Lameness can be definitively diagnosed only by your veterinarian, but the detective work of the diagnosis is best performed as a team. As owners and trainers, you can actively participate in detecting lameness, and these same skills are vital to monitor your horse's recovery.
A prognosis for a full and speedy recovery often corresponds with diagnosing problems as soon as possible. So the ability to spot problems early on is crucial. Fortunately, many physical and attitudinal changes can tip you off to a possible problem. These are called nonspecific signs, and they can tell you that something is bothering your horse.
Nonspecific Signs
Nonspecific signs don't tell you what is wrong with your horse, or even if it's a lameness issue. They do tell you that it's time to take action to figure things out. These nonspecific signs include the following:
• Personality changes. When something bothers your horse, his behavior may change. You may see grumpiness or irritability, a more subdued or withdrawn temperament, and even aggression. Any horse can have a bad day, but if these personality changes persist, take steps to figure out what's bothering him.
• Decreased play and/or movement. If you hurt somewhere, you don't feel like exercising either. Showing resistance or reluctance to move as usual is your horse's way of telling you something's wrong.
Decipher the Clues
- Work with your veterinarian to form the perfect lameness detection team.
- Look for clues in both physical and attitudinal changes. These are called nonspecific signs, and they can tell you that something is bothering your horse.
- To detect where your horse may be hurting, start by looking at the whole horse first.
- By watching your horse move, the lame area may become apparent.
- Listen to your horse's footfalls, which should sound equally loud and cadenced on a sound horse.
- You can detect lameness from the saddle by feeling disruption in your horse's relaxed, even movement.
• Isolation from the other horses. If you notice your horse hanging off alone rather than with the rest of the herd, try to figure out what's going on by bringing him in from the group for further checking.
• More or less lying-down time. If your horse is experiencing foot pain, you'll see him perhaps spend more time off his feet and lying down. If the painful area is under more stress when he has to get up, then you may notice him not lying down as much.
• Change in appetite. Nagging pain may make your horse less enthusiastic about eating.
• Change in work ethic. Most horses look forward to being exercised. Always take any change in your horse's attitude about work seriously. They're not machines, and may vary a bit from day to day, but any obvious and persistent change is your horse's way of telling you something is wrong. You may get further clues if there are specific things he's unwilling to do as you work him.
• Changes in sweating, breathing, or pulse. If your horse sweats more than normal for the weather and level of work, suspect pain as the cause. He may also be breathing harder and have a higher pulse. These are all sensitive indicators of pain. (For a how-to guide to measure vital signs, see the January 2007 issue.)
• Passing more manure or urine than normal. This can be a sign of stress and pain. Horses with back pain or muscular hind end pain may want to defecate or urinate more than normal under saddle.
There are many potential causes for changes in personality, activity, or appetite, just as there are other explanations for changes you might see when you work your horse under saddle. These changes don't automatically mean lameness is imminent, but they do mean you need to start working through the process of elimination. Next, I'll tell you exactly how to do so.
