Neck pain and stiffness are common problems in performance horses. Scientists recently showed that even horses without obvious signs of neck pain or stiffness might have abnormal bony changes there. Older and taller horses had an increased prevalence and severity of disease in the research.
Source: The Horse, April 3, 2018. (Link)
In the study, “Characterization of Bony Changes Localized to the Cervical Articular Processes in Horses,” Kevin Haussler, DVM, and his team looked at C2-T3 (the third thoracic vertebrae) of 56 horses that died for reasons unrelated to neck or wither pain. The horses had participated in various disciplines and were different breeds, ages, heights, and weights. The researchers found that many bony changes were related to osteoarthritis and muscle and joint capsule entheses (connective tissues), said Haussler, and many horses exhibited more than one issue.
INSIGHTS: Even though veterinarians often take images of necks, some pathological changes aren’t visible via routine radiographic imaging, and horses might have changes without showing obvious signs of discomfort. It is unclear which specific bony changes contribute to neck pain and stiffness.