06/04/2026
Some conversations take a decade to be heard.
This photograph was taken during a recent skeleton retrieval.
One of the reasons I am such a strong advocate for composting is because the bones never lie.
They do not care about our opinions, our training philosophies, or what was popular at the time. They simply tell the story that was written into them over a lifetime.
Over a decade ago, I began noticing a pattern in some of the horses I was assessing: widespread orthopaedic dysfunction, early arthritis, and significant spinal issues that never fully resolved.
I began wondering whether some of these horses were living with the long-term consequences of being started too young.
The response was rarely curiosity.
I was ignored, dismissed, belittled, and told I didn't know what I was talking about.
Fast forward to today, and growth plate injuries are increasingly recognized through dissection, composting projects, and increasingly recognized by veterinarians.
Part of me is grateful, but the other part wonders how many horses may have benefited if we had been willing to have these conversations sooner.
The reason I am sharing this now is because I find myself in a similar position when discussing ECVM.
Ten years ago, growth plate pathology was often dismissed.
Today, I see many of the same reactions surrounding ECVM.
I genuinely do not know how that conversation will evolve over the next decade.
But when a horse consistently demonstrates physical limitations, behavioural changes, pain responses, neurological signs, or an inability to perform the work being asked of them, we owe it to that horse to consider all possibilities.
Sometimes the most compassionate thing we can do is gather more information and allow the findings to guide our expectations.
Our job is not to force the horse to fit the goal.
Our job is to understand the horse in front of us and adapt the goal to fit the horse.
