Unsoundness in Horses Kane Larsen

Upward Fixation The patella, or "knee cap", which slides along the distal aspect of the femur (thigh bone) during flexion of the joint. The patella slides within a groove (called the trochlear groove) and serves as a fulcrum for the extensor muscles and their tendons as they course over the front of the stifle (or knee) joint If one of these ligaments remains in the hooked position, the horse is unable to bend its hind legs. This condition is known as Upward fixation of the patella and can range from a slight delay in a leg's forward motion to completely locking that freezes a leg for long periods of time.

Why this Happens poor muscle conditioning, excessively straight hind leg conformation, stifle trauma, and debilitation

How to Prevent it Preventing future episodes may include a conditioning program to strengthen and tone the surrounding muscles and a nutritional program to improve the overall health of the horse. Corrective shoeing may also help.

Wind-sucking Windsucking is known as a stereotypy, which is ‘’the constant repetition of certain meaningless gestures or movements.” The horse doesn’t need a solid object to grip onto. It simply opens the mouth, contracts the pharyngeal muscles, flexes the neck muscles and proceeds to swallow or expel air, usually with a noisy grunting sound. Ulcers are just one problem associated with active windsucking behaviour. Windsucking usually develops amongst horses that are stabled for long periods of time The majority of windsuckers are ex-racehorses

Cribbing It involves the horse grabbing a solid object such as the stall door or fence rail with its incisors, then arching its neck, pulling against the object Cribbing is an early warning sign of digestive distress so it would be no surprise if the horse’s condition is poor. It’s usually only a matter of time before something like colic will eventuate. When people say horse cribbing results in colic, weight loss,

Weaving Shifting weight from one side to the other usually the horse does this standing right at the stall door. Visual or physical contact with other horses and optimizing turnout time also can reduce weaving. Also bedding on straw may reduce weaving, perhaps because the horse can forage on straw when other feed isn't available.

Unsoundness of the Limbs Chris Johnston

Fractures Definition: broken bone Range in degrees of seriousness Fracture of any kind causes some degree of lameness, depending on the bone that is fractured Fractures could cause an alteration to the movement of the limb Some fractures of the long bones can be repaired with implants that can withstand massive mechanical force applied to a bone

Navicular Disease Definition: inflammation of navicular bone and bursa Condition causes lingering lameness Should be diagnosed and treated by a vet Exact course of treatment is hard to determine Predispose: hard work, upright pasterns, small feet, and trimming the heels too low Helpful treatment: special shoeing, bar shoes, or pads Navicular nerve can be cut so the horse can no longer feel Many horses have remained useful after nerve cutting

Osselets Definition: soft swellings on the front and sometimes sides of the fetlock joint Caused due to injury to the joint capsule of the fetlock Trauma affects the surface of the bone where the joint capsule attaches to it Often seen in racehorses, especially young ones under a lot of training stress Treatment: rest and hydrotherapy in early stages Vet should be consulted for best treatment route

Pedal Osteitis Caused by chronic inflammation to the coffin bone, usually in the front end Persistent pounding of the feet, chronic sole bruising, or laminitis Detected over the toe of the coffin bone and is caused by decrease in the density of the bone in response to the trauma Commonly associated with laminitis Hoof testers will pick up increased sensitivity, commonly over the toe Treatment: corrective shoeing to take pressure off the sole and toe

Pointing Lameness in the foot or leg will cause “pointing” Pointing refers to a state of rest with one foot positioned about 10 to 12 inches ahead of the other in an effort to reduce weight on the affected side Weight is shifted habitually from one hind limb to the other healthy horses during rest and does not indicate lameness

Equine unsoundness Chance Cunningham

Cracks Cracks in a horses feet can be in the toe, quarter or heel. A crack can be a minor thing. It can also be major if it gets into the hoof wall. Cracks can be a result of poor farrier management, dry weather and long feet.

Quittor An abscess that ruptures at the cornet band. It can be from a puncture from a nail or metal. It can also be from a bacterial infection that gets in the hoof.

Ringbone Osteoarthritis or bony arthritis in horses. Enlargement in the pastern both back and front and also the coffin bone. There is no cure for it.

Sidebones Ossification collateral cartilage of the hoof wall. These are found on either side of the foot protruding above the level of the coronary band.

Examining Horses for Soundness When examining a horse for soundness, sometimes professional assistance is required. By using a system of inspection on your personal horses, this can help by noticing an unsoundness before it becomes a big problem for your horse.

Examining in Natural Surroundings As much as possible, allow the horse to be examined in its own stall, in natural surroundings. This will help keep the horse calm, as well as allow the person examining the horse to also examine the stall for signs of anxiety or that the horse has been uncomfortable in some way.

Leading a Horse Leading a horse from the stall allows you to observe the eyes for normal dilation and color. Backing the horse and observing hock action is a good way to see if they are experiencing stringhalt or crampiness. If the horse has a stilted, sluggish stride, that is a good indication of stiff shoulders or limbs.

A Horse in Motion When examining a horse in motion, checking for lameness is one of the most important unsoundnesses to look for. A bobbing of the head as they come down on their sound limb is a good indication of lameness. They should be examined when cool, when warmed up, and when cooled off again.

Overall Examination When making a general examination, it best for the horse to be at rest. Examining the eyes for cloudiness, the position of the ears for alertness, as well as the mouth for diseased teeth should all be included in this examination. Moving from one side to the next, checking the knees, cannons, and hoof heads for irregularities. Checking the back for strength and coupling. Also examining the shape of the hocks, the leg set from a side view, and observing the symmetry of the hips, thighs, gaskins, and hocks, as well as the position of the feet. A thorough examination combined with a week’s trial will identify almost any unsoundness or blemish.