Whispering Equine Body Works

Lymph tape from Hestaband is both and amazing and important tool in my toolbox. Used for a variety of reasons I have had some amazing successes including:

- reduction of a chronic swollen lymph node under the jaw of a mare (with just a single application!)
- increase in circulation in a shoulder that is showing signs of overactive nerve firing (sweating when at rest) leading to a return to normal function
- reduction of oedema around an injury leading to faster healing times
- reduction in swelling in lower limbs due to trauma or chronic non-traumatic swelling
- increase in circulation in hypertonic and reactive muscles of the back prior to massage allowing for deeper soft tissue work and relaxation
- reduction in stiffness due to vaccine reactions

With “just a piece of tape” we can do all this and more!

Some very interesting food for thought here! We often think of the muscle ending and the tendon beginning but have been shown time and time again that the muscle actually extends into the tendons to varying amounts until it becomes the more solid tendon.
What does that mean for diagnostics? What we know is always changing and it’s always good to have new knowledge on board.

DID YOU KNOW THE SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT OFTEN CONTAINS MUSCLE FIBRES?

One of the fascinating things I regularly come across during equine dissections is the presence of muscle fibres within the suspensory ligaments on the proximal branch near its Origin.

Many people assume the suspensory ligament is simply a thick band of collagen fibres, but anatomically, it’s much more complex than that!

The equine suspensory ligament is actually a highly specialised structure that evolved from the interosseous muscle. Although it has become predominantly ligamentous to support the weight of the horse, it still contains varying amounts of skeletal muscle fibres, fat, blood vessels and nerves.

Research has shown that the amount of muscle tissue varies between horses, breeds and even with age. Interestingly, some studies have found that these muscle fibres are predominantly slow-twitch fibres, suggesting they may have a functional role rather than simply being evolutionary leftovers.

SO WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

I had an interesting conversation with veterinarian Dr Henk Offreins from Equine Tendon yesterday about the possibility of proximal suspensory injuries being overdiagnosed through ultrasound, and whether corticosteroid injections are sometimes being used unnecessarily. A light bulb went off in my mind because I see muscle fibres in the upper suspensory branch regularly.

This sent me down a research rabbit hole!

Studies comparing ultrasound images with MRI and histology have demonstrated that normal muscle and fatty tissue within the proximal suspensory ligament can appear as darker areas on ultrasound, potentially resembling lesions.

In other words, what appears to be damaged tissue on an ultrasound may sometimes be perfectly normal anatomy!

Of course, ultrasound is an incredibly valuable diagnostic tool, and genuine suspensory injuries absolutely occur. But research also highlights the importance of understanding normal anatomical variation before interpreting every abnormal-looking area as an injury.

This brings us to another interesting question.

ARE WE SOMETIMES TREATING WHAT ISN’T ACTUALLY BROKEN?

Corticosteroids are commonly used in equine veterinary medicine to reduce inflammation and pain, but they do not repair damaged collagen fibres. There are also concerns about their potential effects on connective tissue healing, depending on how and where they are administered.

There isn’t currently enough evidence to conclude that steroids are routinely being overused for proximal suspensory injuries. However, it does raise an important question about ensuring we have an accurate diagnosis before deciding on treatment.

An ultrasound finding alone doesn’t necessarily tell us whether tissue is damaged, whether that finding is responsible for the horse’s pain, or whether corticosteroids are the appropriate treatment.

THIS IS WHY ANATOMY MATTERS!

The more time I spend dissecting horses, the more I appreciate just how complex their bodies really are. Structures we often describe in simple terms are frequently far more intricate than we realise.

Dissection gives us an opportunity to see the tissues themselves, understand their relationships and question some of the assumptions we make about how the equine body works.

I’m certainly not suggesting veterinarians are routinely getting these diagnoses wrong. What I am suggesting is that we should remain curious, continue questioning and use the growing body of scientific research to improve our understanding.

Because ultimately, better anatomical understanding leads to better decisions for our horses.

Some interesting scientific studies if you’d like to read further:

* Bischofberger et al. (2006) — MRI, ultrasonography and histology of the normal suspensory ligament origin.
* Soffler & Hermanson (2006) — Muscular design in the equine interosseus muscle.
* Werpy et al. (2013) — Comparison of ultrasound and MRI of the normal proximal suspensory ligament.
* A Review of the Equine Suspensory Ligament: Injury Prone Yet Understudied (2025).

The more we learn, the more we realise how much there still is to understand. The is where dissection work fits in so neatly to science. We see patterns and this creates conversations. Huge thank you to Equi-ed who make it possible for me to fly to the other side of the planet to have these conversations with people at the coal face of change.



Photo below showing the lateral side of the proximal suspensory branch, a few centimetres below the origin.

This is an amazing deal on this one day clinic!

𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐧 – Vancouver Island, BC 🇨🇦

Our first course SOLD OUT!

Hestaband™ Education is planning to bring the 𝐏𝐑𝐎 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 in 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕, and we are currently seeking a host facility—preferably in the 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚, although we are open to other locations on the Island.

Ideal host facilities would offer:
• Indoor space for classroom instruction
• Access to quiet, well-handled horses for demonstrations and practical labs
• Clean washroom facilities for participants
• Adequate parking and basic amenities
• A strong interest in supporting continuing education for equine professionals

This internationally recognized certification course is designed for veterinarians, RVTs, chiropractors, therapists, bodyworkers, and other equine health professionals looking to integrate kinesiology taping into their practice.

Know a barn that may be interested? We'd love to hear from you!

📧 Contact us at [email protected] or send a DM for more information.

Interested in canine taping? Make sure to check this out!

One lucky spot just opened up for this professional certification hands on course in Calgary!
This is the only time this will be offered here in 2026, grab this spot while you can and join us for an amazing 3 days.

🚨 Calgary Course Update 🚨FULL

Did you miss out when registration filled?

A last-minute cancellation has opened ONE final spot in the Calgary PRO-Equine Taping Certification Course.

This is your opportunity to join us before the course begins. First come, first served.

📩 Message us to claim the spot.

Country roads this Sunday morning. Lots of snow in them there mountains still!

When that post massage feeling really hits……

If you are headed up to Red Deer for the Horse Expo Canada make sure to drop in and visit us at the Hestaband Booth!

The team is all here!
The booth is set!

Horse Expo Canada 2026

A chance to win your way into horse expo! Make plans to come and see us!

I have one WEEKEND pass for Horse Expo Canada 2026 to give away.

I’d love it to go to someone who’s genuinely interested in learning more about kinesiology taping.

If that’s you (or someone you know), send me a message and tell me a bit about your work and what you’re hoping to take back into your practice.

I’ll choose someone by April 20, 2026.

If you’re already planning to be there, come find us—we’ll have lots of tape, books, and time to actually talk through applications.