Autumn Laminitis: Prepare to Prevent--Instead of Treat--Seasonal Flair-Ups of Endocrine Conditions in Horses

This is what a foot looks like after laminitis...could this damage and deformation have been prevented? In Great Britain, a study found that 43 percent of horse owners waited more than a week after suspecting laminitis before seeking veterinary intervention. (Boehringer Ingelheim photo)

If Labor Day is over, can autumn laminitis season be far behind?

This summer's drought has been relieved in some states, but many of the horses in the United States are standing in parched pastures, munching on hay, as they have been all summer. The drought put a quick end to the grazing season in many states, and horse owners have been saddled with increased hay bills.

Horse owners who grow their own hay found that they were feeding it as soon as they baled it. Second cuttings were poor in many areas. And a third cutting probably isn't even going to happen.

Fall rains usually send a dark green growth spurt up through brown pastures and with this signal comes the warning to horse owners that the fall can be just as dangerous as spring for horses to develop laminitis as they gorge on the grass.

This video from the British Veterinary Association's Animal Welfare Foundation is a quick primer on the general disease of laminitis and features veterinarian Ben Mayes, president of the British Equine Veterinary Association.

Recent research has shown us that the lush grass does not, by itself, cause laminitis. If two horses had a grazing contest, it's possible neither of them would develop laminitis no matter how much they eat.

But if one or both horses has an endocrine system vulnerable to cycling hormones that may cause laminitis when and if they are pushed, the results can be a stretched white line, hoof rings, a gimpy gait, or full-fledged laminitis.

The time to be vigilant is now, while it is still technically summer and the nights are still pretty warm. But across the country, night-time temperatures are dipping, and snow will soon be showing up on high peaks of the mountains.

Laminitis is a wholly preventable disease, and in the case of endocrine-related laminitis, it is part of a larger syndrome that indicates the horse may have a problem in the way the body processes glucose, in that the condition of insulin resistance prevents normal glucose metabolism or that circulating hormones are elevated by pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID).

Is this your perception of a horse with Cushings syndrome (PPID)? While there are still plenty of older horses with the problem out there, the obvious change in hair coat is not seen in the early-teens horses whose blood tests yield information about high levels of the pituitary hormone ACTH. (Photo © Dr. Christian Bingold, Pferdeklinik Großostheim, used with permission)

Some of the recommended management suggestions include evaluating a horse's weight and condition and stepping up the exercise for horses kept at pasture during the fall months when risk is increased.

Another simple thing that horseowners can do is get their hay tested. Some hay can have as much or even more sugar than pasture grass. Soaking hay or feeding lower calorie hay to horses with higher laminitis risk quotients may be helpful.

Additionally, horse owners can ask for help from farriers this time of year. Ask to see or photograph the horse's feet after they have been trimmed--is the white line tight or is it stretched? Are there red spots in the line? Ask the farrier if the hoof wall is smooth and healthy or if it is ridged and has "fever rings" that are telltales of some disruption in the horse's diet or metabolism in recent months.

Finally, testing a horse's ACTH levels is now recommended to be done in the fall. Boehringer Ingelheim, manufacturers of the PPID medication Prascend, has recommended that the testing for Cushing's be done in the fall, when differences in test results would be most evident.

Dr. Don Walsh of the Animal Health Foundation explains the basic tenets of laminitis prevention, including insulin resistance and Cushings syndrom (PPID) in this brief video.

Current thinking and evidence suggests that 90 percent of laminitis cases occur as a result of an underlying hormonal condition(1,2) such as Cushing’s disease (PPID) or Equine Metabolic Syndrome. With this in mind, owners - particularly those with a horse over 10 years of age - are being urged to get their horses tested for Cushing’s as soon as possible if they suspect that the horse may be suffering from laminitis, or even if it simply appears a little foot-sore.

Despite the severity of laminitis, only two-thirds of laminitis cases reported by owners in Great Britain were treated by a veterinarian (3) and, in one study, 43 percent of horse owners waited more than a week after suspecting laminitis before seeking veterinary intervention (4).

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica's data shows that one third of laminitic middle aged horses (defined as between the ages of 10 and 15 years) test positive for PPID (Cushing's)(5).

Over 3,100 horses were tested for Cushings as part of the company's Talk about Laminitis campaign in Great Britain during the spring of 2012. The pharmaceutical company is offering free testing for Cushing's in Great Britain again this fall, thanks to the Redwings Horse Sanctuary, which is providing funding.

Horse owners may have to pay for the ACTH and insulin resistance tests in the United States, but there is no price that can be put upon the peace of mind of knowing more about a horse's potential risk for laminitis.

To learn more:
Visit the Animal Health Foundation laminitis web site and watch more videos there.
Boehringer Ingelheim's "Talk About Laminitis" web site is meant for British horse owners, but most of the information is relevant worldwide; Prascend is available in the USA.
Read "Six Steps to Prevent Autumn Laminitis".
Plan to attend the Laminitis West conference in Monterey, California in November 2012.

References from the text:

1. Donaldson, M.T., Jorgensen, A.J.R and Beech, J. (2004) Evaluation of suspected pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in horses with laminitis.  Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 224, 1123-1127.
2. Karikoski, N.P., Horn. I., McGowan. T.W. and McGowan, C.M. (2011) The prevalence of endocrinopathic laminitis among horses presented for laminitis at a first-opinion/referral equine hospital. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 41,111-117.
3. Ireland, J.L., Clegg, P.D., McGowan, C.M., McKane, S.A., Pinchbeck, G.L., 2011.  A cross-sectional study of geriatric horses in the United Kingdom Part 2: health care and disease.  Equine Veterinary Journal 43, 37-44.
4. Knowles, E.J., Withers, J.M. and Mair, T.S. (2012) Increased plasma fructosamine concentrations in laminitic horses. Equine Veterinary Journal 44, 226-229.
5. Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica. Resting ACTH results of 724 horses aged 10 to 15 years. 

Do you know your way around the inner hoof wall? This wall chart will remind you of the layers of sensitive and insensitive tissue that make up the hoof capsule. Click this text to go to the ordering page.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.  

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any direct compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than Hoofcare Publishing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital's Dr. Scott Hopper: Voices from the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration

Video courtesy of NewsChannel 5;
Background: The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is going on this week in Shelbyville, Tennessee. US Department of Agriculture veterinarians are on hand to inspect horses for evidence of "soring", the illegal practice of artificially enhancing a horse's gait. Also on hand are representatives of local organizations who are conducting their own inspections to see if they agree with the USDA results.

Dr. Stephen Mullins, president of the local inspection group SHOW, says that USDA inspectors issued five times as many citations in the first six days of this year’s Celebration as in all 11 days of last year’s, according to the Nashville newspaper, The Tennessean.

This week, a press conference was held to publicly inspect two of the horses rejected by the USDA. This is shown in the video.
On August 30, the Walking Horse Report conducted an interview with Scott Hopper, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS from Rood + Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. The Walking Horse Report has kindly agreed to allow the interview to be printed on The Hoof Blog.

Dr. Hopper was at The Celebration on the first Thursday through Sunday nights of the Celebration and will be in attendance all three championship nights.

Dr Hopper of Rood and Riddle
Equine Hospital, Lexington, KY

Dr. Hopper is a graduate of the University Wisconsin – Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, holds a Masters degree from Washington State University, is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and currently works as a surgeon and partner at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, where he is head of the Rood & Riddle Stem Cell Lab.

Q - During your inspection of the horses after they were disqualified by USDA VMOs, did you find horses that should have been allowed to show?

A – I looked at approximately 30 horses the first four nights of the Celebration and yes many of these horses should have been allowed to show. The biggest area of concern I had was with the palpation of horses and those deemed sore by USDA VMOs. Approximately 70% of those cases, I disagreed with the VMOs and found nothing wrong with those horses. My initial exam was similar to those performed by the DQPs and VMOs and I could not elicit any response. I went one step further and performed a more aggressive deep palpation of the horse’s lower limb and again I could not elicit a response. These horses should have been allowed to show.

Q – In your opinion, is the scar rule being interpreted as the “Understanding the Scar Rule” pamphlet distributed as the training manual to VMOs and the industry HIOs?

A – No it is not. The scar rule is a very subjective rule and is not being applied consistently.

Q – On those horses disqualified for scar rule violations, would you in your professional opinion, deem those horses sore?

A – A scar rule violation could be called and the horse show zero signs of soring, nor would it necessarily mean this horse had been sored in the past.

Q – Given that to be a scar rule violation the horse must show bilateral (both feet) scarring, did you see horses called out that only had unilateral (one foot) tissue change?

A – Yes, many of the horses I looked at did not have any evidence of a scar rule violation in one foot and would be questionable on the second foot

Q – Of those horses that you inspected and those you saw enter inspection, in your opinion is soring required to participate?

A – I don’t believe that horses need to be sored to perform at a high level at the Celebration. Of the horses I examined I saw no signs of abuse. If any owner or trainer believes that this is still necessary then they should be banned from the profession, because there is no place for it anymore.

The Walking Horse National Celebration attracts thousands of spectators. Photo by Stephanie Graves.

Q – Would you be a proponent of more objective testing rather than the existing subjective inspections?

A – The industry needs to do everything it can to end soring. Yes, technology should be used to implement science-based, objective testing. The current inspections are very subjective, inconsistently applied and result in many unfair disqualifications. Sound horses are the only horses that should be allowed to show; but more importantly sound training methods should be the methods used in both the barns and at the show.

Q – Would you be willing to work with reformers in the industry to help restore the proud tradition of the Tennessee Walking Horse?

A – I have worked on many walking horses at Rood & Riddle, performing surgeries and lameness exams, and I know firsthand what a wonderful breed of horse the Tennessee Walking Horse is and can be. I have volunteered to serve in a capacity to help and would be willing to help with industry reformers that have a goal of ending soring and maintaining the welfare of the Tennessee Walking Horse.

Q – Is there a problem with soring in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry?

A – There are cheaters in every sport that think they can beat the system but I have no doubt that the inspections at The Celebration are doing everything they can to catch these individuals and put an end to soring. I did not see a problem with soring during my four nights inspecting horses at The Celebration.

Q – Who contacted you about inspecting horses at The Celebration?
A – Representatives from the Tennessee Walking Show Horse Organization contacted me through a mutual friend Dr. John Bennett. They asked me to come and examine horses to get my objective opinion on what I saw in horses that were disqualified from participation.

Q – Is it possible with improper palpation of horses to have movement indicative of soring when in fact the improper palpation is the reason for the movement of the horses foot?

A – It is definitely possible to make any horse move if that is the goal. Improper palpation techniques can be used to induce movement which does not mean that the horse is sore.

Q – Are those techniques being used in inspection?

A – I cannot speak to that directly as I am not directly involved during those initial inspections, however I would say several horses disqualified for sensitivity to palpation immediately came to me and I could not get the horses to show any sign of sensitivity to palpation, even when I aggressively palpated those horses. Palpating the limbs of lame horses is what I do for a living, if a horse was sore I would know it.

Original article appeared on the Walking Horse Report web site.

The Hoof Blog hopes to also have an interview with Dr. Tracy Turner, who is at the Celebration acting as a consultant to the USDA.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.  

Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofcareJournal

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any direct compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than Hoofcare Publishing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Back to School Video: Motion Capture, Equine Biomechanics and the Future of Horse Sports

Qualisys demonstrated its 3D gait analysis system at the International Conference for Equine Locomotion (ICEL) at Stromsholm, Sweden this summer.

It's back to school time in the USA. And it affects all of us. Maybe it's seeing all those three-ring binders in day-glo colors in the stores. Maybe it's the traffic jam around the mall. Maybe it's seeing little kids "learning" how to wait for the school bus.

But "back to school" resonates in each and every one of us, whether we are conscious of it or not. This time of year, our thoughts turn to self-improvement. Taking a class. Getting our lives in order. Clearing out the clutter. Making a plan. Finally learning Photoshop.

Maybe, like New Year's resolutions, the plans fall apart or fade. After all, for most of us it is a case of "back to work", not "back to school".

If you're looking for a secure future in the world of hoofcare and lameness, it is likely to involve some form of gait analysis or motion capture, and it's not too far off the mark to suggest that an understanding of gait and joint mechanics is deficient in most of our resumes.

For instance, Qualisys writes,"The work was made in cooperation with equine researchers attending the conference...We set up a 60 camera system indoors and in the outdoor setting seen here we used 40-something Oqus 3+ cameras."

Yes, you read that correctly: 60 cameras for the indoor test and 40 for outdoors.

Would you have any idea what they would need 60 cameras for, what they were pointed at or what they were trying to capture?

Here's Jens Frederikson, who rode for Sweden in the jumping at the London Olympics, schooling a horse for an audience of mo-cap cameras at the stables at Stromsholm. (Qualisys photo)

A few years ago, radiographs were big, clunky sheets of film that veterinarians kept to themselves. They slid in and out of envelopes, and there was always a worry about dust and dirt and fingerprints.

Today, we take them for granted. They become part of a horse's portfolio and the ability to be at least familiar with them is assumed to be part and parcel of being a horse professional.

A data collection session at the McPhail Center, where the equine biomechanics course is held.

We are coming to a point where the same will be true of a horse's biomechanics portfolio. Maybe our horses won't be lucky enough to have 60 cameras pointed at them at once, but some mo-cap footage from somewhere may follow a young horse far into his performance career. It will be important that any and all video footage of a horse enhance his gaits and movement, not detract from them, and the horse's mo-cap files will be most critical of all.

If you're a horse professional interested in equine biomechanics, the best immersion course offered in the world will be held the first week in October at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine's McPhail Center for Equine Performance.

Dr. Hilary Clayton instructs the course

 Dr. Hilary Clayton presides over a soup-to-nuts assay of equine anatomy, gait and the intersection of the two in the field of study known as equine biomechanics. Students enjoy a casual classroom environment, hands-on access to the joints of horses, and a chance to work in the setting of one of the world's premier laboratories for equine study.

The course is under the auspices of Equinology, which offers courses all over the world for aspiring equine body workers and affiliated professionals. Admission to the course has some prerequisites and requires advance registration.

Your future could begin when you sign up for Equine Biomechanics with Dr. Hilary Clayton.

Normally, this blog is a big advocate of conferences but the buffet-table style of education offered at most conferences with a big selection of speakers and topics can become diluted. After a while, people attend conferences to hear particular speakers or to have their own chosen theories or techniques reinforced or validated by the speakers. They don't go to hear what doesn't fit their agenda.

Sometimes you need to step back from the all-you-can-eat buffet and sit down for a serious meal. You'll find that your return on investment is manyfold, and your palate may be expanded. Horse professionals have few opportunities for continuing professional education that takes them back to the classroom--and back to thinking seriously and critically about their work.

This is one of those opportunities. So if the thought of a new pencil box can still make your pulse quicken, there's a course for you--if you get organized now...and if your pencil box always had a picture of a horse on it.

About the Qualisys video: Most of us are accustomed to horses who trot, rather than pace. Both the trot and the pace are two-beat gaits, meaning that pairs of limbs strike the ground simultaneously. In most simple terms, the trot requires pairs of diagonal limbs (right front-left hind), while the pace requires pairs of limbs on the same side of the horse (right front-right hind) to extend and land simultaneously.

This video shows an Icelandic being set up for a motion capture by Qualisys, and then shows the resulting imagery. The point of the video is that the horse is demonstrating the Icelandic's ability to pace.

Studies utilizing the Pegasus limb phasing system and probably other systems as well were also front and center at ICEL 7. 

To learn more: go back and watch "Equine Biomechanics Integrated with an Icelandic Horse's Disco-Rhythm Hoofbeats by Swiss Researchers" from the University of Zurich vet school, as shown on the blog in January 2011.

Click to instantly order your copy of this beautiful anatomy education reference poster of the inner hoof wall.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.  

Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofcareJournal

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any direct compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than Hoofcare Publishing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Walking Horses, Soring and HSUS: Convicted Horse Abuser Says Horses "Have To Be Sored"

Footage courtesy of The Humane Society of the United States

Warning: this video contains descriptive details that may upset you. Is he telling the truth? What was edited out? What does his body language suggest? The man being interviewed is former trainer Barney Davis. He uses a lot of lingo; "walk" refers to the unique Walking horse show gait; "band" refers to the hose-clamp style band around the hoof. "DQP" is a "designated qualified person", or non-USDA inspector performing inspections under USDA regulations.

The following text is from press material received from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) today:

The Humane Society of the United States conducted an on-camera interview with Barney Davis, a former Tennessee horse trainer who pleaded guilty to various violations of the Horse Protection Act last November.

Davis served most of his one-year sentence in prison and was also ordered by the court to cooperate in the production of an educational video describing pervasiveness of the abusive practice of horse “soring.”

The practice causes intentional pain to the feet or legs of horses through the application of caustic chemicals to burn their skin, or by inserting foreign objects to the sensitive areas of their hooves. In reaction to the pain, horses lift their front legs high off the ground, producing the exaggerated “Big Lick” gait rewarded in the show ring.

At his sentencing hearing in February, Davis admitted to routinely soring horses during their training, and explained that this illegal activity is so rampant as to be commonplace throughout the Tennessee walking horse industry.

In The HSUS’ exclusive interview, Davis described common horse soring methods and their effects. He flatly stated that trainers must make their horses suffer to be competitive at “Big Lick” events, including the biggest of them all, the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration currently underway in Shelbyville, Tennessee.

And he demonstrated how inspectors can better detect sored horses.

“The only way to win at the Celebration is to sore,” Davis said. “I’ve shown at the Celebration three, maybe four, times. I trained them myself and they were sore. I’m not going to lie.”

“Barney Davis’ testimonial underscores that soring is now a regrettable, and illegal, norm throughout the Tennessee walking horse industry. And industry self-policing is failing the horses miserably,” said Keith Dane, director of equine protection for The HSUS. “The Humane Society of the United States urges the leaders in this industry to abandon their denial and finally institute real, meaningful reforms that will rid the Celebration and other performance horse shows in the industry of this despicable horse abuse.”

Earlier this year, The HSUS paid a $10,000 reward for information that led to the arrest and conviction of Davis, who has competed for the title of World Grand Champion, the industry’s highest prize.

As awareness spreads about the abusive treatment of Tennessee walking horses in the top levels of show competition, The HSUS is continuing its commitment to help bring violators to justice through the offering of this reward to crack down on abuse of these animals.

Anyone with information on this cruel practice should call 855-NO-SORING or email equineprotection@humanesociety.org. The HSUS will protect the identity of all callers.

--end of text provide by The HSUS

The Walking Horse National Celebration is currently going on in Shelbyville, Tennessee. Please don't think that this is a single-breed issue or that it does not involve you or affect your work with horses. How the humane organizations, law enforcement and the government perceive and act on allegations of abuse are important to all of us. Your breed or discipline or livelihood could be affected somewhere down the line even if you have never seen a Walking horse and wouldn't dream of abusing any animal. 

Chances are, what happens in Shelbyville this week won't stay in Shelbyville.

Click this link for full information on ordering Professor Denoix's Equine Distal Limb.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.  

Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofcareJournal

Read this blog's headlines on the Hoofcare + Lameness Facebook Page

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any direct compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than Hoofcare Publishing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Research Update: Hoof Wall Separation Syndrome in Connemara Ponies

A slide show of affected hooves from around the world; these hooves are all on Connemara ponies, although it is not known if this particular type of wall separation is limited to that breed.

Few hoof problems have been as compelling as the relatively-recent one known around the hoof world as "Connemara hoof wall separation syndrome". Owners of the affected horses would prefer that it be called "hoof wall separation syndrome".

Wall separations are commonly seen in the heel area of hooves, but this is different.

At first, it was easy to dismiss the communications as white line disease or just poor hoof maintenance. But they kept coming back. Soon they had amassed evidence of Connemara ponies with this problem from places as far afield as New Zealand, Finland, and Canada.

Robert Eustace of the Laminitis Clinic in England described the problems as "coconut matting hooves". I thought that was an apt description; in some cases, the inner, exposed hoof wall looked like steel wool fibers. Many cases of this type of dorsal hoof wall separation deteriorate to a diagnosis of laminitis.

According to the owners' group, hoof samples of affected Connemara ponies referred to Eustace for treatment were analyzed by the University of Edinburgh, where they found a malfunction of lipid metabolism in the extracellular matrix of the hoof wall between the tubular structures of the hoof wall.

In simple terms: there seems to be a lack of the 'waterproof glue' or 'cement' that holds the hoof wall tubules together, but the findings have not been documented. Nothing about the condition has been documented, other than by horse owners comparing notes.

This image from UC Davis shows a ruler used to measure the extent of a separation lesion on a foot from a cadaver.

Soon, the inevitable Facebook discussion group popped up. It became part of a web of information and communication that included a blog, press releases, and many promises that they would get to the root of the problem.

They may not have reached the root but they are cracking the case. If you have a pet problem in the hoof world and you are sure that there has to be an answer, let this group of dedicated horse owners give you a model to follow.

This hasn't been easy. On  November 11, 2011, I interviewed a regional president and another officer of the American Connemara Pony Society who assured me that they had never heard of the problem and it was surely just a misunderstanding. A veterinarian concurred.

In their defense, this problem is widespread geographically but still relatively uncommon. Since then, owners tell me, the Society has become aware of the problem. It is also possible that owners whose young stock exhibit this problem are not likely to bring them to shows or to comment much about the problem, in the interest of the value of their other horses.

The Connemara owners scattered around the world with lame young horses on their hands eventually found each other, thanks to the Internet. They also found someone who would listen to them. The unraveling of the horse genome has meant that equine disorders that seem to be breed-specific can be examined on the genetic level, so researchers at the Bannasch Laboratory at the University of California at Davis were able to tackle the problem from that angle. (See below for specifics of the genetic assay.)

When a case cropped up near the university and they saw the problem firsthand, they were even more interested.

Is this problem really limited to a single breed? I remember old farrier texts that complained about mice nibbling on the hooves of certain horses at night in the stable--that was a convenient explanation to owners for a problem that looked like the photos you see in the slide show.

A confounding aspect of the problem is that it occurs in radically different environments, without respect to wet or dry, hot or cold, and appears early in the pony's life.

One Connemara owner remarked, "I am seriously starting to think that this issue is probably quite widespread in the general horse population but appears so randomly that it is acknowledged just as 'bad feet with no known cause'. It is only when one has a small inbred population with the over use of certain bloodlines in an already contracted gene pool that the problem becomes more common and obvious.

"Once there is a commercial gene test available, it will be interesting to see whether there is the same or similar problem in other breeds."

Because the cases are farflung, documentation of treatment is sparse. In most cases, some combination or variation of supportive hoof orthotics, foot casts and glue-on shoes along the lines of laminitis treatment are used. Various topical treatments and nutritional supplements have been used. These efforts are under the heading of managing the condition; euthanasia is common.

An example of the type of hoof wall undermining labeled "Hoof Wall Separation Syndrome" by the University of California at Davis, where research is continuing into this problem.

Updated research summary provided by the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

Researchers at the Bannasch Laboratory at UC Davis report:

Hoof Wall Separation Syndrome (HWSS) is an inherited condition seen in Connemara ponies and typified by the dorsal hoof wall splitting away from underlying structures.

This hoof defect develops in young foals between one to six months of age. The condition results in afflicted ponies having to support weight on the sole of the hoof instead of the dorsal hoof wall. 

Affected animals can become severely painful despite careful management; their quality of life can diminish and euthanasia may be necessary. Even if the condition is initially controllable, ponies may still develop laminitis over time.

HWSS is particularly troubling for the Connemara community because the parents of affected ponies are themselves completely unaffected. 

Although affected individuals do share common bloodlines, it is problematic to predict whether a particular breeding will produce a foal with unhealthy hooves. Investigation into the underlying genetic cause of HWSS has the potential to inform these breeding decisions, and could also provide insight into the disease pathophysiology.

To investigate the underlying genetic cause of HWSS, a genome-wide association study was performed and a strong association between disease status and polymorphisms in a two-megabase (Mb) region of the genome was observed. Sequencing of candidate genes within this region is currently underway, and any functionally relevant genetic differences identified will be validated using a larger sample set.

Consequently, we are still collecting DNA samples from both affected and unaffected Connemara ponies. If you are interested in submitting a sample, please contact Carly Stevens (cstevens@ucdavis.edu) or Kartika Jayashankar (kjayashankar@ucdavis.edu) for more information.

Funding for this research has been provided by the Morris Animal Foundation, UC Davis Center for Equine Health, and Merial.

Information for this research summary was provided by the Bannasch Laboratory at the University of California at Davis.

Thanks to all the heartbroken Connemara pony owners who faithfully documented their horses' problems and to all the vets and farriers who have tried to help them, even if they couldn't explain the problem. Maybe someday they will.

Click on the ad for more information about this anatomy chart that shows the zones and structures affected by HWSS.

To learn more:
Connemara pony research into hoof wall separation syndrome blog
California case seen by veterinarians at UC Davis 
Functional design of horse hoof keratin by Bertram and Gosline
Isolation, characterization and pressure response of equine hoof keratinocytes by Alanna Chaudhry

Click to download full details and ordering information.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.  

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any direct compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than Hoofcare Publishing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Saddle Research Trust Rides the Crest of an Equestrian Science Wave

What's the most interesting equine research organization that's not on your radar (yet)? Meet the Saddle Research Trust.

The Saddle Research Trust (SRT) was founded in 2009 to promote the welfare of the ridden horse and to raise awareness of the widely underestimated issues surrounding saddles, equine backs and performance. They've hosted conferences, supported research and initiated an innovative research-associate program.

We all take saddles for granted but anyone who works professionally with horses also knows that saddles can be an "x" factor in a horse's performance--or a rider's, for that matter. It seems there is more we don't know, scientifically speaking, than we do know, when it comes to the interaction between a a horse's musculo-skeletal system, a saddle, and a rider.

The Saddle Research Trust is a charitable organization aiming to provide support and advice, both to the horse-owning public and to industry professionals. Its board of trustees and advisory committee include leading veterinary professionals, physiotherapists, saddlers, riders and trainers.

Where does asymmetry begin--or end? What's the relationship between asymmetry and lameness or diminished performance? The Saddle Research Trust wants to know. (SRT photo)

Dr. Sue Dyson, head of clinical orthopedics at the Animal Health Trust and a member of the advisory committee of the SRT explains: “Back and saddle problems are major factors associated with loss of performance and lameness and have serious welfare implications. Through scientific research on the interaction of the saddle with the horse and rider, the SRT aims to provide new information, support and advice to the horse owning public and to industry professionals to improve the health and performance of both horse and rider.”

Trust Director Anne Bondi is currently undertaking a Doctoral Research Program at the University of Sunderland in Great Britain; she is studying the interaction of horses, saddles and riders. The SRT facilitates collaborations between its Research Associates and promotes objective scientific research in order to further its aims.

Research into saddle fit, back pain and rider posture employ many of the techniques and systems used in equine gait and locomotion studies. (SRT photo)

What does the future hold for the Saddle Research Trust?

SRT Director Anne Bondi: “We have a series of important scientific projects in the pipeline, working in collaboration with the Animal Health Trust and the Royal Veterinary College, to explore the relationships between back shape, saddle fit, back movement and performance of the horse and rider.”

Position available

The Saddle Research Trust (SRT) is urgently seeking an honorary fundraiser to help progress some exciting new scientific research on the influence of the saddle on the welfare and performance of horses and riders.

If you have a passion for horses and a good working knowledge of fundraising and wish to be involved with making a real and long-term difference to the welfare and performance of riding horses globally the SRT would be delighted to hear from you.

Please contact Anne Bondi on (UK) 07775 912202 or email annebondi@me.com

Some things we take for granted--saddle, girth, stirrups, pads--don't have much scientific documentation. The SRT would like to change that. (SRT photo)

About the research centers:

The Equine Centre of the Animal Health Trust, a UK based charitable organisation, is dedicated to enhancing equine welfare through improved understanding and treatment of disease in horses, especially related to lameness and poor performance. Led by Sue Dyson and Rachel Murray, its work is world renowned for advances in equine orthopaedic injury and diagnostic imaging.

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is the UK's first and largest veterinary school and a constituent College of the University of London. It also provides support for veterinary and related professions through its three referral hospitals, diagnostic services and continuing professional development courses.

The world's leading reference book documenting equine hoof anatomy and imaging can be yours.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.  

Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofcareJournal

Read this blog's headlines on the Hoofcare + Lameness Facebook Page

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any direct compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than Hoofcare Publishing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.