| Unfortunately lameness in horses is part and parcel of | | | | - When watched from behind, particularly in trot, the |
| horse ownership, at some point in the horse's life he | | | | horse will raise the hip of the lame leg higher than the |
| or she will, most probably, be lame. As part of good | | | | hip of the sound leg. |
| horse care, horse owners and riders should familiarise | | | | - The horse's hip will appear to dip when the sound |
| themselves with the signs and symptoms of equine | | | | leg hits the ground. |
| lameness and be able to decide whether the | | | | - The horse may take a shorter stride with one hind |
| lameness is likely to be hoof or leg related, or could | | | | leg. |
| be attributed to the horse's back. Any lame horse | | | | - Limb or foot placement may not be normal. |
| should always be seen by a Veterinary Surgeon in | | | | - The horse may catch or drag a hind toe. |
| the first instance, as some limb lamenesses can | | | | Hind limb lameness is more difficult to see so an |
| manifest themselves as a back problem and vice | | | | additional test may be required, such as: |
| versa. Although the attending Veterinary Surgeon | | | | - Turning the horse in tight circles to both the left |
| should consider all the signs and symptoms, diagnose | | | | and the right will show whether the horse is reluctant |
| the problem and prescribe the correct treatment, the | | | | to take his weight on a particular hind leg. |
| horse owner should know when the horse is lame, | | | | Differential diagnosis |
| however slightly, so as not to make matters worse | | | | It is said that a large proportion of all equine |
| by keeping the horse in work. | | | | lameness is in the foot. Indeed most Vets will start |
| Signs and Symptoms | | | | at the hooves and work their way up the leg when |
| Obvious signs and symptoms of lameness include | | | | investigating any lameness in horses. |
| wounds, tendon and ligament injuries, heat and | | | | However, when the most pronounced symptom is a |
| swelling or other noticeable injuries to a leg or hoof | | | | shortening of the stride length with one foreleg it is |
| which will make the horse lame. However | | | | not easy to tell whether the lameness is lower leg or |
| sometimes the horse is only slightly lame and it is not | | | | not, and, horse owners often mistakenly believe this |
| easy to tell which leg is affected. In this case you | | | | to be shoulder lameness. In the absence of a head |
| have to look for signs which may be quite subtle. | | | | nod, and particularly when riding, a shortened stride |
| When a horse is lame in a front leg or a front foot, | | | | can feel like the shoulder is stiff and not swinging |
| the following signs may be seen: | | | | forwards freely. But, shoulder lameness in horses is |
| - The horse will be reluctant to put its weight on the | | | | quite rare so the hoof and leg should always be |
| lame leg. | | | | investigated first. |
| - On moving, the horse will raise its head as it puts | | | | When it comes to hind legs it is even harder to tell as |
| the lame leg to the ground in order to keep as much | | | | four legged animals are very good at disguising hind |
| weight as possible off this leg. | | | | limb lameness. |
| - When it puts the sound leg to the ground it will put | | | | The "hip hike" or dropping of one hip is almost always |
| extra weight on it and drop its head down as a | | | | confused with a back or pelvic problem, as is a |
| result. | | | | shortened stride or dragging of the hind toes. But |
| - This will be more evident when the horse is trotting | | | | these symptoms can equally be attributed to |
| and may vary from a slight head nod to a | | | | problems in the hock, stifle, hind suspensory |
| pronounced movement up and down of the head | | | | ligaments and others structures, as well as being |
| and neck. | | | | related to the horse's back. So the first port of call |
| - So if a horse nods its head when the right foreleg | | | | should always be your Vet. |
| hits the ground it will probably be lame in the left | | | | As a very general rule of thumb, a back problem |
| foreleg. | | | | usually causes an alteration in gait patterns or stride |
| - The horse may take a slightly shorter stride with | | | | length, or a behavioural or equitation problem rather |
| one foreleg. | | | | than a limp - however slight. If your horse is limping |
| - The horse may not place a front foot normally. | | | | or head nodding it is probably hoof or leg related. |
| When a horse is lame in a hind leg or hind foot the | | | | Find out more information on how to assess your |
| following signs may be seen: | | | | horse's movement: see - looking after your horse's |
| - The horse may rest the lame leg and not want to | | | | back. |
| take the weight onto it. | | | | |