There was a time when diagnosing lameness was basic-watch the horse travel, determine where you think the problem might be, and take a guess at what’s causing it. Then came X rays, ultrasound, CT (computed tomography) scans, scintigraphy (bone
“Previous gait analysis systems were based on computer images that were sometimes misleading,” said Keoughan. “This system will enable us to optimize hoof balance and comfort leading to heightened performance and success.”
When a group of people are standing at the barn watching a “lame” horse move, many of you will say he’s lame in different legs. How do you know who’s right? If it makes you feel any better, picking out the source of lameness isn’t always easy fo
The annual convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, held in San Antonio, Texas, in early December 2006, had three sessions devoted to foot care that were open to farriers. Following are synopses of some of those presentations
There has been a long journey over a relatively short span of time in the world of equine gait analysis. The first studies utilized high-speed cameras and a treadmill and took place at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences some 35 years
Several lameness problems can exist in the rear (palmar) half of a horse’s foot; most bear the very general title of “heel pain.” The real problem is that without very careful diagnosis, lameness in this general area might be attributed to the
The prevention and treatment of lameness were among the many subjects discussed at the 2006 AAEP Convention. Experts addressed topics such as oral joint supplements, nutraceuticals, shock wave effects, intrasynovial anesthesia (joint blocks), lameness evaluation under saddle, osteoporosis risk, imaging diagnostics, the pros and cons of shoeing, and joint disease.
A large group of horses that developed clinical signs of navicular disease during the six months prior to exam were scanned with MRI. These horses demonstrated typical signs of bilateral forelimb lameness, sensitivity to hoof testers over the middle
Barbaro’s death might lead one to think that despite the best veterinary care available, horses with severe leg injuries and/or laminitis are unrecoverable and should be immediately destroyed. But one equine veterinarian says that couldn’t be further
Locomotion is at the very heart of what most domesticated horses do for a living. The way a horse moves (specifically) often is taken for granted. Locomotion is directly linked to conformation as it dictates “the way a horse moves.”
Horses that had intermittent lameness; pointing a foot; soreness to hoof testers over the frog; shifting leg lameness; contracted, upright feet; and stabbing toes, shortened stride movement were candidates for Navicular Disease.
This system will allow a practitioner to diagnose a horse in the field while trotting in hand, being ridden, or longeing, whereas video-based motion-capture technology (if adequate numbers of strides are evaluated) is restricted to a lab and is very
Locomotion is at the very heart of what most domesticated horses do for a living. The way a horse moves (specifically) often is taken for granted. Locomotion is directly linked to conformation as it dictates “the way a horse moves.”
Both horse owners and veterinarians spend a lot of time observing horses for lameness, but not all observers perceive lameness the same. Sometimes this is because of a less than clear understanding of equine biomechanics. Researchers such as
As the old saying goes, knowledge is power. Nuclear scintigraphy and MRI evaluation proved their worth yet again in this study by giving information about the exact nature and location of these horses’ injuries, which helped practitioners select the
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