What Causes Lameness? |
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As many horse owners know, identifying and treating lameness in horses can be a frustrating and expensive process. Lameness has been categorized as any alteration in the gait of a horse and can be caused by any number of issues and can manifest itself in many ways… from subtle lameness to complete loss of mobility. |
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| Here is a quick review of equine anatomy. Click on the different tissue layers and scroll over the image to discover part names. (Hint: you can click on some of the parts to learn even more!) Don’t forget to scroll over the pull-tabs to learn the function of the tissues and their associated causes in lameness. |
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| Artwork by Ruth Benns | ||||
Did you know? |
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Front limbs:
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• Horses carry 60-65% of their weight on their front limbs • Most lamenesses are in the front legs due to higher stress and strain from concussive forces • 90% of front limb lamenesses are in the knee or below |
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| Hind limbs: |
• are used for propulsive force needed for galloping and jumping • 80% of hind limb injuries are in the hock and stifle |
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Is your horse at a higher risk of becoming lame? |
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