b'EDUCATING EQUESTRIANSsite known for nerve compression duespinal cord compression, which causes to bone disorders (especially articularhind-limb weakness and ataxia (incoordi-process joint disease). Thats why she andnation) typical of wobblers syndrome, forINSTILL her fellow researchers chose to experi- example.mentally create nerve root dysfunction atTo demonstrate the kind of lamenessCONFIDENCE.C6-C7 in four healthy French Trotters andassociated with seventh cervical nerve then observe how it affected their gaits. compression at C6-C7, Touzot-Jourde andNaturally reduce or This is a very focused part of the lowerher fellow researchers temporarily anes-neck, and its a difficult area to navigate,thetized this nerve root in their four studyprevent equine stress.she said. The featured area has articularhorses. They identified the nerve, guided processes (projections of vertebrae) thatthe injection process by ultrasound, then form two articular process joints on eitherused contrast radiography (X ray with a side of the adjacent vertebral bodies,special dye) to identify local anesthetic Touzot-Jourde said. These bodies arediffusion in the tissue.very interesting because they allow a lotThey found that these horses had short-of rotational movements to the cervicalened strides and tightened gaits, Touzot-spine, but they can also end up receiving aJourde said. The horses also tended to ex-lot of stress in ridden horses (due to vari- hibit a general lack of shoulder tone. Its ous influences of the rider and exercises). like the shoulder wasnt stuck to the body Repeated stress on joints can lead toanymore, she said. The horse would the development of OA, she added. swing its shoulder out laterally and keep Osteoarthritis at C6-C7 can causeit deviated out while standing and would compression on the seventh cervicalplace the foot too far out to the side whileWhy choose nerve, which is associated with shoul- stepping at the walk. Touzot-Jourde said der and foreleg sensation, she said. Thisthe clinical signs were similar to a motorConfidence EQ?compression isnt to be confused withimpairment of the suprascapular nerve known as Sweeney shoulder. Confidence EQ is an equine appeasing Equally important, however, is whatpheromone 1% gel that has been clinically the horses didnt do, she added. Lame- proven to reduce stress in horses facing new ness due to suprascapular paralysisand challenging environments.(the kind of paralysis resulting from theseventh-nerve injections) didnt lead to loss of balance, stumbling, or fall-ing when testing horses at a walk on30 min 1.Apply 30 min beforea straight line, on uneven ground, up stressful situation.and down a step, and in a short circle, Touzot-Jourde said. This is contrary to what many clinicians have hypothesized, believing stumbling and falling might2.Open the gel packet.be linked to C6-C7 pathology (disease or damage), she added.No horses actually fell or even stumbled, despite having such reduced3.Put gel on fingers.sensation in this area, she said. They really adapted their locomotion and body position to be balanced; we might be un-COURTESY DR. GWENOLA TOUZOT-JOURDEderestimating horses ability to do that.Part of a larger study, Touzot-Jourdes4.Applyof packet toresearch could help shed light on causes each nostriland features of various kinds and sources of lameness, especially when lameness has a neurologic cause.Neurology in horses is still a prettyVisit ConfidenceEQ.com for emerging discipline, and studying themore information.As the study horse puts weight on his right fore- characteristics of lameness caused by dif- Confidence EQ is a registered trademark of IRSEA.limb, his right shoulder and elbow get displacedferent types of conditions can help point away from the thorax. To compensate for the in-stability, he shifts his weight to the other limbsus in the right direction for diagnostic by curving his neck and head to the left. screening, she said.H Global Excellence in Animal HealthTheHorse.com|The HorseFebruary 202039ISES_WrapUp.indd 39 1/3/20 10:18 AM'