Yes, I will start that up soon, but first I want to talk about legs. Specifically, horse legs. I'm currently taking an Equine Anatomy course which includes a lab, and I have dissected two lower legs, one front and one hind. Both have been fascinating and I highly recommend doing it if possible. It only makes me want to go to vet school more.
Yes, it's gross at first. But once you get the skin off, a whole new world opens up. Seeing how everything fits together, how thin yet tough the tendons and ligaments are, and feeling synovial fluid (the fluid that lubricates the joints) makes you see the horses leg in a whole different way. In one way, you marvel at how all these little strings hold up a half-ton animal; in another, you see how easily things can go wrong.
For me, the hard part was getting past the skin. Once that was off, it's just ligaments and bone, baby. It was interesting to see how integral the suspensory ligament is to holding up the fetlock and the way joints open up. Now when someone talks about a suspensory injury or a deep digital flexor tendon lesion, I actually know what they're talking about. I've seen it, I've touched, and I know what happens when it fails. It's an experience I'll treasure.
Wow, this is really cool! I wish I had the opportunity to do that... I took a trimming clinic once and we got to look at hooves cut in half and things like that... But doing it yourself... Wow!
ReplyDeletePetra Christensen
Parelli 2Star Junior Instructor
Parelli Central