Today, we get to hang out in one of the most thrilling, complex and well-built skeletal structures in the body, the thoracic cage. While thrilling might be a stretch unless you’re an anatomy geek like me, suffice it to say that this region and its resilient, flexible function has potential implications in respiration, saddle fit, behaviour, body control, bending, collection, energy levels, the ability to be symmetrical and free in movement, and more. And I’m not just talking about your horse.

The idea of scheduling a massage for your horse may seem luxurious. Yet those who have experienced it will agree that massage can be a valuable tool in managing an animal’s health and well-being, along with other therapies such as chiropractic or acupressure. Senior horses present an opportunity to combine different approaches to health because each horse will have a very specific set of needs depending on their age and stage of life.

A new gene therapy shows promise for treating tendon injuries according to a report published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science. The authors claim the technique gives much faster healing than current methods and could significantly reduce relapse rates.

Researchers from Poland¹ set out to determine the effect of music played in the barn, on the emotional state of race horses. Many horse owners have found that music has an apparent calming effect on fear, aggression, and overall stress. Race horses, in particular, have demands of increased cardiac activity and speed that may be improved through music exposure.