'Legging Up' on Anatomy

This past month, I brought a couple of our 4-H kids to an intense workshop specifically intended for horse bowl and hippology team members. Once again, I found myself rolling up my sleeves and sharing in the learning. Although not for the squeamish, the leg dissection seminar offers an excellent “hands on” experience that gives participants an unparalleled appreciation of equine anatomy.

The coordinator of the event, Donna Meyer, has been offering this program to young students of the horse for about 20 years. As a horse bowl coach, she is always looking for new ways to help her kids understand concepts like “What is the difference between a ligament and a tendon?” and “Explain the function of the frog.” While a student can give a verbal explanation or even look at detailed illustrations in a book, she knows that nothing beats seeing (and touching) the real thing.

As a veteran farrier, she’s more than qualified to explain the anatomy of the horse’s hoof and leg. The idea for this came from her experiences in horseshoeing school, and when she began serving as a 4-H volunteer it was only natural for her to share her experiences with the kids.

This year’s clinic took place at Fox Valley Saddle Association in Hampshire, IL, and was hosted by Kane County coaches Donna Meyer and Lisa Barbrey. There were over a dozen young horse enthusiasts in attendance representing three counties. Some were first-timer’s, and others were “return customers,” back for their second or third year of exploring the horse from the inside out.

When the kids arrived on clinic day, they found several tables spread with newspapers and legs sections (from the knee down) of various colors and sizes. Meyer’s gave them a brief talk about what they would be looking for and how to be safe with their tools, and they split into teams and got to work.

Once they got past the initial shock of seeing a portion of one of their favorite creatures on earth laying on a table–knowing that each one represents a lost soul–their inquisitive, adventurous sides took over and they tentatively began to explore. At first you could hear a lot of nervous giggles, but soon they settled in and resembled a room of intent CSI scientists.

I wandered around between the tables, checking out the progress of each “leg team,” and snapping pictures. One of the girls asked for a copy so she could take it to school and get extra credit from her science teacher. Calls of “Donna! What’s this?” echoed around the room, as she hurried from table to table to help.

The young scientists went about their work, making new discoveries all along the way. They saw firsthand that what lies beneath the surface of the skin can tell you a lot about what kind of life this animal had. They saw bruises and inflammations that indicated recent injuries, and some scarred joints told the story of a life of painful arthritis suffering. The “puppet game” was played; Meyer’s term for demonstrating how the tendons extend and contract to control hoof action. Those who explored far enough got to see the delicate structures of the inner hoof. Seeing and touching the sensitive laminae and frog, brought a whole new appreciation of what a marvelously engineered creature the horse is.

While the “real thing” is used, none of the horses were harmed specifically for the purpose of this dissection. Meyer’s said that Cavel International –the slaughterhouse in DeKalb, IL–has always willingly donated the legs for this youth clinic. Though to some, this activity might appear inappropriate or even ghoulish, that’s really not the case. The positive results are noteworthy. At the very least, each participant comes away with a better understanding and new appreciation for the horse. Some may even be inspired to go on to become veterinarians or horseshoers, devoted to equine well-being. That being said, I had to laugh a little that day when I stopped to think about what I was doing. My daughter Lisa and her partner, Emily, were working away on their leg. In an effort remove the hoof wall, Lisa donned a shoer’s apron and went to work. She needed some help so I rolled up my sleeves and grabbed a pair of nippers. Someone commented on the fact that we made a good team. I replied, “Yeah, typical women spend their free time going to the mall, but this is our idea of mother/daughter bonding.” Anything to do with horses...

The things these kids saw, and touched, and did will become lifelong memories for them. The experience gained in this valuable hands-on learning opportunity, should help the young participants (please excuse the pun) “put their best foot forward” in horse bowl, hippology or whatever equine interest they pursue.

Libertyville Saddle Shop