The second public lecture Dr Robert Bowker gave in Australia was at the University of Melbourne Vet Faculty on April 1st and 2nd. Organised by the Australian Hoof Care Association, it drew a cross section of around 35 trimmers, body workers, farriers, vet students and university academics. The seminar involved lectures and an explanation of his latest research along with half a day of hands on dissection of cadaver legs from a variety of perspectives (whole, sagital and 'poker chip sections')
The take home messages included his conclusion that the load bearing position of the navicular bone in a horse with a broken pastern axis was such that it was 'crunched' into p2 and p3, and that the blood supply thru the impar ligament was significantly reduced in such circumstances. He demonstrated that long toed horses (which he found to be very common in the domestic equine population) were all forced into this problematic load bearing on the navicular bone, and were therefore pre-disposed to navicular syndrome. He also demonstrated that there were significant differences in the robustness of the digital cushions and the lateral cartileges of such horses.
After his Melbourne lecture he delivered three days of lectures in anatomy and physiology for the inaugural intake of students enrolled in the Diploma of Equine Podio-Therapy (thru The College of Traditional Medicine - based in Melbourne) at Merrijig in the Victorian High Country.
The Diploma course attracted 21 students (it was over subscribed with a wait list) including trimmers from Western Australia, Queensland, NSW and Victoria.
Dr Bowker is pictured at right, explaining the difference between a 'good' and a 'bad' foot while Diploma student Martin Godwin looks on.
The professor flew out of Australia on Monday 7th of April for New Zealand and a two day seminar in Christchurch before returning home to Detroit.
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