Aligned Veterinary Services

DID YOU KNOW THAT HORSES DON'T HAVE COLLARBONES?? 🦴

Unlike humans, horses don’t have collarbones. Their shoulders are held to the rest of their skeleton via a sling of muscles and ligaments instead, often referred to as the “thoracic sling.”

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
We often ask our equine athletes to perform complex movements that require tremendous strength and coordination, and horses carry the majority of their weight in their front end. Therefore, it is imperative that the bulk of the muscles that support the front end are kept healthy and conditioned, and the horse is trained to use their “motor” — that is, engaging the large hind end muscles as much as possible to avoid excessive weight bearing on the front end.

If the front end of the horse is consistently overweighted or not at an appropriate level of fitness, repetitive biomechanical stresses get transferred down the leg to the smaller ligaments and tendons that were not designed to bear this weight, which can then lead to injury.

Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

A great source for correct and up-to-date information regarding the EHM outbreak

EHM Outbreak Counts | Equine Disease Communication Center The Equine Disease Communication Center is monitoring an outbreak of EHM that originated at the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) World Finals and Elite Barrel Race event Nov 5-9. To date, officially confirmed cases have been reported in the following states-

🌟Stomach Points🌟

Bladder 20 & 21 are commonly used during the acupuncture scan as diagnostic points for stomach pain. These points are found just before and after the last rib about six fingers off midline. If steady, light to medium pressure over these points, illicits a response, it may be indicative of stomach pain.

❗️ please consult your regular veterinarian or an integrative medicine vet before over interpreting these results. Reactivity here may also be a result of back pain, poor saddle fit, or caudal rib restrictions.

Size doesn’t matter, it’s technique that matters!

🔅 Difficulty bending, uneven rein pressure, head shyness, head shaking, avoiding the contact can all be signs of poll issues

☯️ Acupuncture is a great way to release tension in this area especially when combined with an adjustment

Cutest acupuncture patient of the day 🏆

Enjoyed spending a few days last week teaching chiropractic techniques at the Chi University

Good luck to this team of amazing patriots and horses this week! Feeling honored to have been a small part of a remarkable team

The Army's Old Guard caisson unit resumed operation for President Jimmy Carter's funeral. The horse unit’s operation had been suspended by the Army in May 2023 following the deaths of two horses used to haul caissons in funerals at Arlington National Cemetery.

“We are executing our flagship mission,” said Lt. Col. Branden Quintana, commander of the Caisson Detachment, part of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment known as The Old Guard. “There’s no better way for us to pay our respect and honor the former president. It’s something we feel in the center of our heart, the pit of our stomach. This is the pinnacle.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/06/jimmy-carter-funeral-caisson-military-horse-unit/77488420007/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

AVS is open for haul in appointments!

Acupuncture is a useful tool to rehab horses after soft tissue injury by helping to restore nerve function and increase muscle mass as seen in this patient with a radial nerve injury.