Lameness refers to any abnormality in a horse's gait, usually caused by pain somewhere in a leg or the back. It ranges from a barely visible head-bob at the trot to an obvious inability to bear weight, and pinpointing the cause is often the hardest part of treatment.
Grading Lameness
Veterinarians typically grade lameness on a scale from 0 (no lameness) to 5 (unable to bear weight), assessed at the walk and trot on both straight lines and circles.
Common Causes
Hoof abscesses, bruises, joint inflammation, tendon or ligament strain, and laminitis are among the most common causes, spanning everything from minor and short-lived to chronic and career-ending.
Hoof abscesses are one of the most common causes of sudden, severe lameness, and can look alarmingly serious despite usually resolving well with proper drainage and care.
Getting a Diagnosis
A thorough lameness exam may include watching the horse move, flexion tests, nerve blocks to isolate the source of pain, and imaging like X-rays or ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis.
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