Langley Equine Studies

04/04/2026

03/30/2026

These are cute

03/18/2026

I got the rare opportunity yesterday to dig up the little tiny bones of a Equine fetus. The size of the scapula was like an inch and a half and the ribs were like toothpicks. It was incredible. The thing that impressed me. The most was the femur was maybe 2 inches long, but it even was developing the greater true counter . It truly is a real hands-on experience here on campus. I will get photos as soon as I can. the lesser in the third in the future I will get these tiny little specimens cleaned up and put together in some kind of educational display. It was a really fun field trip here at Langley Equine studies. We have two full regular size horse scheduled systems on display for students to learn bones and Boney landmarks and attachments for muscles when they come for labs

03/11/2026

I am so proud of you for following your dream seeing it through. This is so awesome. Congratulations.

03/08/2026

I always appreciate color-coded diagrams

The Hocks.

How do I explain simply to owners about the importance of hock health in the horse??

Say you walk onto a diving board, to get the power for the dive you need vertical bounce building up for the power of the precision and quality of the lift
Now say you walked onto to the diving board and instead of the spring going up and down the board was wobbling side to side, you lose power you lose balance, how many horses do you see with a huge hock wobble creating instability both below and above as the other joints compensate.

Now look at the horse while the Hocks absorb downward energy to produce upwards energy, if the horse feels unstable to load the joints correctly then overcompensating can happen, the knees may overexagerate their action, the Hocks hesitant to load through pain or restriction will wobble before loading and often the fetlocks will follow the Hocks with exaggerated twisting leading to imbalance in the hoof.

Instead of a clear path from hind to front foot, the stride is shortened in both front and hindlimbs, no power means less lift so toe dragging may occur, range of motion can be affected on protraction, snatching of hindlimb, as remember its not just bone and a joint, we have connective tissue, muscles etc that will all have a domino affect on the whole horse.

If there is pain you may even see a shift through the body where you can see clearly the assymtry through the torso, eventually leading to a diagonal front limb issue.
We have collatral ligaments keeping the joints of the hock from both medial and lateral preventing overextension and hyperflexion, a dysfunction in the hock will not only put strain on the joint but also the surrounding ligaments.

The Calcaneus tendon which attaches on the point of hock has connections not only to the muscles above like the gastrocnemius but also to the superficial flexor muscle which is part of the reciprocal stay apparatus (the ability to lock the the limb to rest) so maybe the hock issue could be a rest issue??

Age related wear and tear, what we do with our horses may bring an earlier wear and tear on the body, if your horse is jumping or doing strenous, repetitive work before the growth plates are closed we pften only think of bone health, yet muscles can get fatigued or torn, ligaments will be soft and pliable, joints are supported by these structures. Yet like us even if we do eveything right as horses get older the maintenance required to repair the body can slow down.

Confirmation has a huge affect on hock health, so while we may help with maintenance we often cant change the make up.

Soft swellings, we often are led to believe that some swellings are ok, while some may not be as hazardous as others, swelling is often there to protect an area under duress so do not ignore swelling especially if there is heat.

What to do???
Hocks are probably the most easiest to spot out of all the limb issues, first if there is lameness always consult your vet first before anyone.

Xrays are usually the easiest way to spot any potential issues, we cant just guess, we always need to see what we are dealing with to be able to get the correct treatment or else everyone is just throwing darts at the board and hoping one lands.
If yout vet suggests it it is probably because they already have an inkling as to what is going on but they need to know where to treat, what changes have occured, or changes that may affect future performance like bone spurs etc.
Better does not always mean the issue has gone away the intermittent lameness, the decrease in lameness could mean that changes inside have settled down, but the vet can tell you if there may be more issues to come.

At least once every 3 months video your horse walking away, and turning a small circle in each direction, horses should be able to step across the midline with their hindlimbs, it may not be a hock issue but if they cant do this it maybe time to call your bodyworker.

Pick up a forelimb and bring it forward (not a stretch just slightly forward) does your horse rebalance the hind end and stand square on both hind feet or are they going from heel to toe or resting the hindlimb again maybe not a hock issue but it is a comfort issue.

Walk your horse and bring it to a natural stop note their posture repeat it a few times, do they always stop in the same stance then that is information

Feel those limbs, our hands can detect the slightest changes my top tip if you feel something on one limb and it ain’t there on the opposite limb it probably shouldn’t be there. Heat is often the first indicator way before swelling so do a daily check as the earlier we find something the quicker we can get it sorted.

Is your horse always catching its front shoe with the hind foot ?? We often think its a forelimb issue but again look at the power if there is no power from behind then the forelimb will not have the correct stride.

Vet first is always a priority if you suspect something they have the tools to see beneath the skin, it may need pain relief it could need medicating, before we come in and begin our work we may prolong the treatment the vet has prescribed, by keeping the body to maintain a more beneficial movement pattern. I have clients that have gone from yearly injections to 2 year timespan yet the owner begins to be aware when the horse needs a little bit more than bodywork. We may not be able to stop change but we can often help delay it.
Hope this helps.
If I got the ligaments wrong then try and write talocentraldistalmetatarsal 10 times at 4am 😅😅

03/06/2026

Love this image.

Fascial Signaling: Telocytes in Connective Tissue Adaptation

A telocyte is a specialized interstitial (connective tissue) cell found in many organs — including fascia — that appears to play a role in cellular communication and tissue coordination.

They’re relatively newly described cells (identified in the early 2000s), and they’ve generated a lot of interest in fascial and connective tissue research.

What makes telocytes unique?

The defining feature of a telocyte is its extremely long, thin cellular extensions called telopodes.

These telopodes can extend for hundreds of microns, forming a three-dimensional communication network within connective tissue. They look almost spider-like under microscopy — small cell body, very long filament-like arms.

Where are telocytes found?

Telocytes have been identified in:
• Fascia
• Tendons
• Skeletal muscle
• Heart
• Lungs
• Intestines
• Uterus
• Skin

They are especially common in loose connective tissue and interstitial spaces — exactly where force transmission and cellular signaling occur.

What might telocytes do?

Research is ongoing, but proposed functions include:

1. Cellular communication

Telocytes appear to form connections with:
• Fibroblasts
• Stem cells
• Immune cells
• Nerve endings
• Blood vessels

They may help coordinate local responses by transmitting signals through direct contact or small vesicles (exosomes).

2. Tissue organization & repair

They are often found near stem cell niches, suggesting a role in:
• Regulating regeneration
• Supporting repair processes
• Maintaining structural organization

This is particularly interesting in fascia, where remodeling and adaptability are essential.

3. Mechanical sensing

Because they reside within connective tissue and form long networks, telocytes are hypothesized to participate in mechanotransduction — sensing and responding to mechanical load.

In other words, they may help translate mechanical forces (like stretch, compression, or shear) into cellular responses.

Why telocytes matter in a fascial context

For someone working in equine bodywork and myofascial release, telocytes are intriguing because:
• Fascia is not inert wrapping.
• It is a living, communicating network.
• Telocytes may help coordinate how fascia adapts to load and injury.

If fascia is a communication highway, telocytes may be part of the “signal routing system.”

They reinforce the idea that manual therapy doesn’t just affect muscle length — it influences a dynamic cellular environment involved in regulation, adaptation, and repair.

https://koperequine.com/adipose-tissue-fascia-quality-and-fitting-the-whole-horse/

02/15/2026

This was very interesting. I have looked at a lot of bones and in my experience almost all the time lumbar vertebrae transverse processes have fused without x-rays. A person does not know how bad the horses skeletal system really is holding up under such strain and stress.

02/11/2026

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 >>𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺......

Olive is a grey mare with a long history of head shaking.

She has been thoroughly investigated by her veterinary team, including advanced imaging. A CT scan revealed no structural pathology that could explain her symptoms. Electroacupuncture had also been trialled, without meaningful improvement.

The owner described a clear seasonal pattern: Olive is significantly worse in winter, particularly with wind and rain. There was also an important historical detail – when Olive was first backed, she would retract her tongue so far back that she appeared close to choking, and a tongue tie was introduced to manage this behaviour.

So for me often the question is not “what is wrong with her head?”
It was “what is her head responding to?”

🐎 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱

Assessment revealed restriction at the cervico-occipital (CO) junction, held in extension with a slight sidebending pattern to the left. This transitional region between skull and spine has a strong influence on neurological tone and is highly sensitive to strain.

The left ear was notably reactive to touch including specific sutures. The distribution of sensitivity corresponded with recognised sensory territories of cranial nerves VII (facial), IX (glossopharyngeal) and X (vagus), alongside contribution from the CO/C1 spinal nerves. This immediately suggested a cranial nerve involvement rather than a localised ear issue.

The jaw and cranial base provided further clarity.
The left mandible was held in an ascending pattern, with cramping through the left masseter. The hyoid apparatus was drawn forward and left. The temporalis bones were asymmetrical, with the left held in endorotation and the right in exorotation.
Within our osteopathic training, this is clinically significant: endorotation of the temporal bone is associated with vascular compromise, while exorotation is associated with neural tension or potential neural entrapment.

In Olive’s case, the left temporal endorotation may subtly influence venous and arterial flow in the cranial base, particularly the internal jugular vein and internal carotid artery, contributing to local congestion. Here we can also start to consider CN V11, & CN V111, as possibly involved.
The right temporal exorotation reflects compensatory neural strain (more on this and froamen lacerum further down). This pattern is further influenced by environmental factors like wind, rain, and cold, which can accentuate vascular and neural tension.

These cranial base patterns link directly to hyoid, jaw, and tongue mechanics, influencing head carriage, swallowing, and airway dynamics.

𝗢𝗔𝗔 (𝗢𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗽𝘂𝘁-𝗔𝘁𝗹𝗮𝘀-𝗔𝘅𝗶𝘀) 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅:
The trigeminal nerve’s sensory nucleus extends into the dorsal horn of the upper cervical spinal cord (C1–C3). Dysfunction or "blockages" at the OAA can create abnormal sensory "noise" or tension that the brain interprets as facial pain.

𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 & 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:
The muscles of mastication (masseter, temporalis, pterygoids) are directly innervated by the mandibular branch (V3) of the trigeminal nerve. Chronic jaw tension or TMJ dysfunction can cause these muscles to shorten/contract, potentially tugging on the facial fascia and putting pressure on the nerve as it exits various skull openings.

𝗘𝘅𝗼>𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗼 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀:

The foramen lacerum region, functionally, involves CN IX (glossopharyngeal), X (vagus), XI (accessory), and V3 (mandibular branch of trigeminal), affecting sensory, motor, and autonomic functions to the head and hyoid/tongue complex.

The tongue was not incidental
The historical tongue retraction suddenly became anatomically coherent.

The tongue is a highly organised muscular structure with a strong central core, intimately linked to the hyoid apparatus, mandible, soft palate, and upper airway. Its coordination depends on balanced input from cranial nerves IX (glossopharyngeal), X (vagus), and XII (hypoglossal).

When tone within this system is disrupted, (TMJS, OAA complex, sphenoid, SSB, Temporales)......the tongue may draw caudally and dorsally as a protective response, narrowing the airway and interfering with normal swallowing–breathing coordination.

In Olive’s case, the tongue behaviour appears not as a training issue, but as a compensatory pattern within a strained cranial–Tmj-hyoid–neurological system.

The palatine bones, forming part of the roof of the mouth and boundary of the nasopharynx, are also relevant in such presentations. Restriction here can further affect tongue position and airway comfort. Any internal assessment or treatment of this area would appropriately require veterinary or dental involvement, with a gag in place.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗼......𝗪𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗘 🐎
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥-𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯.
The diaphragm was restricted in an inspiratory state. The mid-thoracic spine showed right sidebending, and the pelvis demonstrated asymmetry, with the right ilium held in dorsal inflare and the sacrum organised around an oblique axis pattern.

The lumbar spine showed mixed compensations rather than a clean biomechanical response, indicating reduced adaptability within the system.

From an osteopathic standpoint, this matters deeply. In many of my posts I talk about how the dura mater forms a continuous tension system from the sacrum to the occiput. Pelvic and sacral strain does not remain local>> it is transmitted cranially, influencing the cranial base and the neurological structures housed there.

In this context, Olive’s head was not misbehaving.
It was responding intelligently to the demands placed upon it by the rest of her body.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:

These cases highlight how functional restriction, particularly involving the diaphragm, pelvis, and cranial base, can produce significant neurological and sensory symptoms without leaving a structural footprint on imaging.

𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀.
It is about understanding relationships.
And when the anatomy is allowed to tell its story, the horse often makes perfect sense.

Image: Found on google, the asterisk mark the foramen lacerum > https://www.equus-soma.com/apollo-part-five/

Shared with permission of owner.

01/19/2026

I love studying and teaching anatomy.

A different view of the abdominal wall muscles, showing their layering and the various directions of muscle fibres in each muscle.

12/08/2025

Congratulations, Olivia!