddle for the Job
April 01, 2003
What is good saddle fit? Simply put, it involves a saddle--English or Western--that spreads weight evenly on the longissimus dorsi muscles along either side of the spine. This well-fit saddle has clearance over the withers and doesn't impede movement... Read More
Article
Bouncing Knees a Problem?
November 01, 2001
I have a 6-year-old Quarter Horse gelding that I trail ride in the mountains. He is noticeably "over at the knees." Often while riding, one knee or the other will wobble forward and back when we pause. He doesn't appear lame or swollen, but... Read More
Article
The Equine Foot -- Form and Function
October 15, 2001
There is an adage that is as old as the modern-day horse. It goes something like this: No foot, no horse. My late father, who could pick out a minute leg or foot unsoundness at a glance, used to lecture his young son about the importance of good... Read More
Article
Joints: Part 1
October 15, 2001
The mechanical engineering involved in the structuring of equine joints is both complex and masterful. Not only do healthy joints allow the horse to move freely, but they also help to effectively absorb concussion, especially when the horse is... Read More
Article
The Rear Leg
October 15, 2001
This month we shall begin a discussion of the rear leg: conformation, function, problems. There is at least one good reason to start with the rear rather than the foreleg. It seems to be the case that as man selects certain animals to breed to... Read More
Article
Focus on Discipline: Hunters/Jumpers
October 10, 2001
Ears forward and eyes fixed, the horse concludes his gallop in front of the fence. He gathers himself and leaps gracefully into the air, clearing the obstacle with ease and landing on the other side of the obstacle to gallop on to the next... Read More
Article
Medical Messengers--British Equine Veterinary Association
October 08, 2001
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,... Read More
Article
Equine Foot Research In America
October 05, 2001
Back in the 1800s, the world really could have used a better hoof on a better horse. History tells us that breeders tried to comply, by including soundness as a criterion for reproduction. Veterinary medicine complied with... Read More
Article
Tendon Injuries in Horses
September 13, 2001
Tendon injuries can be extremely frustrating. The best way to deal with them is to make every effort to prevent them, or if possible, limit the degree of damage that occurs. Certainly some tendon injuries occur acutely without any warning, but... Read More
Article
What's a Splint?
September 01, 2001
There is a bit of benign confusion about the area of the horse's legs that house what most horse owners call the "splint bones." On each side of the metacarpal or metatarsal bones (cannons front and back) is a small bone that is commonly called... Read More
Article
Form and Function of Joints
June 01, 2001
There is a definite correlation between joint angle, hoof flight pattern, and weight bearing. One might even wax a bit poetic and declare that as the joint angles, so flies and lands the hoof. That's where the poetry ends, however, because if... Read More
Article
The Club Foot
June 01, 2001
Q: After seeing the conformation of several weanlings at a sale recently, I noticed that my weanling had a strange-looking foot. On closer examination of his leg, his foot seemed a bit boxy. Will I still be able to sell him... Read More
Article
The Equine Spine--Back To Work
March 01, 2001
First, how can we visualize and understand what's going on under that hair, skin, and muscle? Denoix has diagnostic steps to examine a horse with performance problems that he believes might stem from the spine.... Read More
