Caudal cervical vertebral morphological variation is not associated with clinical signs in Warmblood horses.
Authors: Veraa S, de Graaf K, Wijnberg I D, Back W, Vernooij H, Nielen M, Belt A J M
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Caudal cervical vertebral morphology varies considerably in Warmblood horses, and whilst such anatomical differences have been suspected of causing clinical problems, robust evidence linking specific radiographic findings to actual clinical signs has been lacking in this breed. Veraa and colleagues conducted a case-control study examining C6 and C7 morphology in Warmbloods with and without clinical cervical pathology, using radiographic assessment to classify vertebral phenotypes and comparing these between symptomatic and asymptomatic animals. Contrary to expectations, the researchers found no significant association between morphological variation at these caudal cervical levels and the presence of clinical signs, neck pain, or performance problems in affected horses. This finding carries important implications for clinical interpretation: farriers, veterinarians and other equine professionals should exercise caution before attributing clinical dysfunction solely to anatomical variants on radiographs, and should consider a more nuanced diagnostic approach incorporating physical examination, biomechanical assessment, and other contributory factors rather than relying on morphological findings as a definitive diagnosis of cervical pathology in Warmbloods.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Finding cervical vertebral morphological variation on radiographs in Warmblood horses should not automatically be assumed to be the cause of clinical signs—further investigation is warranted before attributing lameness or neck pain to these findings
- •Caution is advised when extrapolating findings from mixed-breed horse populations to specific breeds, as associations may not hold across different genetic backgrounds
- •Clinical diagnosis of cervical pathology in Warmbloods requires correlation with clinical presentation rather than reliance on radiographic morphology alone
Key Findings
- •Variation in caudal cervical spine morphology at C6 and C7 is highly prevalent in Warmblood horses
- •Radiographic morphological phenotype of caudal cervical vertebrae is not associated with clinical signs in Warmblood horses
- •Previous suspected association between morphological variation and pain in mixed-breed horses was not confirmed in this breed-specific case-control study