Among the most highly engineered, finely tuned machines built by man are race cars that zip around the Indianapolis 500 track at speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour. However, even the most perfectly constructed car will develop problems from continued competition. It is much the same with the performance horse and his joints. Even with perfect construction or conformation (which is rare), there still is daily wear and tear that destroys parts or joints. The horse’s joints are designed to effectively absorb shock, allow for frictionless movement, and effectively bear the weight of a body that often weighs 1,200-1,500 pounds or more.

When equine joint injury occurs, you can turn to sophisticated specialists who have devoted their careers to repairing the damage, just as race car drivers can turn to top mechanics. Unfortunately, the equine specialists do not have the luxury of spare parts.

Veterinary science has provided medical and surgical tools for helping repair equine joints, but there will always be the limitation of having to work with what’s there.

In this article about joints and the forces that damage and destroy them, we will examine the types of joints so that we understand the terminology and anatomy. Next we will look at the forces generated by various forms of competition and diagnostics. Finally, we’ll look at treatment