ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Wind Puffs

Re: Wind Puffs

Kimberly Henneman (vuduvet@utah-inter.net)
Tue, 13 May 1997 08:42:13 +0100

>I have a four year old Morab mare who has had windpuffs since before she
>was started under saddle. All I keep hearing is that they are bad, bad,
>bad! I did read one article in Equus-bottom line is that they didn't
>think they were all that bad. My vet said that some horses just have
>them or are prone to them while others aren't. What are other's
>experiences with them? Will this mare be able to do long distance or
>will she be hampered by this? Just a side note-she has Bask lines, and
>she is gorgeous and has a wonderful attitude and has close to perfect
>confirmation.
>
>Doris in Maryland

Doris: the windpuff in and of itself is not bad, but to my bioengineer and
veterinary training, it spells the warning sign of previous biomechanical
imbalances. Those imbalances might be gone now, but you need to look for
the subtle warning signs that they are not. Such as: does she stand like a
circus elephant balancing on a ball? Does she have sore gluteal and
hamstring muscles? Is she tight in her triceps muscles (behind and below
the shoulder blade)? Does she have too long a toe in her shoeing (see
Trailblazer July/Aug and SEpt/Oct 96, articles by myself and Nancy Loving)?
If everything checks out okay, then the past damage is over and done with,
but if she is sore or tight anywhere, then the biomechanical imbalance
remains and should be dealt with...(my bias is massage or acupuncture or
chiropractic).
Kim Henneman, DVM

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