The skeletal system in horses comprises a complex structure of bones that provide support, protection, and mobility. Equine bones are involved in various physiological functions, including mineral storage and hematopoiesis. The bone structure in horses is categorized into different types, such as long bones, short bones, flat bones, and irregular bones, each serving specific roles in movement and stability. Research in this area explores topics such as bone development, remodeling, and the impact of nutrition and exercise on bone health. This page gathers peer-reviewed studies and academic articles that focus on the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of bones in horses, offering insights into conditions such as fractures, bone diseases, and the effects of aging on the equine skeletal system.
To investigate predictors of survival and athletic function in adult horses with infection of a synovial structure. Objective: Increasing duration from contamination to referral, bone or tendon involvement and positive microbial culture decreases short-term survival. Synovitis and/or sepsis at 5 days post-admission and involvement of Staphylococcus spp. decreases long-term athletic function. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Records over 4 years of adult horses with synovial sepsis were reviewed. A two-tailed Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney U test or t-test was used to examine whether v...
A 4-week old Quarter Horse filly was evaluated for abnormal gait and lateral deviation of the cervical spine. Physical examination findings prompted radiographs and computed tomography of the thoracic vertebral column which revealed hypoplasia of several thoracic vertebral bodies and resultant scoliosis of the thoracic vertebral column and deviation of the left and right hemithoraces and associated ribs. Collectively, radiography and computed tomography provided an accurate description of the vertebral malformations resulting in scoliosis in this foal.
The objective of this study was to graft autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) at the site of surgical repair of a soft palate defect in an adult horse in an attempt to improve wound healing and to investigate whether the transplanted MSCs would integrate into the soft palate structure and participate in regeneration. Bone marrow was collected from an adult horse with a full-thickness soft palate defect. The MSCs were isolated, cultured in monolayers, and labeled with 5-bromo-2-desoxymidine (BrdU) and chloromethylbenzamido-DiI-derived (cm-DiI) before transplantation. The soft palate defect ...
Four horses were evaluated because of hind limb lameness. Two had a distinct gait abnormality at the walk characterized by lateral rotation of the point of the calcaneus and medial rotation of the toe during the stance phase. Nuclear scintigraphy revealed a focal area of intense radioisotope uptake in the caudodistal aspect of the femur in all 4 horses, and 3 of the horses had a corresponding proliferative reaction on the caudodistal cortex of the femur on radiographs. In all 4 horses, a diagnosis of injury to the origin of the gastrocnemius muscle was made. Three of the horses returned to ath...
Myers TJ, Sampson SN, Glass KP, Russell LA.Central tarsal bone (CTB) fractures are challenging to diagnose, and cross-sectional imaging is required for definitive characterization and surgical planning. This retrospective case series aims to provide the first description of high-field (3-T) MRI characteristics of CTB fractures, concurrent pathology, and clinical presentation in 8 performance horses. Unassigned: 8 horses (9 limbs) diagnosed with a CTB fracture on high-field MRI at one tertiary referral hospital between 2013 and 2023 were identified via electronic medical records search. Unassigned: Quarter Horses (6 of 8) used for Weste...
Zhang Z, Li J, Mai Z, Yang Y, Fu H, Cao X, Li T, Guo Q, Ma Y.The incidence of sports injuries in horses is increasing, thus accurate assessment, diagnosis, and treatment are critical. Among common sports-related injuries, proximal sesamoid bone fractures (PSBFs) are one of the most frequent types. To investigate the effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on imaging and hematological parameters of PSBFs, providing a clinical reference for the diagnosis and treatment of PSBFs in racehorses. After clinical diagnosis and radiographic examination confirmed the disease and its location, the affected horses were randomly divided into two groups: th...
de Chaisemartin C, Vandeweerd JM, Schramme M.Comminuted fractures of the proximal phalanx (CFPP) occur in adult horses. Various treatments have been described. It remains uncertain which is the best therapeutic option. Objective: This study aims to review systematically the existing literature on CFPP in horses, evaluate treatment modalities, synthesise outcomes to assess treatment efficacy and survival rates, and identify knowledge gaps for future research. Methods: Scoping review. Methods: A literature search was conducted using online databases. The bias quality of each article was evaluated. Chi-squared analysis was used to detect di...
Pilati N, Pressanto MC, Palumbo Piccionello A, De Angelis Corvi F, Beccati F.The term overriding spinous processes (ORSPs), commonly known as "kissing spine syndrome," refers to a skeletal abnormality in horses that is characterized by the narrowing (<4 mm) of the interspinous space and touching or overlapping of the spinous processes (SPs). This condition primarily affects the mid- and caudal thoracic vertebrae; however, ORSP can also affect the lumbar SPs. In the veterinary community, kissing spine is widely recognized as a common condition in sport horses, as it is often associated with chronic back pain and contributes to poor performance. Despite its significant c...
Pan M, Malekipour F, Pivonka P, Morrice-West AV, Flegg JA, Whitton RC, Hitchens PL.Fractures of the distal limb in Thoroughbred racehorses primarily occur because of accumulation of bone microdamage from high-intensity training. Mathematical models of subchondral bone adaptation of the third metacarpal lateral condyles are capable of approximating existing data for Thoroughbred racehorses in training or at rest. To improve upon previous models, we added a dynamic resorption rate and microdamage accumulation and repair processes. Our ordinary differential equation model simulates the coupled processes of bone adaptation and microdamage accumulation, and is calibrated to data ...
Lewczuk D, Wypchło M, Hecold M, Buczkowska R, Korwin-Kossakowska A.Finding the causative mutations for musculoskeletal system development and health status is of a higher priority for all sport horse breeders' associations. Of the regulating proteins involved in animal ossification, 15 gene polymorphisms were chosen to be identified as connected with the nine fetlock and 14 hock bone structures measurements of 198 horses. All measurements were taken using X-rays of the limbs, which were available at the beginning and end of the horse training. The analysis of variance (GLM, SAS program) was performed taking into account identified training and horse-connected...
Micheau L, Jacquet-Guibon S, Tallaj A, Bertoni L, Denoix JM, Coudry V.To describe the type and distribution of carpal joint lesions causing lameness in show jumping horses and describe their 1-year performance outcomes. Unassigned: 15 show jumping horses (median age, 9 years; IQR, 8 to 11 years) of 3 different breeds, mostly Selle Français, evaluated at a referral center between 2013 and 2023. The inclusion criterion was forelimb lameness localized to the carpus, confirmed by perineural or IA analgesia and/or increased radiopharmaceutical uptake on scintigraphy. Horses with limb conformation abnormalities, a history of trauma, or extra-articular soft tissue les...
Micheau L, Audigié F, Moiroud C, Jacquet S.Disuse-induced bone loss during stall confinement and immobilization is a major concern in horses because it impairs recovery and increases susceptibility to further injury. Experimental models are needed to evaluate therapeutic options, but most available equine models rely on cast immobilization, which is technically demanding and may be associated with complications. This study aimed to assess a simpler and less restrictive model to induce a quantifiable decrease in bone density in horses. Six French Standardbred horses underwent eight weeks of stall confinement, with a wooden wedge fitted ...
Morrice-West AV, Wong ASM, Hitchens PL, Whitton RC.Musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) in racehorses are not typically spontaneous events, but develop gradually through cumulative cycles of loading over time. Stride characteristics can now be recorded with wearable technology, providing opportunity to quantify the skeletal impact of galloping over time. We estimated bone fatigue accumulation based on speed (m/s) and number of strides from n = 3168 race starts by n = 405 Thoroughbreds commencing racing in Tasmania, Australia between 2011 and 2016. The percentage bone fatigue accumulated was divided by various time periods (career, active car...
Papini L, de Preux M, Pauwels F, Missotten J, Van der Vekens E.(1) Background: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is increasingly used in equine practice to diagnose musculoskeletal injuries, including fractures in the distal limb. However, limited detail in the thick cortical bone of the metacarpus/metatarsus hinders accurate diagnosis. In human medicine, the addition of aluminum filters (AF) enhanced image quality while reducing radiation exposure. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of AF on image quality in CBCT scans of equine distal limbs. (2) Methods: Adult equine cadaver limbs were scanned with a mobile CBCT unit using varying tube currents ...
Chapple AR, Daglish J, Stover SM, Slipchenko N, Phillips KL.Stress fracture is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in racing Thoroughbreds. Nuclear scintigraphy is the imaging modality of choice for investigating unlocalised stress-related bone remodelling in horses. Stress fractures of the caudal lumbar vertebral column have been previously described in both racing Quarter horses and racing Thoroughbreds post-mortem. There is a lack of literature describing the imaging appearance of vertebral stress fractures in racehorses ante-mortem. Objective: To describe: (1) ante-mortem scintigraphic appearance of presumed thoracolumbar vertebral stress...
Malekipour F, Whitton RC, Muir P, Lee PV.Stress fractures are common in racehorses, with the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint being the most frequently affected site as it is subjected to high-magnitude and high-rate cyclic loads during training and racing. These loads lead to repeated compressive stresses, resulting in subchondral bone (SCB) sclerosis, fatigue microcracks, and matrix damage that can progress to parasagittal fractures or palmar osteochondral disease (POD). The present study developed joint-specific 3D FE models and slice-based FE models using standing CT images for three trained racehorses, each presenting distinct SC...
Sohn Y, An SJ, Forbes E, Yoon J, Kim BS, Ryu SH, Lee I.Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a developmental orthopedic condition in young horses. Exercise and management affect OCD development, but the impact of exercise patterns during the 6-12 months growth period remains unclear. This study examined the association between OCD lesions in Thoroughbred foals and irregular exercise patterns. Forty foals wore halter-mounted Global Positioning System devices that recorded velocity every five seconds during turnout. Foals were routinely turned out for approximately 13 h daily, except on rainy days. Radiographs were taken at six and twelve months of a...
Sellke L, Ludewig E, Handschuh S, Witter K.In a previous study on hoof biometry, we found that mathematical correction of measuring results from radiographs did not lead to complete correspondence to computed tomography (CT) results. The present study investigates this finding by comparing 13 measures of six cadaveric equine digits collected with the following workflows: radiographs with 1 and 2 m focus-object distance (FOD) (Xray 1 m/2 m), computed tomography images in planes defined based on anatomical landmarks (CTw), simulated radiographs based on the tomography dataset (virtual 120-mm slabs, Xray Sim) and measurements based ...
DiBello D, Cassel N, Granacka V, Beard L, Rosado SC, Hill-Thimmesch K, Avellar H.Equine sarcoidosis is an uncommon disease characterized by granulomatous inflammation presenting in a spectrum of body system involvement and severity. Musculoskeletal manifestations are sporadically reported but without correlation between imaging and pathologic findings. In a mature Quarter Horse mare eventually diagnosed with a progressive form of sarcoidosis, phalangeal osteolysis discovered on radiography prompted further evaluation, revealing diffuse, discrete osteolysis throughout the axial skeleton. Due to disease progression, humane euthanasia was elected, and computed tomography and ...
DeClue A, Workman K, May-Davis S.To date, radiographically identifying the bony landmarks relevant to diagnosing the complete C6 aplasia of the caudal lamina ventralis (C6 aCLV4) has not been described. Furthermore, a gross study has identified C6 aCLV4 as the main correlation between transposition of the CLV from C6 to C7, where coinciding neck pain was commonly reported. This study aimed to identify C6 aCLV4 in radiographs, where the outcome might benefit equine practitioners in isolating neck pain. Initially, the relevant bony landmarks were radiographically determined from a normal C6 by applying a lateral 30° dorsal-ven...
El Brini Z, Mhar I, Bouktaib FE, Piro M, Daniel C, Alyakine H.Working equids are at high risk of musculoskeletal disorders due to strenuous labor, repetitive tasks, and harsh environmental conditions. This retrospective study describes the distribution of radiographically detected musculoskeletal findings in working equids presented to four Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) centers in Morocco, based on 498 animals and 1125 radiographs collected between 2015 and 2022. The study population was mainly composed of horses (78.1%), followed by donkeys (15.3%) and mules (6.6%). Most were males (65.7%), and the majority were between 5 and 15 y...
Goodchild OA, Rosen SN, Mennecart B, Meng J, Tissier J.Perissodactyla, or odd-toed ungulates, are represented today by 16 species of rhinoceroses, tapirs, and horses. Perissodactyls were much more diverse in the past, having a rich fossil record spanning from the earliest Eocene (~56 Ma) to recent, including a myriad of extinct lineages. Despite over a century of study, the inter-relationships of some extinct perissodactyl families remain poorly resolved. New morphological characters are needed to help solve this issue. Recent studies suggest that the ear region, ., the petrosal and the bony labyrinth of the inner ear, is a valuable source of morp...
DI Stefano DA, Coccoluto L, Panina-Bordignon P, Brambilla E, Ruffini F, Murtaj V, Orlando F, Colombo M, Frigerio C, DI Bona A, Recupero D, Morroni M....Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that involves the use of bone tissue or bone substitutes to repair damaged bone. In dentistry and maxillofacial surgery, bone graft substitutes from various sources are commonly used. Given their critical role in clinical outcomes, it is essential to thoroughly investigate the biological and mechanical properties of these materials. Methods: In this in vitro study, we evaluated the biological properties of two equine-derived bone graft substitutes in comparison to β-tricalcium phosphate. The materials included one equine-derived graft containing hydrolyze...
Harbowy RM, Nielsen BD, Colbath AC, Robison CI, Buskirk DD, Logan AA.Though circular exercise is commonly used in equestrian disciplines, it may be at the detriment of horses' musculoskeletal system. To investigate the effects of circular exercise on bone and joint health, 42 lambs were randomly assigned to a non-exercised control, straight-line, small circle, or large circle exercise regime at a slow (1.3 m/s) or fast (2.0 m/s) speed for 12 wk. Blood samples were taken biweekly. Animals were humanely euthanized upon study completion, and the fused third and fourth metacarpals were collected for biomechanical testing and bone density analysis. Fast groups were ...
Newton LJ, Dobbin N, Goodwin P, Crampton JS.Competitive horse racing is the second largest sport in Great Britain by spectator attendance, employability, and revenue. It is a lucrative yet hazardous sport, with high injury rates, particularly from falls. Clavicular fractures are one of the most common injuries reported, yet their management, especially regarding return to racing, is under-researched. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors associated with the time to return to competition following a clavicular fracture in jockeys competing in Great Britain. Methods: This review of medical records utilised data from the Bri...
Karastoyanova N, Stamberov P, Nikolova S, Leshtakov P.To assess pathological lesions observed in an Early Iron Age (8th-century BCE) horse to gain insight into equine use and management in the past. Methods: The study is based on a nearly complete adult horse skeleton recovered from a pit at an archaeological site near Chirpan, Thracian Valley, southern Bulgaria. The assemblage is radiocarbon dated to the 8th century BCE and represents one of the few well-documented Early Iron Age equine skeletons from Bulgaria. Methods: Preserved skeletal elements were examined macroscopically following standard zooarchaeological and palaeopathological protocols...
Donard LA, Vinardell T, Boussauw B, Pollaris E.Sinus osteotomy is currently performed in equine surgery with conventional surgical methods, such as trephines and oscillating bone saw, leading to subsequent trauma to the bone during cutting. Piezoelectric devices are now used in maxillofacial surgery in humans as a standard tool as it is less traumatic than the oscillating bone saw and shortens the healing period. The aim of this study was to show that the piezoelectric device can be used for equine sinus surgery, compare its use with the oscillating bone saw, and describe the outcome of cases involving osteotomy performed with a piezoelect...
