The EquiScience Podcast

Brianna Navarro did everything right when she bought Teddy, full pre-purchase exam, head-to-toe x-rays, a clean bill of health. Eight months later, she had to say goodbye.In this episode, Brianna shares her journey with ECVM and wobbler syndrome: the signs she missed early on, the CT scan that revealed severe spinal cord compression, and the hard decision to euthanize. She also talks about Teddy's Legacy Foundation, which she founded to help other horse owners with diagnostics, research, and education, plus her recent clinic with Celeste Lazarus and her new horse, Zephyr.To learn more or apply for a diagnostic grant, visit https://www.teddyslegacy.org/ or find Teddy's Legacy on social media @teddys_legacyIf you haven't heard our previous episode with Kate Workman on ECVM, start there first, it covers the science behind everything discussed here.

Dr. Kate Workman (Denali Equine, Rexos) returns to break down ECVM, the lower-neck malformation increasingly linked to behavior, performance, and pain issues in horses. We cover her newly published, open-access paper (with Dr. Sharon May-Davis and Dr. Audrey DeClue), the grading system, how to diagnose it correctly, how to manage a horse presenting symptoms of ECVM. In this episode: what ECVM is and the clinical signsthe grade 1–4 scale, unilateral vs. Bilateraleffects on the longus coli, brachial plexus, and vertebral arterysurgical riskdiagnosing it right (and the most common x-ray mistake)genetics and breeding About Dr. Kate Workman: Dr. Kate Workman is aveterinarian at Denali Equine and co-founder of Rexos, a nonprofit dedicated to cataloging axial skeleton conditions in horses through necropsy-based research. Her team has performed detailed post-mortem studies on horses euthanized for unresolved behavioral, performance, and pain issues, work that led to her most recent paper on ECVM. Denali Equinehttps://denaliequine.com/ The paper:Identifying by Radiograph Grade 4 Aplasia of the Caudal Lamina Ventralis in the Equine Sixth Cervical Vertebra and Three Coinciding Morphological Variationshttps://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/16/3/482 

What if many of the problems we label as "lameness" don't actually begin in the limbs?In this episode I sit down with Dr. Audrey DeClue, an equine veterinarian known for challenging long-standing assumptions in equine medicine. Together, we explore the concept of body lameness, why biomechanics should play a central role in every lameness examination, and how collaboration between veterinarians, bodyworkers, farriers, saddle fitters, trainers, and owners can dramatically improve outcomes for horses.Dr. DeClue shares the experiences that transformed her approach to veterinary medicine, the importance of questioning accepted ideas, and why observing the horse as a whole, not just individual body parts, is essential for finding the root cause of dysfunction.Whether you're a horse owner, trainer, bodyworker, farrier, therapist, or veterinarian, this episode offers a thought-provoking conversation that encourages us all to ask better questions, think more critically, and ultimately provide better care for our horses.

In this episode of the EquiScience Podcast, we sit down with equine rehabilitation specialist and researcher Sandro to explore the science behind balance pads in horses. We break down his recent study on postural sway, pad density, and limb placement, and discuss how balance training can improve proprioception, spinal stability, muscle function, and injury prevention in sport horses. From rehabilitation protocols for tendon and ligament injuries to practical tips for horse owners using balance pads at home, this conversation dives deep into the biomechanics and physiology behind one of the most popular tools in equine rehab and performance training.@sandrocolla

Hoof care is full of strong opinions, but what does the science actually say? In this episode, I sit down with hoof care professional Beccy Smith to unpack what really mattersfor hoof health. We dive into the horse’s lived experience, the role of diet and movement, different trimming approaches, and the welfare implications behind them. Along the way, we challenge common hoof-care myths and look at where research needs to head next.Check out Beccy's ressources here:https://www.holisticequine.co.uk/