Equine Lameness: Signs, Treatments, Discussions
Ranked #672 in Animals, #15,043 overall | Donates to ASPCA
An Introduction to Equine Lameness
Equine lameness is a problem that must be handled carefully by all parties involved in the diagnosis and treatment procedures. Without proper methods to diagnose an equine lameness problem, a horse is at risk of further trauma and discomfort. As such, this page serves to advance the discussion on equine lameness symptoms and treatment.
What is Equine Lameness?
A More Precise Definition of Equine Lameness
When a horse shows lameness symptoms, this simply means that they are sore in a manner that is not allowing them to move in their normal way.
Equine lameness may develop in numerous areas of the equine body such as the hoof, legs, shoulders, back, etc. The tendons, joints, back and hoof areas of the horse are the most common locations of trauma/injury causing direct "lameness" symptoms.
The ways in which a horse may contract lameness are numerous - all horse owners are advised that their horse should be assessed by an experienced professional to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.
Talk about Lame! Get The Farrier Quick
Signs of Equine Lameness
A few signals a horse may give when in pain.
- "Head Bobbing" - When in motion, a horse will bob its head downwards at the time of pain. If the front left hoof is injured, the head will "bob" and the horse will compensate in the way it moves its body.
- Sluggish and Unwilling to Move - Sometimes a horse will just be lazy, but it's important to note that if a horse is normally very active and suddenly appears to be stubborn about performing as usual - a sharp eye should keep watch for further signals.
- Improper Stance Depending on the nature of the lameness, a horse will often stand differently then when "sound" simply to compensate for the pain and make itself as comfortable as possible - just as humans do. Here is a few common stances and what they may mean:
- Laminitic Stance - With laminitis the stance is usually one of front hooves forward more than usual and leaning backwards
- Resting one hoof/leg - if trauma has occurred in one leg or hoof, a horse will often keep the hoof that is injured at rest, putting more pressure on the other three legs.
- Navicular Stance - A horse with navicular has chronic pain at the back part of the hoof. This results in the front hooves usually being placed well underneath the horse(backward of where the leg would normally be placed) to help reduce the load applied to that painful area.
- Back Pain Stance - Often when a horse has injured its back, the back legs end up being forward of where they used to be while at rest. To picture this stance, it may be helpful to think of a performing circus bear, balancing on a ball. Back pain can be devastating to a horse - there is much to be said for the advances of equine chiropractic knowledge and if there is a serious case of back pain, an equine chiropractor maybe a good place to look for help. - "Flexion" - When picking up your horses hooves, feel for how well the horse can move the leg without resistance - if there is stiffness and noticeable pain when moved to normally bearable limits, this is an indication of what could just be "set-in" arthritis - or possibly an injury. It is important to note that horses that cannot stretch out as well as they used to are not always classified as "Lame".
Laminitis: A common cause of Equine Lameness
Is your horse showing signs of laminitis?
A common condition that a horse may contract over the years is named "Laminitis". Laminitis is the swelling of the laminae - a connective tissue inside the hoof that helps keep the coffin bone and the hoof wall securely in their proper places.If laminitis progresses to the chronic stage, you've reached a state of "Founder" - a stage in which the bottom bone of the hoof named the pedal bone/ coffin bone interchangeably has rotated or sunk to restabilize itself.
For More Info See: Laminitis Intro
Websites of Interest on Equine Lameness
Sources of information for various topics on equine lameness and care.
The horse is a very complex animal and may "turn up lame" from many different ways. The discussion and treatment of the equine lameness condition is being advanced through our ability to share and discuss knowledge online.
We've listed here a few websites that may be helpful to the horse enthusiast on their quest for further knowledge in regards to equine lameness.
Please feel free to vote and share the websites that you find helpful.
Horse Hoof Care
Everything to do with the care of horses hooves and the horse care fields related to it.1 point
HorseAdvice.com a Horse Care and Training Information Resource
Articles and discussions on horse and equine health care, disease, breeding, training, written and moderated by an equine veterinarian1 point
The Farrier and Hoofcare Resource Center
Fantastic resource for the sheer amount of written equine articles and magazine reprints. The forums are filled with experienced farriers helping hor...0 points
http://web.wt.net/~stovall/farrier.htm
In depth and experienced observations and writings on various lameness and hoofcare issues by CJF Tom Stovall0 points
Fran Jurga's "HoofBlog": Up-to-the Minute News from Hoofcare & Lameness Journal
News from the front-lines of farriery.0 points
Does your horse have a HOOF ABSCESS?
An Abscess can be a painful state for a horse - causing direct lameness.
A hoof abscess is definitely another common cause of equine lameness.An abscess is basically an infection that is inside the hoof capsule. This infection creates a pus-like substance that will build up pressure causing a very sensitive and lame hoof.
Hoof abscess can be caused by many different things.
- A laminitic horse will be prone to getting abscesses due to the traumatized state of the hoof capsule.
- Gravel or foreign material can work its way up a tiny opening(crack, separation) between the sole and the hoof wall, creating an abscess. This kind of abscess can be tricky when diagnosing lameness due to the off and on signs of lameness it can create. Often the "gravel" will break out near the coronet band, allowing the infection to heal and grow out.
- An injury to the hoof may create an infection through the resulting trauma/destabilization of the hoof. Any cracks or openings that allow foreign material access to the sensitive structures inside the hoof capsule may be a birthplace of an abscess.
An experienced vet / farrier may be able to relieve the pressure of the infection and allow for cleaning through soaking of the hoof by removing a small portion of the hoof that leads to the infected area from the bottom upwards. It is suggested that an "Abscess" tool be used as it allows the precise removal of only a fraction of the hoof, rather than "pairing away" with the hoofknife, damaging much more hoof area than needed.
More information on Hoof Abscesses
Equine Lameness Books
Advance your equine lameness knowledge!
Lameness: Recognizing and Treating the Horse's Most Common Ailment by Equine Research
Lameness, one of the most common and most troubles more...0 points
Diagnosis and Management of Lameness in the Horse by Michael W. Ross, Sue J. Dyson
This unique, comprehensive approach to lameness de more...0 points
The Lame Horse by James R. Rooney
This updated and expanded edition is packed with t more...0 points
Adams' Lameness in Horses by Ted S. Stashak, Robert Adams
This classic revision of <i>Adams' Lameness more...0 points
Practical Guide To Lameness In Horses by Ted S. Stashak
This is an updated, practical version of Dr. Stash more...0 points
ShoutBox
Send your comments this way please!
Leave a comment, blurb, suggestion, whatever you wish!
Trot-on wrote...
I loved this lens, I have a few horse related lenses myself and would recommend this to any horse person. I have owned horses for 7 years now and no one has ever explained it so simple. Thank you so much
Posted June 11, 2009
AccessHorses wrote...
Great info and topic. It is my point of view that there can also be underlying emotional issues that can perpetuate lamenesses. Have seen it happen personally...might be worth exploring further.
Posted January 20, 2009
d-artist wrote...
I lost one of my horse last year from laminitis, after treating her for 8 months and pure hell, I put her down...all because she originally was miss-diagnosed, eventhough i told the Vet I thought she foundered/laminitis 5*s
Posted September 02, 2008
