Equine Health, Soundness & Physiology
At EERC, soundness is the foundation that allows horses to live comfortably and work willingly. Many of the horses we support arrive with physical challenges that require careful evaluation, thoughtful rehabilitation, and realistic expectations. Understanding how the equine body functions—how it compensates, heals, and adapts—guides every decision we make, from daily care to long-term career planning. This section focuses on anatomy, movement, and management practices that prioritize durability and welfare, helping horses remain comfortable partners well beyond their rehabilitation period.
Anatomy & Biomechanics
📘 Anatomy of Equine Bodywork: The Equinology Approach
(2025 Edition) by Debranne Pattillo: A definitive reference guide for professionals and owners that combines musculoskeletal details with hands-on bodywork and saddle-fitting techniques.
by Gillian Higgins: An essential introductory bookthat uses "painted horse" visuals to explain how bones and muscles coordinate during movement.
📘Biomechanics and Physical Training of the Horse
by Jean-Marie Denoix: Offers anatomical analysis of specific exercises to optimize athletic performance and manage the musculoskeletal system.
📘Horse Anatomy: A Pictorial Approach to Equine Structure
by Peter Goody: A highly recommended textbook known for its clear, detailed diagrams of nerves, muscles, and bones.
📘The Horse’s Muscles in Motion
by Sara Wyche: Focuses on functional anatomy for improving movement.
✍️The Functional Horse: Features a dedicated biomechanics category covering topics like poll function, muscle dysfunction, and flexibility vs. stability.
✍️Horses Inside Out: Provides a comprehensive blog on anatomy, biomechanics, and training management.
✍️Science of Motion: Offers articles and multimedia resources focused on applied equine biomechanics.
✍️American Farriers Journal: Hosts a collection of specialized articles on the biomechanics of the horse's leg and hoof-care physics.
🎧The EquiScience Podcast: Features interviews with researchers about the latest breakthroughs in equine behavior and biomechanics.
🎧The Horse First: A veterinary sport horse podcast that discusses the critical link between anatomy and lameness diagnosis.
🎧The Whole Horse Podcast: Hosted by Alexa Linton, featuring deep-dive episodes on whole-horse dissections and training biomechanics.
🎧The Confident Rider: Explores rider and horse biomechanics to help equestrians become more adaptable and responsive.
🎥Anatomy in Action: A comprehensive video course by Gillian Higgins that serves as a visual resource for understanding movement.
🎥The Masterson Method DVDs: Provide visual instruction on equine anatomy through the lens of performance bodywork.
🤍 Why EERC Emphasizes This
Understanding how a horse’s body is built and how it moves helps us train, ride, and care for them more responsibly. Knowledge of biomechanics and anatomy allows us to recognize sound movement, identify strain or compensation early, and make choices that support comfort, longevity, and performance—always respecting the physical limits of the horse.
Lameness & Rehabilitation
📘Adams and Stashak’s Lameness in Horses
(7th Edition) by Gary M. Baxter: Often called the “gold standard” reference, this comprehensive text covers diagnostics, advanced imaging, and modern treatment options for both vets and students.
📘Equine Lameness for the Layman
by Dr. G. Robert Grisel: A highly accessible guide that uses diagrams and video links to teach horse owners how to visually identify and decode subtle lameness.
📘55 Corrective Exercises for Horses
by Jec Aristotle Ballou: Focuses on postural rehabilitation and injury prevention through targeted groundwork and mounted movement patterns.
📘Diagnosis and Management of Lameness in the Horse
by Michael W. Ross and Sue J. Dyson: A detailed professional resource that explores imaging modalities and alternative therapies like regenerative medicine.
📘Care and Rehabilitation of the Equine Foot
by Pete Ramey: Regarded as the definitive work on rehabilitating hoof-related pathologies through lifestyle and trimming.
✍️The Horse: Rehabilitation Category: Features deep dives into biologics like PRP and practical advice for managing stall rest.
✍️The Humble Hoof Rehab Guide: A specialized online resource for troubleshooting hoof triggers and tracking "back-to-work" recovery plans.
✍️The Horse PT Blog Written by Dr. Barbara Parks, this blog explains the science of physical therapy and how to identify if a horse needs professional rehab.
✍️Equitopia News: Provides articles on the mental and neurological aspects of recovering from physical injury.
🎧The Horse First: A Veterinary Sport Horse Podcast: Hosted by Dr. Audrey DeClue, focusing on “body lameness” versus limb lameness and the role of pain ethograms.
🎧The Humble Hoof: Features episodes on rehabilitating through movement and specific diagnoses like navicular or laminitis.
🎧Equine Vet Connect: A podcast dedicated to breaking down complex veterinary topics into actionable info for owners and trainers.
🎧Stall and Stable: Features expert interviews regarding lameness management for the average horse owner.
🎥Subtle Lameness Series (Equitopia): A four-part video series that guides viewers through recognizing early pain signs and the final stages of rehab.
🎥Manual of Equine Lameness DVD: Accompanies the manual with video clips of flexion tests and injections.
🤍 Why EERC Emphasizes This
Lameness is often the horse’s way of communicating discomfort, imbalance, or injury. Understanding lameness and the rehabilitation process allows us to respond with patience, accuracy, and compassion rather than frustration or force. By focusing on proper diagnosis, thoughtful rehab, and gradual return to work, we support healing, restore confidence, and give each horse the best opportunity for long-term soundness and a meaningful second career.
Hoof Care
📘The Essential Hoof by Susan Kauffmann and Christina Cline: A highly rated visual guide for owners that covers everything from anatomy to choosing the right hoof professional.
📘The Hoofman's Guide to Better Hooves by Dr. Doug Butler: A practical manual from one of the most respected names in traditional farriery education.
📘Care and Rehabilitation of the Equine Foot by Pete Ramey: The foundational text for understanding how lifestyle, diet, and trimming can reverse chronic lameness and hoof pathologies.
📘Understanding the Horse’s Feet by John Stewart: Focuses on the internal structures and how external forces impact the sensitive tissues within the hoof capsule.
📘The Art of the Farrier by Steven Kraus: A detailed look at the history and modern application of shoeing from the perspective of Cornell’s head farrier.
✍️Hoof Rehabilitation Strategy: Pete Ramey’s article database is a treasure trove of free information on treating navicular, founder, and wall cracks.
✍️The Humble Hoof Blog: Offers case studies and deep dives into the importance of the digital cushion and caudal hoof health.
✍️EasyCare Inc. Blog: A great resource for alternative hoof protection, focusing on boots, glue-ons, and composite shoeing.
✍️American Farriers Journal: Provides technical articles on the biomechanics of the hoof-ground interface and industry news.
🎧The Humble Hoof: Features interviews with trimmers, farriers, and vets about the nuances of hoof function and rehabilitation.
🎧The Hoof Geek Podcast: Hosted by Lorraine Ives, this podcast breaks down complex hoof concepts for the average horse owner.
🎧Hoof It: Focuses on farriery business and technique, featuring discussions on how to manage specific hoof ailments.
🎧The Farrier Podcast: A professional-grade series that explores the science and craftsmanship behind modern farriery.
🎥The Hoof: Inside Out: A visual documentary/course that uses dissections and 3D modeling to explain the internal workings of the foot.
🎥Under the Horse DVD Series: Features Pete Ramey demonstrating trimming techniques and explaining the logic behind functional hoof shapes.
🤍 Why EERC Emphasizes This
The hoof is the foundation of the horse’s movement, comfort, and long-term soundness. Understanding hoof structure, balance, and care helps us recognize how trimming, shoeing, and environment impact the entire body. By emphasizing informed, consistent hoof care, we support healthy movement, reduce strain and injury, and set each horse up for a more comfortable, sustainable life in work and beyond.
Saddle Fit, Tack, & Bits
📘The Silent Killer by Jochen Schleese: A provocative look at how ill-fitting saddles cause long-term physical damage, specifically focusing on the differences between male and female pelvic anatomy.
📘Saddle Fitting: A Guide for the Equestrian by Dr. Joyce Harman: Written by a veterinarian, this practical guide offers step-by-step instructions for checking English and Western saddle fit yourself.
📘The Ethics of Horse Riding by Gerd Heuschmann: Explores how tack and training methods affect the horse’s biomechanics and mental well-being.
📘Bitless Bridles: A Complete Guide by Robert Cook: A foundational text discussing the physiological impact of bits on the horse’s airway and cranial nerves.
📘The Bitted Horse by Hilary Vernon: A comprehensive reference on bit mechanics, mouth anatomy, and how to choose the right mouthpiece for specific training issues.
✍️The Saddle Fitting Blog (Schleese): Extensive educational articles on "Saddlefit 4 Life" principles, covering wither clearance, shoulder rotation, and spinal health.
✍️Sustainable Soft Tissue: Features expert commentary on how tack—specifically girths and bridles—interacts with the horse’s myofascial lines.
✍️Bit Bank Australia Blog: Provides detailed guides on bit materials (like Sensogan or Sweet Iron) and how different cheekpieces function.
✍️The Gait Post: Often features reviews and expert tips from Master Saddlers on seasonal fit changes and flocking maintenance.
🎧The Horse Bit Fit Podcast: Dedicated entirely to bitting and bridle fit, focusing on how headgear affects the horse’s entire kinetic chain.
🎧The Snotty Nose Horse Podcast: Features interviews with saddle fitters and veterinarians about the intersection of tack and performance.
🎧Equine Connection Podcast: Frequently discusses tack-related behavior issues and how "naughty" behavior is often just a response to poor fit.
🎧The Whole Horse Podcast: Includes episodes on functional tack, featuring guests like equine osteopaths who analyze saddle pressure points.
🎥Saddle Fitting Essentials (Equitopia): A video series that visually demonstrates how to perform a basic fit check and identify signs of pain in the horse's back.
🎥Horses Inside Out: Girths and Biomechanics: A recorded webinar by Gillian Higgins showing how girth design affects ribcage expansion and stride length.
🤍 Why EERC Emphasizes This
Properly fitted tack plays a critical role in a horse’s comfort, movement, and ability to perform willingly. Understanding saddle fit, bridle design, and how equipment interacts with the horse’s anatomy helps prevent pain, restriction, and behavioral issues often mistaken for training problems. By emphasizing thoughtful, well-fitting tack, we support clear communication, freedom of movement, and a more trusting partnership between horse and rider.
Nutrition & Body Condition
📘Nutrient Requirements of Horses (NRC Plus): Often called the "Equine Nutrition Bible," this is the definitive scientific resource for balancing rations based on age, weight, and workload.
📘Feed Your Horse Like a Horse by Dr. Juliet Getty: A comprehensive guide that simplifies complex nutritional science into actionable advice for preventing metabolic disorders and digestive issues.
📘The Horse Nutrition Handbook by Melyni Worth: A highly practical manual covering the anatomy of the digestive tract and how to manage specific dietary needs from easy keepers to seniors.
📘Equine Clinical Nutrition by Dr. Lon Lewis: A veterinary-grade text that focuses on the clinical application of nutrition in treating diseases like laminitis and colic.
✍️Mad Barn Academy: An extensive knowledge base featuring articles on everything from vitamin deficiencies to the physics of chewing and forage analysis.
✍️The Feed Room (Purina): Provides practical articles and tools for body condition scoring and managing specialized diets.
✍️Kentucky Equine Research (KER) Equinews: A leading research blog that publishes the latest findings on equine supplements, bone density, and glycemic response.
✍️Forage First (ADM): Focuses on the importance of forage-based diets and how to supplement appropriately without over-calculating calories.
🎧Feed Room Chemistry: Hosted by equine nutritionist Dr. Jyme Nichols, this podcast breaks down the science of what actually happens inside the horse’s gut.
🎧The Feed Room (KER): Features discussions with scientists about cutting-edge nutrition research and athlete management.
🎧Equiratings Eventing Podcast (Nutrition Episodes): Often features high-performance nutrition tips for keeping sport horses fit rather than just "fat."
🎧Straight from the Horse's Mouth: A veterinary-led podcast that frequently covers the intersection of nutrition, dental health, and body condition.
🎥Body Condition Scoring (BCS) Video Guide: The Henneke Chart visual guide is the industry standard for learning how to palpate fat cover.
🎥The Digestive System (Equine Anatomy Series): A visual exploration by Equitopia that shows the journey of food from the mouth to the hind gut.
🤍 Why EERC Emphasizes This
Nutrition plays a foundational role in a horse’s health, energy, and ability to heal and perform. Understanding how forage, feed, metabolism, and workload influence body condition helps us make informed choices that support both physical and mental well-being. By emphasizing appropriate nutrition and maintaining healthy body condition, we promote soundness, resilience, and long-term quality of life for every horse.