1. A lameness can stem from many sources, including musculoskeletal problems, hoof issues, joint inflammation, tendon or ligament injuries, and neurological conditions.
2. A forelimb lameness is identified by looking for the head nod. The head will go up when the lame limb hits the ground and down when the sound limb hits the ground. It is easier to notice the ‘head nod’, therefore when the head nods, it is the opposite leg that is lame.
3. Check for heat, swelling , pitting and a pulse. Inflammation brings blood to the area. (“Pitting” is a condition where pressure on the swollen area creates an indentation or pit that remains for a short time after the pressure is released. This type of inflammation is often associated with bacterial infections where fluid accumulates in the tissues, leading to swelling and the characteristic pitting appearance when pressure is applied)
4. A horse with arthritic wear and tear (common in older horses), will often get better as he goes, which is known as ‘warming out of it’. The lameness will usually be less obvious after a few minutes. Additionally he will often be worse on hard ground (tarmac) in comparison to the arena. This is due to more concussion on his joints.
5. A horse with soft tissue damage will often get worse as he goes and is often lamer on a soft surface (arena), as the tissue such as an affected tendon or ligament is being stretched more than it would be on a hard surface with no give.
6. A hind limb lameness is more difficult to detect. If you watch the horse trotting away from you, the lame leg usually has more movement at the hip. It helps to attach white sticky tape to both hip bones to make this more obvious to the eye. The limb will also often swing out wider.
7. A horse with sore muscles may also get better as he goes, or ‘warm out of it’, although he will continue to show subtly altered mechanics, with the horse lack of connection, crookedness, unevenness, reduced power or endurance or difficulty performing certain tasks he has been capable of in the past.
8. A horse with bilateral limb lameness will be harder to detect as the head nod will now be apparent when both limbs hit the ground. However he will show a shorter protraction phase (for example forelimbs will not come out very far from underneath him resulting in a ‘choppy’ gait).
9. Watch him move from the front. A horse will shift its weight away from the affected limb. For example, a horse with a sore right front will often shift its head and neck to the left.
10. A horse with sore feet may be reluctant to step from soft ground onto hard ground.
11. If you’re struggling to detect lameness, consider taking a slow-motion video. Slowing down the footage can provide a more detailed view of the horse’s movement, making it easier to identify subtle abnormalities or asymmetries in gait that may indicate lameness.
12. Putting a horse on a circle (lungeing), often shows up a forelimb or hindlimb lameness more easily.
13. If the horse looks lame on one limb, but has a stronger pulse in the opposite limb, it could be because the sound limb has taken more weight to allow pressure relief of the affected limb.
14. A horse can look completely sound without a rider, and then be quite lame once someone is on board. If you’re getting a feeling that something just isn’t quite right, do not just jog him up on the straight or on the lunge and assume all is well.
15. Weight-bearing lameness refers to a a lameness that manifests when a specific limb is bearing weight. A swinging limb lameness is a lameness that manifests during the swing phase of the stride. This is the phase when the limb is not bearing weight but is in motion, during the forward, backward or lateral swing.
16. Lame doesn’t always mean limb – a lameness can originate from anywhere along the kinetic chain, including the internal organs, that could affect movement, weight bearing, or use. For example, that nagging “stifle issue” could turn out to be ulcers.
17. Shoeing/trimming intervals should be kept as short as possible. Studies have shown that as the toe grows, the foot ‘shoots’ forward (long toes, low heel), putting excess strain on the flexor tendons. If your horse always looks slightly ‘off’ just prior to shoeing, then this is a very probable cause and it may be worth shortening your shoeing cycle.
18. Mechanical lameness refers to lameness in horses that is caused by physical issues related to the musculoskeletal system, such as joint problems, tendon or ligament issues, or biomechanical abnormalities. It is typically distinguished from lameness caused by inflammation or pain. Mechanical lameness often manifests as an alteration in the horse’s gait or movement pattern due to structural or functional issues in the limbs. back or kinetic line.
19. Tendons are the less supple and elastic extension of the muscle that anchors the muscle to the bone. Tight, tense or fatigued muscles add stress to the tendon, greatly raising the risk of injury. Massage can improve the health and function of the muscles and reduce the risk of tendon injuries.
20. When your horse deals with any type of lameness, it triggers compensation patterns throughout its body. This means it will use its muscles and other soft tissues differently, leading to incorrect movement habits and widespread body-soreness. The most effective way to mitigate this is to a) catch and deal with the lameness early and b) use soft tissue manipulation during and post recovery to reduce muscle tension and pain and return his natural movement potential.
As a horse owner, developing an eye for lameness is one of the greatest skills you can learn. This will not only allow you to have your horse treated more quickly, but will hopefully nip smaller issues in the bud before they escalate into far bigger ones.
Leave a Reply