Mystic Equine

09/04/2026

Another discussion that the horse industry isn’t ready for is the increased prevalence of ECVM.

Which, centuries ago, was first noted but was an incidental finding.

Nowadays, some studies are finding occurrences as high as 40%.

For people who aren’t aware, ECVM is a malformation of the cervical vertebrae and is thought to be correlated with breeding for hypermobility that can make horses beautiful movers for dressage or very talented jumpers.

But, when they have this malformation, it predisposes them to a whole lot of issues, such as lameness, neurological issues and can often end in euthanasia.

I think that the current rate that we are finding this issue at is just a tip of the iceberg because I believe that there is still rampant breeding for certain traits that make it more likely for horses to have this problem.

So, I suspect that this 40% figure is going to continue to increase, especially in certain bloodlines.

It’s also important to note that certain diagnostics don’t happen until after death and unless Horse people are getting postmortem exams done, there are some answers that likely die with the Horse.

Regardless, even if the statistic remains “just” 40% it is a highly concerning and debilitating statistic that should not be as high as that.

There is a lot of room for improvement across the industry.

Every single problem I discussed on this page I think has the same foundational problem:

People valuing horses for their ability to use them as vehicles for their ambitions first and as animals second.

There are so many arguments across this industry that are centred around people fighting to justify their own access to horses, and not having to reflect and change anything.

Consistently, I see people prioritizing their own comfort and belief systems above that of their Horse.

For many people, even being open to some of these truths is so aversive that they would prefer to just deny it and ignore it.

And that is the exact issue.

If these conversations were more open from the jump, there would be more of a discussion of how we could fix these issues.

But, when we have an industry full of people who would rather ignore the problems and sweep them under the rug, than discuss them, it makes it harder to create forward momentum for positive change.

As someone who has lost a young horse from neurological issues, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

ECVM is a very scary issue and if you have a 40% chance of getting a horse who has it, it is something that many Horse people will experience in their lifetime.

So, it begs the question:

When will the horse actually come first?

The call is coming from inside the house. It is time to answer it and make some changes.

07/11/2026

Another awesome image of a very successful racer in Florida. Thank you Erika Akire for sharing and for trusting in Trinity Horseshoes to keep Adele performing at her peak.

07/11/2026

Wow! Just WOW!

05/28/2026

05/15/2026

Thank you Dr Kellon for speaking on this topic it’s important for the wellbeing of all horses

What follows is a consensus statement from the nonprofit Equine Cushing’s and Insulin Resistance Group Inc. I am the owner of the ECIR group, now on groups .io, which gave rise to the nonprof…

05/11/2026

04/15/2026

The photograph shows an ungular (collateral) cartilage model - Amber plastic like structure- from a three-dimensional distal limb model created by Professor Christopher Pollitt. It’s sitting on a coffin bone.

I often use his models to demonstrate soft tissue anatomy, and this is a useful visual for understanding how the ungular cartilage sits in relation to the coffin bone.

It’s not a perfect fit in this model, but it gives a good overall impression.

What’s particularly interesting is that the ungular cartilage doesn’t just “sit there.” It has specific ligamentous attachments to other structures, including the extensor tendon and the pastern bones.

Historically, these cartilages were thought to have very limited attachments—essentially just arising from the palmar processes of the coffin bone. But following the pioneering work of Professor Denoix we now know that distinct ligaments are present.

So this raises a question for me:

Why is sidebone so often dismissed as insignificant?

If the ungular cartilages have defined attachments and functional roles—and they must, because biological structures are not maintained without purpose—then changes within them deserve more attention than they’re often given.

We also have work from Professor Bowker highlighting their importance, and KC LaPierre has long considered them a critical component of the foot.

So perhaps it’s time we stop thinking of them as passive structures… and start asking what happens when they change.