A. Khanbalique

The adventurous spirit that I am, and at the time of learning about Dr Deb Bennett's work, I met a similar focused academic, here in Toowoomba at a Horse Exhibition held at the local showgrounds.  At the time, Sharon May-Davis was an undergraduate student who had ambition and dedication to learn more about her academic field - paleontology.  The next decision was even more difficult, to exhume Khanbalique in order to examine her structure. 

When Khanbalique was laid to rest, my vet had laid her out beautifully.  I knew exactly where she was, how deep she was buried, and the position she was in. The task for Sharon was made that little bit easier.  It wasn't easy to stay through the exhumation, and at times, I couldn't.  When Khanbalique's skull was recovered, it was all too much - so much emotion.  Stay strong was my only thought. Even today, the memory brings me to tears.

Sharon and I discussed her progress over the days it took.  She was extremely pleased that, for the first time, she had recovered every bone to complete a skeleton, including the very fine bone at the back of where the tongue would be, along with the final tail bone. 

What the exhumation did explain was the trauma that Khanbalique had suffered when foaling Agecroft Jask. Prior to foaling, the accident between the two mares resulted in Khanbalique fractoring her pelvis, most probably hairline.  A few weeks later she fractured her pelvis "fully" while giving birth during the healing process. It was logical to conclude that the immense pain had caused her milk to dry up . Jask, her foal, only received the initial colostrum.  

The first photo in the image is of a sad Khanbalique shortly after foaling Jask ie fracturing her pelvis. The photos of her with her next foal Jabal, Jask's brother.

Sharon asked if I would like to donate Khanbalique's skeleton as a training aid. Knowing the emotion I felt during her exhumation, the decision was made to donate Khanbalique's skeleton to the Charles Sturt University in New South Wales as a training aid within their Equine Studies Department. 

HEAD:

Khanbalique’s skull appeared of normal shape and dimension. She had all her teeth, which were in excellent condition considering they had never been floated. Her bite was even and no stress seemed apparent at the Temporal Mandibular Joint or through the attachment points of the Coronoid Process.

CERVICAL VERTEBRAE:

There was excellent symmetry throughout the cervical vertebrae with no signs of osseous formations abnormal to this region.

THORACIC VERTEBRAE:

There were eighteen in total with two areas of noted interest. Thoracic vertebrae No.3 (T3), which was curved posteriorly rather than anteriorly, but the consequences of this are unknown to me. T12 through to T18 had what is known as “kissing spine”*. This is where the uppermost portion of a dorsal spinous process of the thoracic vertebrae comes into contact with another and overrides that process.

* Later determined not to be kissing spine.

LUMBAR VERTEBRAE:

Indicative of the Arabian – Khanbalique had five lumbar vertebrae and of particular note were L4 and L5. These were fused quite extensively along the transverse processes and vertebral body, but did not infringe upon the vertebral foramen.

SACRUM:

There was minor asymmetry of the sacral wings and a fracture of the first spinous process. This was brought about by the sub-luxaton of the sacro-iliac joint, which allowed the Ilium to impede this spinous process and I presume facilitate the fracture.

My finding on this concurs with the fact that articulation of the sacro-iliac joint continued to impede this process and re-fracture the dorsal spinous process. There was a sagittal split of the dorsal spinous processes of S3, 4 & 5. The depth varied between 1 ½ - ½ cm and this has been my first encounter with this anomaly.

THE HIP:

Khanbalique’s hip was extremely asymmetrical. There was obvious sub-luxation of the near-side sacro-iliac joint with the wing of ilium traversing dorsally and medially. This action impeded and fractured S1’s dorsal spinous process. Both sacral tuberosities appeared very close to S1 and had less that 2cms gap separating them. The entire pelvis had shifted to the off-side and this was very apparent after articulation, when both ischiatic tuberosities were noted in approximation to the rest of Khanbalique’s skeleton. I am presuming that these anomalies occurred as a result of the severing and partial severing of the near-side hind leg’s superficial and deep flexor tendons just above the fetlock 4 years previous.

CAUDAL VERTEBREA:

All appeared normal, but Ca1 (the first one behind the sacrum) had changes indicative of spondylosis. This could be biomechanically influenced due to those changes occurring at a skeletal level anterior to it.

NEAR-SIDE FRONT LEG:

This leg upon articulation was off-set and inclined to be “buck kneed”. Apart from this there appeared to be no other anomalies. The coracoid process located medial to the supraglenoid turbacle on both scapulas, were the largest I have encountered – over 1 ½ cm.~ Upon viewing Khanbalique in action (on video), I must now begin to wonder if this is indicative of the ability for a horse to extend?  The coraco brachialis (an extensor and stabiliser) attaches to this process and inserts into the humerus. The fact that this process was large indicates the amount of loading placed on it (in Khanbalique’s case exceptional extension), which therefore accounts for the increase in bone remodelling.

~ these markings looked like the marks left by limpets on rock in sea ponds.

OFF-SIDE FRONT LEG:

This leg was perfect in alignment, but the ulna and intermediate carpals were fused. No osseous degeneration was apparent and articulation of the joint appeared unimpaired. The coracoid process was similar to that of the near-side.

NEAR-SIDE HIND LEG:

The skeletal diameter of this leg was less than that of the off-side. The sesamoids showed some change at a degenerative level, but overall its alignment was correct.

OFF-SIDE HIND LEG:

This leg was slightly larger than the near-side skeletally and for all intent and purpose – correct.

BONE DENSITY:

In regard to the other skeletons that I have worked with, Khanbalique's bones were of considerable strength and density. The process by which articulation occurs, requires drilling at both distal and proximal ends of each long bone in the leg. In the case of Khanbalique, this process was much more difficult than in previous studies. My conclusion was drawn from the difficulty incurred by me for a new drill bit to penetrate the bone. Even though anecdotal, I checked the drill against other unrelated boney structures and incurred no difficulty. This would suggest that Khanbalique's bones were of a greater strength and density.

GENERAL:

Khanbalique has to date the best set of pedal bones (3rd phalanxes) that I have encountered. The ‘kissing spine’ of the thoracic vertebrae and extensive fusion of the lumbar vertebrae, I have put down to the continual process of foaling from the age of four. These vertebrae would not have fully matured till 5 in Khanbalique’s case and the ventral loading of six foals over eight years would have influenced this outcome. Due basically to visceral structures suspending the intestines and uterus from the ventral aspect of these vertebrae.

* as noted above, it was determined by Dr Deb Bennett that Khanbalique did not have a case of "kissing spine".

Photo credit: Sharon May-Davis