M. Craig, T. Turner, and J. Craig: “Do Horses Stand with Phalanges Aligned?”

joints are rotated so that as we travel up the leg, the bones are oriented ‘to the upright side’ of the aligned position.

joints are rotated so that as we travel up the leg, the bons are oriented ‘to the less upright side’ of alignment.

the distal phalanges are in perfect, straight alignment.

the average value for palmar angle would increase

the average value for palmar angle would decrease

the average value for palmar angle would be unchanged.

tend to push up the heel, which will tend to push the bones towards alignment.

tend to make the alignment even more ‘broken back’.

won’t have any effect on the alignment of the phalanges.

that most horses stand broken-forward

that most horses stand ‘to the upright side’ of aligned, that is, somewhat ‘broken back’

that the data does not convey a clear answer to the question posed in the article’s title.

causes the fetlock to sag down, lowering the ergot towards the ground.

causes the horse to alter its stance to straighten the fetlock somewhat, raising the ergot.

can have various effects on stance, and no ‘average conclusion’ can be drawn.

decreases (long pastern and cannon move closer to alignment)

increases (the angle between long pastern and cannon gets larger)

remains essentially unchanged.

with phalanges farther away from the ‘aligned position’ than smaller horses.

with phalanges closer to the ‘aligned position’ that smaller horses.

‘broken forward’ compared to smaller horses.

It should still be the goal of corrective shoeing

Small horses need not be shod at all

It is a ‘rule of thumb’ that is ‘roughly true’ but in today’s age of radiographs and careful measurements, we see that it is not strictly true.

go with the expert’s recommendation; experts are almost always correct.

ask that the expert explain the recommendation to our satisfaction, ideally with scientific studies to provide evidence for their recommendation.

throw out the study that measured the population, something must not have been done properly.