Horse News & Views - May 2004

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Ontario Association of Equine Practitioners

• Occasionally, a horse is unable to flex its hind leg. This is often diagnosed as upward fixation of the patellar. It is caused by a ligament (medial patellar) becoming hooked or failing to disengage from the notch of the medial trochlear ridge of the femur. This is part of the "stay apparatus" which allows horses to lock their hind legs and sleep while standing. Predisposing factors to upward fixation of the patellar include: conformation (straight hind legs where the stifle angle is close to 140 degrees rather than 135 degrees), poor muscle tone, poor conditioning, hereditary factors, trauma and a plant poisoning in Australia. (Tinbar A. Treatment of upward fixation of the patella in the horse: an update. Equine Vet Education 2003; 5: 306-312.)
• Owners are often surprised by the presence of white plaques on the inside surface of their horses' ears. These can vary from white or non pigmented, slightly raised plaques to a distinct "bunch of grape-like" lesions inside the ear. These are often aural plaques. They are thought to be produced by a papillomatosis virus and, therefore, are classified as a type of wart. They are incidental findings and rarely cause any clinical problem with the horse. No treatment is normally necessary but contact your veterinarian to verify your suspicion. (Equine Vet Education 2001; 3 (5,Oct):360)
• Horse pastures are the worst places for plants to survive. Fertilizing pastures in the spring, before the horses graze them, will increase their productivity and stimulate ungerminated seed to grow. It is beneficial to soil test each field every two or three years to assist advisors in recommending fertilizer requirements. General recommendations are available in Publication 811, Agronomy Guide for Field Crops: Soil Fertility and Nutrient Use: Soil Testing
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