Ep. 082: Understanding How Horses Eat and Its Impact on Dental Health with Dr. Stephanie Bonin

On this episode, co-hosts Dr. Tania Cubitt and Katy Starr chat with Dr. Stephanie Bonin, a principal and senior biomechanical engineer, about her research on the movement of how horses chew and why it matters, including:

How horses chew long-stem hay or grass versus smaller pelleted feeds and forageHow the height at which horses eat can affect their jaw movement and teeth alignmentPotential dental management needs depending on the horse’s diet

For our more advanced horse owners and those asking for a deeper dive into the science – THIS episode is for you! See the notes below for a brief glossary on some terms discussed in this episode.

 

Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email [email protected]

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Episode References:

~8:54 – Dr. Bonin’s image description in episode of the McPhail Equine Performance Center set-up with Dr. Hilary Clayton - https://hoofcare.blogspot.com/2011/07/research-clayton-and-bowkers-effects-of.html

~12:02 - Kinematics of the equine temporomandibular joint -https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7270686_Kinematics_of_the_equine_temporomandibular_joint

~27:49 - Comparison of mandibular motion in horses chewing hay and pellets - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6311792_Comparison_of_mandibular_motion_in_horses_chewing_hay_and_pellets

 

Glossary of Terms:

~9:55 – Retroreflective makers – reflect light back in the direction it came, in this scenario, to the cameras~11:39 – TMJ - Temporomandibular joint~12:24 – Mandible – lower jaw, Maxilla – upper jaw~13:01 – Caudally – in the direction of or situated in or near the tail or posterior part of the body~13:05 – Kinematics – the study of motion without referencing any force that may actually cause the motion – how they’re moving, not why they’re moving, e.g. distance or displacement, speed or velocity, and acceleration.~17:26 – Adbraded down – worn down~17:32 – Atlanto-Occipital Joint – the poll of the horse which connects the first vertebrae with the skull~19:47 – Ramus – the large bone of the mandible or lower jaw~36:32 – Malocclusions – the misalignment between a horse’s upper and lower jaws~42:00 – Lateral excursion– the side-to-side movement of the lower jaw away from the midline

 

Helpful Standlee Products:

Standlee Certified Timothy Pellets - https://www.standleeforage.com/products/certified-timothy-grass-pellets/Standlee Alfalfa Cubes - https://www.standleeforage.com/products/alfalfa-cubes/Standlee Alfalfa/Orchard Grass Compressed Bale - https://www.standleeforage.com/products/alfalfa-orchard-compressed-bale/

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Stay connected with Dr. Stephanie Bonin:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieboninResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephanie-Bonin

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*Views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Standlee Premium Products, LLC.*

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Check out the Standlee Barn Bulletin BlogFind more nutritional resources from Dr. Stephen Duren and Dr. Tania Cubitt at https://www.standleeforage.com/nutrition/ Connect with Standlee on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok