During a Lameness Exam

Next, they will ask to see the horse move at a walk and trot in a straight line and a circle on hard and soft ground. Watching the horse move this way allows veterinarians to grade the severity and help localize the region of pain to one or more limbs.

“Identifying the specific causes of lameness can be challenging,” says Sarah Reuss, VMD, Boehringer Ingelheim Technical Manager. “Horses can’t tell us where they hurt and often the way they move doesn’t always reveal the exact source of lameness. That’s where additional testing can be beneficial.”

Diagnostic tests

To confirm what a veterinarian sees in a visual exam, they systemically move through a series of diagnostic tests to pinpoint the source of the issue. These tests include: pressure is applied. Veterinarians are looking to see if the lameness increases and how it compares with movement in the other limbs.

Diagnostic nerve block: A nerve block is used to pinpoint the location of pain. The veterinarian injects a short-acting numbing medication either into a joint or around the nerves and then watches the horse move again. When the horse’s movement improves, it signals the source of pain to be in that joint or in the area that those nerves reach. If no difference is made, the pain originates higher up the leg, and the nerve block may be repeated higher up the leg until the precise location can be confirmed.

Imaging: Radiographs (x-ray), ultrasound, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT (computed tomography), and nuclear scintigraphy (bone scan) are all tools that can be utilized for additional diagnostics depending on the situation. Looking “inside” the horse can help collect additional valuable information for treating the lameness.

Rider observations

Flexion test: The veterinarian “flexes” or puts stress on a specific joint or region of the body and watches how the horse moves after the

Horse owners know their horses best and can often feel the slightest change in gait or performance. Be

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