Understanding multi-limb lameness in horses
It’s easy enough to tell if your horse is lame on one leg, but when more than one limb is involved lameness can be far more difficult to diagnose, warns H&H
Lameness
Lameness in horses is a term used to describe the horse’s gait being adversely affected by pain or a restriction in the typical range of movement. The pain or restriction can originate in the hoof, in the leg or elsewhere in the horse’s body, such as the back or neck. It can range from a subtle change in gait, to the horse being unable to carry any weight on the affected limb. Lameness has been identified as the most common reason for older horses to be put down.
How to trot your horse up for a lameness examination
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Diagnosing subtle lameness
Severe lameness is relatively easy to diagnose, while many steps must be taken to get to the bottom of a mild unsoundness, as Horse & Hound explains
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Dealing with hindleg lameness
Practical advice from Horse & Hound on how to determine if your horse is suffering from a low-grade hindleg lameness
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Lameness: when to call the vet
Horse & Hound explains when a lame horse requires an emergency visit by a vet and when it is safe to wait and see how a lameness progresses
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The brave new world of MRI
Horse & Hound investigates how magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is changing the way vets diagnose and treat lameness
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Diagnosing lameness
Unexplained lameness is a real problem for horse owners and vets alike although recent technological advances can help with diagnosis
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Examining hard ground lameness
Horse&Hound explains how a horse's working life can be shortened by the onset of a pre-ringbone condition which makes it unlevel when worked on hard ground
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Understanding sore shins
Horse & Hound explains how to recognise sore shins and suggests ways to avoid the pain and discomfort associated with them
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Recognising hindlimb lameness
Expert advice from HORSE magazine on recognising hindlimb lameness
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Q&A: Treating lameness
Expert advice from HORSE magazine on treating a "mystery" lameness in a New Forest pony
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Experts unite to solve lameness
An equine clinic has been set up in Kent to treat lameness holistically
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Locating front leg lameness
Finding the exact cause of front leg lameness is tricky – is the pain in the shoulder or the foot?
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Identifying lameness
HORSE magazine explains how to tell which leg your horse is lame on
