Ysh conformation and soundness2010 nov 2012
-
Upload
jane-nixon -
Category
Documents
-
view
104 -
download
3
Transcript of Ysh conformation and soundness2010 nov 2012
www.nixonequinevets.com
YORKSHIRE SPORT HORSE [SHB OF GB]
CONFORMATION AND PERFORMANCE
JANE NIXON MA, VET MB, BSc, MRCVS.
www.nixonequinevetconsultancy.com
www.nixonequinevets.com
The Horse
Some pertinent evolutionary facts
It is a Herd animal Galloping animal
Chased ‘prey’ species. Fright Flight (not fight!) Defender rather than an aggressor Single limb bone column: on Tip Toe
Pedal bone in horn capsule, the hoof
Grazer so requiring large head long neck capacious digestive system
Four legged, one at each corner, with no collar bone powerful hindquarters
www.nixonequinevets.com
As a prey animal the wild horse had to be Readily aware Quick off the mark Agile, fast and balanced in asymmetric gaits Quick to return to grazing composure
As a domesticated horse the Fright and Flight had to be trained (converted) into Alertness Responsiveness to aids, (biddable) Capable in all gaits (increasing speed and agility) Not stressed under saddle Fit to do and to recover
www.nixonequinevets.com
80% of propulsion comes from the hindquarters Hamstring and pelvic muscle power Top line muscle power to lift forequarter
“come up in front” Good shoulder / pastern line Saddle room for shoulder blade sweep
Always view from both sides
Growth to maturity is judged by final height at withers
Brisket, ribs, vertebrae & dorsal processes later
Limb bones to elbow close around 2 years
This age of this varies with breed
Ponies usually earlier than warm bloods
www.nixonequinevets.com
The Horse’s outline - Points are those of the skeleton
The surface areas – the jargonese description or name of the various parts The “points”
The landmarks at protruding parts of bones usually at a joint Visible and palpable Obesity does not hide the points
www.nixonequinevets.com
The skeletal top line and the bird’s eye views show areas of bone available for optimal muscle attachment. i.e.
Flat of ribs Side of dorsal processes Lateral processes of lumbars Flat of upper hind limb bones
Ham string and thigh muscles “size”
www.nixonequinevets.com
Fore Quarters Hind Quarters
No collar bone Bony Attachments
www.nixonequinevets.com
Scapular range
Shows the different positions assumed by the blade bone during the flexion and extensions of the limb
www.nixonequinevets.com
AT MATURITY
Balanced fore quarter Balanced Hindquarter
www.nixonequinevets.com
A balanced horse at grass
Able to graze without compromise of forelegs
www.nixonequinevets.com
Conformation > Soundness, ability, durability
Based on underlying, genetically determined skeletal framework (eg Skeletal “top line”)
Unalterable after maturity
Can only be ‘managed’ by breeding
www.nixonequinevets.com
Conformation is (constant and) fixed
However there are 3 variables which can be managed
I. CONDITION
II. HOOF BALANCE
III. DENTAL ARCADE BALANCE
All 3 of which can give a false impression of altered conformation and action
www.nixonequinevets.com
Conformation must not be confused or interchanged
with condition
www.nixonequinevets.com
Condition
in the “furnished” animal
reflects
muscle development between bones – fittening
fat deposition throughout- nutrition at varying levels
It is weighable and contour measurable - profile/scoring
It is manageably variable and gives the effective top line
www.nixonequinevets.com
A “Furnished” Horse
It should “fill the eye”
www.nixonequinevets.com
“ANIMAL LOVERS UNABLE TO RECOGNISE PORTLY EQUINES”
WORLD HORSE WELFARE CHARITY POLL
i) 50% could not recognise pictures of overweight horses and many did not view condition as a welfare threat
ii) Thin horses often the correct weight, but looked thin compared to overweight field companions
VETERINARY TIMES JANUARY 25TH 2010
JUDGES: Go National Hunt racing to see fit horses
www.nixonequinevets.com
FAT DISTRIBUTION
UNFIT HORSE FAT FILLS IN BETWEEN MUSCLE GROUPS
↓
SMOOTH ROUNDER APPEARANCE
↓
FIT HORSE FAT IS REDUCED
↓
DEVELOPED MUSCLES STAND OUT
www.nixonequinevets.com
HORSE WITH GOOD CONFORMATION WILL/SHOULD
BE EXHIBITED IN CONDITION SUITABLE FOR JOB IN HAND
THOSE HORSES WITH WEAK CONFORMATION ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE EXHIBITED TOO FAT IN ORDER TO HIDE
FAULTS
I.E FAT HORSE IS INDICATION OF CONFORMATION PROBLEM
www.nixonequinevets.com
THE FEETThe hoof wall is modified skin (epidermis) thus
It is constantly growing down from the coronary band
Coincidentally worn down or trimmed
The whole hoof as judged at weight bearing should be balanced front to back, side to side, to give level foot fall
Should be trimmed to conformation of the individual limb
It is subject to distortion by torque from action due to poor conformation and/or foot balance
www.nixonequinevets.com
MEDIO- LATERAL INBALANCE
www.nixonequinevets.com
LEFT FORE FROM BEHIND
INSIDE
OUTSIDE
OUTSIDE
INSIDE
www.nixonequinevets.com
Well balanced foot Unbalanced foot
How to assess foot balance, left and right handed farriers
www.nixonequinevets.com
Conformation of Dental Arcade
THREE-POINT BALANCE PLUS EXCURSION
Three-point balance refers to the correct function of:-
1. The incisors
2. The molars
3. The mandibular (jaw) joint
Three-point balance allows normal jaw movements to take place and is achieved by:-
The removal of hooks The removal of sharp points which
develop on the outside of the upper and the inside of the lower premolars and molars
Adjusting the line of the incisors
www.nixonequinevets.com
Conformation of Dental Arcade
A purebred horse shows better conformation of the lower molar dental arcade fitting with the upper dental arcade than a crossbred horse.
Crossbred horses are more likely to have aberrant dental arcades with regard to the width, length and contours of the top and bottom jaws.
The angle of the head on the neck also makes a difference as to the fitting of the lower jaw to the upper jaw.
The factors alter the acceptance of the bit & the consequential muscle development & action of the horse
www.nixonequinevets.com
CONFORMATIONAL FAULTS
Does not fill the eye on 1st appearanceUnbalanced
www.nixonequinevets.com
NECK
Hollow in front of withers dorsal spinal ligament
– weak build up ventral muscles
Crest fat → laminitis
www.nixonequinevets.com
THE BACK
WITHERS HIGHER THAN CROUP
→ Horse built upwardly
→ Easier to transfer weight to hindquarters
→ Trotters → Highest Speeds Achieved with Wide Short Thorax
www.nixonequinevets.com
BACK CONFORMATION AND PERFORMANCE
ADVANTAGE FOR CONFORMATION
Jumping Ability HEIGHT AT WITHERS
(Holmstrong 2001 Sweden) LENGTH PELVIS
NECK LENGTH
Dressage Ability Longer Backs than Jumpersas greater required suppleness
www.nixonequinevets.com
BACK Jumper’s bump → SI disease Long back → More flexible but
Weak → S I disease Roach back Sway back → caudal 1/3 foot
pain
Shallow girth → poor lung capacity Short back → kissing spines
→ lumbar spine pain
Slack loins → SI disease
CONFORMATIONAL FAULTS
www.nixonequinevets.com
LONG BACK – More Flexible →SI Disease
www.nixonequinevets.com
ROACH BACK - Unsightly but not usually a problem
www.nixonequinevets.com
SWAY BACKCause of 1/3rd of Foot Pain
www.nixonequinevets.com
SHORT BACK – Kissing Spines
www.nixonequinevets.com
“SLACK LOINS” → SI disease
www.nixonequinevets.com
SHALLOW GIRTH
POOR LUNG CAPACITY
www.nixonequinevets.com
Good horizontal surface for saddle panels Weak
Slab Sided
Narrow Pelvis
Ribcage
www.nixonequinevets.com
THE FORELEGS
MAINTENANCE OF RHYTHM IN ALL PACES IS FUNDAMENTAL
LONGER LEGS →
i GREATER VARIETY IN STRIDE LENGTH
ii EXTEND MORE EASILY WITHOUT RAISING FREQUENCY OF STRIDE
www.nixonequinevets.com
THE FEET 1
SLIGHTLY ODD FRONT FEET
ESPECIALLY HEEL DEPTH
NO HEEL SUPPORT
WEAK HOOF CAPSULES
SIGN OF LAMINITIS
UNEVEN HEEL DEPTH → Uneven scapular height → Asymmetrical Shoulders re: saddle fit
www.nixonequinevets.com
THE FEET 2
NAVICULAR SYNDROME
LATEST RESEARCH DR S DYSON 2011
FIN AND FRESIAN HORSES LOW FLAT AND CONVEX
DUTCH WARMBLOODS HIGH CONCAVE AND
UNDULATING
* More Research required into sensory nerve supply of the Navicular Bone. The syndrome does not seem to be related to foot shape!
www.nixonequinevets.com
SHOULDERS
Breed susceptibility to
overloading → laminitis
→ poor saddle fit
Asymmetrical scapular cartilage →difficult to fit saddle
www.nixonequinevets.com
ALL rotational and angular limb deformities out 8/10 rule
Overdeveloped muscles
indicate → lameness behind
The Competition Horse conformational faults
www.nixonequinevets.com
NORMAL
www.nixonequinevets.com
BACK AT THE KNEE
www.nixonequinevets.com
Back at the Knee
Normal
BACK AT THE KNEE
www.nixonequinevets.com
BACK AT THE KNEE
www.nixonequinevets.com
FAULTS PREDISPOSING TO SPLINTS
Offset Knees Bow Legs Knocked Knees
www.nixonequinevets.com
THE HINDQUARTERS
The flatter the pelvis → More muscle → Greater strength and flexibility
STRAIGHT HIND LEGS → Unable to come under the horse
ACUTE HOCK ANGLE → Less able to carry weight
TARSAL VALGUS → Risk of Pelvic fractures
www.nixonequinevets.com
Quarters width should be parallel with thighs
HINDLEG
The Competition Horse conformational faults
NORMAL HOCK
www.nixonequinevets.com
HINDLEG CONFORMATION FAULTS
Straight Hocks
PREDISPOSED TO HIGH SUSPENSION DISMITIS
AS SEEN IN ANDULASIAN AND PASAFINOS
www.nixonequinevets.com
HOCK CONFORMATION
Cow Hocks
Pre-dispose to Pelvic Fractures
Sickle Hocks
Pre-dispose to Curbs
www.nixonequinevets.com
CURBANATOMY APPEARANCE
www.nixonequinevets.com
DEFINITION OF A CURB
COMPLEX OF SOFT TISSUE INJURIES ON BACK OF THE HOCK JOINTS
CONFORMATIONAL BONY ABNORMALITIES AND/OR INJURIES MAY MIMIC AND CONTRIBUTE EVENTUALLY TO CURB FORMATION
CAUSING UNDER PERFORMANCE AND LAMENESS
www.nixonequinevets.com
PASTERNS
SLOPING
→ OVEREXTENDED FETLOCK
→ STRAIN UP THE WHOLE OF THE BACK OF THE LEG TO THE PELVIS AND BACK
UPRIGHT
→ JARRING OF JOINTS ESPECIALLY FETLOCK → ARTICULAR AND TENDINOUS WINDGALLS
www.nixonequinevets.com
HIND FEET BALANCE
MORE IMPORTANT THAN FORELEGS BECAUSE HIND LIMBS ATTACHED TO AXIAL SKELETON AT SI JOINT
LONG TOE/LOW HEEL → SLOWS BREAKOVER → PELVIC PAIN
MEDIO LATERAL INBALANCE
→ HIND LIMB TORQUE
→ PELVIC ASYMETRY
→ BACK PAIN
www.nixonequinevets.com
DISCIPLINE INDUCED ORTHAPAEDIC RISK (AHT 2006)
S.J. ↑ INJURY SOFT BELOW FETLOCK) REPEATED STRAIN ON SOFT FORELEGS ) LANDING OVER HIGH FENCES
DRESSAGE ↑ HINDLEG HIGH SUSPENSORY ) EXTRAVAGANT DESMITIS ) MOVEMENT AND ) COLLECTION
GOOD CONFORMATION WILL DECREASE THE RISK
www.nixonequinevets.com
Examples of conformation faults causing multifactorial problems in the Competition Horse
www.nixonequinevets.com
HEAD CONFORMATION → JAW JOINT PAIN → One sidedness → Head Tilt → Uneven back muscle development → Poor saddle fit → Hind leg lameness
www.nixonequinevets.com
Heel of one front foot deeper than the other
High heeled foot → ↓ Shoulder blade → Poor Saddle fit
↓ ↓
→ Suspensory ligament pain → Uneven loading of back
↓ Hind leg lameness
www.nixonequinevets.com
Straight hind leg conformation → Upward fixating patellla → Gaskin MM → Asymmetrical pelvis
→ S I Pain → ↓ Impulsion → Forehand M M →Foreleg lameness
www.nixonequinevets.com
Equine Development and
Welfare
is dependent upon
EDUCATION &TRAINING
www.nixonequinevets.com
‘TO MEASURE IS TO KNOW’
What is NOT new ;
BALANCE
1 routine monitoring for early identification of problems.
www.nixonequinevets.com
BALANCE
2 monitor rider position
Forehand = fluidity //hindquaters =stability
www.nixonequinevets.com
www.nixonequinevets.com
anytime
What IS new ;
/pacing
Fairfax girth
www.nixonequinevets.com
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
please phone 07713342416 anytime
ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE?
www.nixonequinevetconsultancy.com