Equine Mechanix

08/20/2025

I wanted to clarify the historic and current teaching that is supported in the literature and has been confirmed many times to be accurate and true.

The lamellae, very simply described are the superman “Velcro”or springs that attach the coffin bone (P3) to the inside of the hoof wall - the armour of the foot.

In the photo they are the red layer between bone and inner wall.

The dermal lamellae on the inner foot, feed the epidermal lamellae on the inside of the hoof capsule

The epidermal lamellae (think external skin- epidermis) will start just under the coronary groove and end at tge bottom of the hoof wall and at the bottom they form white line

The dermal lamellae- nutrition source) have a defined start and an end.

These lamellae are only present in the location of P3.

They do not appear on the middle phalanx (P2) the bone that forms a joint with P3. Look at the photo as its shows there are no lamellae there on the front of the bone

When the laminae fail in catastrophic laminitis, P3 plunges down due to the weight of the horse above and gravity.

As I understand- and please correct me if you know otherwise, If we are looking at reconnecting P3 to the inner hoof wall, after laminitis, we need to be looking at the right place. The place we should be looking at is new wall growth.

P3 needs to stop slinking and needs to stabilise. Then wall needs to grow and with it, new laminar connections.

I truly feel that we cannot be looking at “new wall and new connections” on X-rays when it’s actually on P2. There are no laminae on P2.

Look at the shape of the coronary groove and the top of P3. In this case the coronary groove is a nice “C” shape. When P3 drops it drags all the other tissues that are attached to it down with it. The papillae in the coronary groove are wrenched from the sockets in the coronary groove. In time, the coronary groove looses that “C” shape and becomes elongated, again, due to the dropping of P3.

07/26/2025

The term "fat leg" is pretty self-explanatory, but do you know the difference between stocking up and cellulitis?

Many horses will "stock up" with subcutaneous edema (fluid swelling) in two or more legs (usually the hind limbs). Stocking up generally results from a significant decrease in exercise and usually resolves as the horse starts exercising again.

Lymphangitis (or vasculitis, big leg disease, staph infection, or cellulitis), however, is a bacterial infection and a dramatically different condition. While its causes may vary, it’s easy to spot once it sets in. The swelling will be extreme, hot, very painful to the touch, and the horse will be depressed due to the fever and discomfort.

If you think your equine friend has cellulitis or even if you're not sure, we encourage you to seek professional help promptly. Your equine practitioner will make the best treatment recommendations, both to reduce swelling and to address any sort of bacterial infection that might be active or that could occur due to the edema in the soft tissue.

04/01/2025

Spots still available!!! Friday has a few private sessions with Laurie Hedlund, myself Rhonda Martin, and Michael Blubaugh!

01/26/2025

❤️❤️❤️

01/26/2025

01/07/2025

🖤Robin Williams🖤 once said: "I think the people who have experienced the most sadness are the ones who are always trying to make other people happy. Because they know firsthand what it's like to feel empty and depressed, and they don't want anyone else to feel that way." 🤍

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01/06/2025

01/05/2025

01/05/2025

01/05/2025

Yes!!!!!!! Turn the snaps towards the horse!

As blanket season is in full force upon us, here is a very important reminder courtesy of the horse doctors at Miamitown Equine Veterinary Services:

"When securing blankets, make sure that the snaps/clips are facing inward, toward the horse! If they are facing out, they can easily become stuck on something, like the hay net in the picture."

09/17/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Kfda5xiJs1b2iRMN/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Long toes only affect the navicular right?

The leg has a series of joints. The metacarpo-phalangeal joint (fetlock), the proximal interphalangeal joint and distal interphalangeal joint (Pastern and coffin). Each one of these joints is a centre of rotation and because of how the digit is not underneath the limb, but in front off, each of these joints is profoundly affected by the distance from its centre of rotation to the point at which the ground acts through the hoof. In the form of the turning force (moment).
An increased turning force must be counteracted by whatever keeps those joints from descending under the load, the tendons AND ligaments.

Hence why long toes affect ALL of the soft tissue structures on the back of the leg. Both tendons and the suspensory!

If you would like this information clarified, explained in simpler terms and would like an introductory lesson in equine digit biomechanics then join myself and The study of the equine hoof on the 3rd Oct at 7pm BST where I will be doing just that.

https://equineeducationhub.thinkific.com/courses/digit-biomechanics-101