Henry Jann

co-author and editor of Rehabilitating the Athletic Horse

November 4, 2015

This is a book about the restitution of soundness in horses which have been trained under seemingly ideal conditions, and nonetheless suffered injury. Most of the book's authors have had direct experience in performing medical and surgical interventions designed to correct athletic injuries. Most of the authors have also been directly involved in the conditioning techniques designed to not only render their own charges ready for competition, but also ready to win.

The book will suggest how things can 'go wrong' even with man's best-laid plans. The text will then describe the path back from athletic injuries based upon that which is known about equine anatomy and physiology, and draw upon experience in human rehabilitation where applicable.

Some chapters will focus on how and when to apply therapeutic techniques, while others will describe in detail how, why and when those techniques are most beneficial. For instance, there are many measures which might be taken to treat a wound in such a way to enhance its healing, but have the psychological effects of relative isolation and inactivity shown to retard wound healing in laboratory animals, and almost assuredly operative in the healing of equine wounds, been considered?

It is anticipated this book will continuously evolve as we learn even more about the physiology of injury in horses and come to better understand how we might prevent it. For instance, what role does exhaustion play in the blunting of proprioceptive sense? We know the bones of a horse, when tested in vitro, can withstand any and all of the pressures theoretically placed upon them by running at speed. However, if no longer supported by a surrounding musculature, therefore loaded in unphysiologic ways, they fail. How can we better train for stamina at this basic level? We shall hope to find out soon.

URL: https://library.okstate.edu/news/celebratingbooks/2011-honorees/henry-jann

Last Updated: 14 January 2022