After spending the weekend with a very intense and multi-faceted case, I am even more driven to find a way to spread the word about whole horse medicine...especially targeting vet students and recent grads in any way possible. Vet school curriculum is targeted at symptomatic treatment - today we will study the hock and all its problems and what you can put in it; tomorrow we will study the stifle and all its problems, and what you can put in it. With little to no discussion or emphasis on why those problems are there in the first place? If a horse is ridden hollow, on the forehand, with imbalanced trimming or shoeing, in an ill-fitting saddle, then you can put as much Legend and Triamcinolone (or IRAP or stem cells) in there as you want, but its not going to address the underlying cause of the whole picture. A horse that is a leg-mover (high-energy flinging from legs and shoulders) as opposed to moving through the circle of muscles including its core and its back, will eventually break down, typically showing problems in the poll, neck, low back, and hind limbs. Suspensory issues are also typical from additional strain from moving on the forehand, or from the hindlimbs being out behind instead of properly lowering the haunches in true collection (not shortening the horse from the front by pulling the neck in with the reins). These horses must be encouraged to stretch and move long and low, forward from behind, and this sometimes requires working from the ground and not from under saddle. Veterinary students need to understand the impact of current training methods on the body of the horse, and how they can advise their clients to make educated changes. Vets need not be gold-medal trainers to do so, but rather have a solid understanding of biomechanics and anatomy - as they should - as licensed veterinarians. Peer-reviewed journal articles are appearing on the effects of head and neck position on the animals, yet low stress-hormone measurements may not be equivalent to repeated 5-6dayperweek training in rollkur or hollow-back with a heavy handed rider using only the curb rein, and a pinching saddle. In each case we must also carefully consider chicken and egg. Its unfair to judge without understanding the whole story from all angles and everyone involved - farrier, saddler, rider, trainer, owner, veterinarian, etc. This helps to maintain professionalism, good relationships, and put the horse first. The horse may be going behind vertical because it has a lameness problem behind that needs to be resolved; alternatively, it may be the curling of the horse in front or repeated lack of engagement that CAUSED the lameness behind. All parts must be evaluated to return the patient to a state of balance. sustainabledressage.net/rollkur/behind_the_vertical.php
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 19:06:28 +0000
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