Lameness is pain that impedes locomotion. The condition may be caused by pain in a foot or leg that is caused by injury (a kick, for example) or infection (such as an abscess in the foot). It may also be caused by muscle soreness, a pulled tendon or strained ligament in the leg or even above the leg in the large muscles of the chest and hindquarters. Lameness can be caused by a bruise to the sole of the foot, or by a stone caught against the sole; in the latter case, removing the stone before it can do further damage may cure the lameness. A few of the many other causes might be arthritis, navicular disease, or inflammation of the coffin bone after a long ride over rocky ground.

To diagnose lameness, watch the horse as he walks or trots. If he has pain in the front leg, he will bob his head more than normal as he lifts his weight off the painful foot and places more weight on the good one. A painful hind foot or leg will create an uneven stride as he favors the problem side. This is often referred to as a hitch in the gait, a sort of stutter in motion before a leg is put on the ground.

A lame horse cannot be ridden. If you are riding a horse that suddenly exhibits signs of lameness, immediately dismount. Examine each foot for a stone, stick or other foreign object. If you spot a nail in the foot, a veterinarian or farrier should remove it so that he or she can know exactly where the puncture wound is.

A veterinarian should treat a horse that is chronically lame. Medication of special shoes, such as egg bar shoes, which are designed to take the weight off the heel, may be recommended to treat the condition.

Regular care from a farrier will keep your horse's feet and hooves in top condition. To minimize chances of puncture wound, avoid riding in areas where your horse might be exposed to loose nails or sharp objects. Most importantly, if you observe signs of lameness, have your veterinarian or farrier examine your horse's feet as soon as possible.

Categories of Lameness

• Laminitis or other inflammatory diseases of the hoof
• Injury to bone, muscle, tendons or ligaments, ranging from pulled muscles to broken bones.
• Complications of inflammation or stocking up related to overwork
• Injury induced by compensation for strain or pain in other parts of the body, particularly the back
• Neurological disorders, such as Wobbler's syndrome
• Swelling and inflammation linked to infection, such as cellulitis or thrush.
• Hoof problems, including injury, disease and poor farrier work
• Diseases affecting connective tissue, such as Equine Exertional Rhabdomyolysis and HYPP
• Conformation defect leading to stress or injury, such as cow-hocked or sickle-hocked conformation.

Types of lameness

There are dozens of different types of lameness in horses. In addition, many conditions sometimes, though not always, have lameness as a symptom. Finally, there are a number of permanent blemishes that indicate that a horse has been lame in the past or has been subjected to strain that may lead to lameness in the future. These assorted conditions include:

• Bog spavin
• Bone spavin
• Bowed tendon
• Curb
• Laminitis
• Navicular Disease
• Osselets
• Ringbone
• Sesamoiditis
• Shoe boil, usually a blemish after the acute period
• Sidebone
• Splints, usually a blemish after the acute period
• Stringhalt
• Windpuffs