The equine hoof wall has a complex tubular structure, which extends across the stratum medium. In a healthy hoof, the tubules are straight, parallel to each other and descend at the same angle as the hoof capsule. On the bearing border surface of a trimmed hoof, they can be seen as a pattern of rings. Our human skin is an epidermal structure like the hoof, and yet skin does not have horn tubules within it. This article sets out to answer the simple question of why horn tubules exist within the hoof wall.

There is a tendency to think of laminitis as a single disease entity, when in fact it is more accurately a common endpoint with a variety of etiologies.

Maggots have a reputation for being creepy crawlies that should stay far away from our homes and our families. But these tiny fly larvae have been used in medicine for centuries for a unique purpose. Their role is so beneficial that, despite all our advanced technology and scientific discoveries, they are still used today.