Worried about lameness? Here’s when you need to call the vet
Find out how to identify why a horse is suddenly lame and learn the recommended course of action
What are the signs you should call the vet for lameness? A horse who is suddenly lame or reluctant to move is an obvious alarm bell, but is there ever a cause to call your farrier instead?
Some lameness is subtle and not always detected by owners at first. For example, an equine performance issue or reluctance to be tacked up might prompt an owner to call a veterinary physiotherapist. Veterinary physios or other bodyworkers might be the first to detect lameness that prompts veterinary investigation, although making a diagnosis is up to the vet.
In other cases, horses may go rapidly and obviously lame. In such circumstances, a contacting an equine professional is essential, but do you need to call an emergency vet, or could your farrier come to your aid if it might be a foot related problem?
Why is your horse lame?
Below, we explain how to identify why a horse is suddenly lame and recommended course of action, with advice from farrier Sam Dracott DipWCF.
Abscess (pus in the foot)
Hoof abscesses, also known as pus in the foot, are a very common cause of lameness especially in sudden or extended wet weather conditions because the hooves bevome waterlogged. This is thought to be caused by ingress of water, dirt and bacteria via cracks or weaknesses in the hoof wall, which cause infection and a build-up of pus.
Signs of an abscess include:
- slight lameness that rapidly becomes more and more pronounced until the horse cannot bear weight on the affected leg
- elevated heat in the affected leg
- a pounding digital pulse in the fetlock
- swelling in the affected leg
Sam says while a vet should be contacted in the first instance, a farrier could assist.
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“Farriers can assist in a first aid capacity, by in removing the shoe and locating the abscess by watching for a horse’s reaction to hoof testers. The abscess site is usually softer, and abscesses often occur at the white line because that is a part of the foot that’s particularly prone to becoming soft.”
Sam says a farrier will then be able to drain the abscess and advise how to clean the site.
The foot should then have a poultice applied and the site kept clean and dry. Horses can still be turned out in a correctly-fitting poultice boot (like this one available on Amazon).
Bruising to the sole
Sole bruising has a number of causes, from repetitive work on hard surfaces to stepping on sharp objects. Bruising can also arise when a horse is not kept to a regular trimming or shoeing cycle.
Horses with sole bruising may show a shortened, awkward gait, discomfort on hard ground or even mild to severe lameness.
Affected hooves often feel warmer and you might detect a bounding digital pulse. Red or purple areas may appear on the sole, and affected horses are likely to react when pressure is applied with hoof testers.
Treatment of bruising often involves rest, a deep bed and time to heal.
Left untreated, haematoma or abscess may occur. If you suspect this is the case, contact your vet.
Hoof penetration injury
Stones, objects or debris regularly become lodged in hooves – this is one of the reasons it's important to check and pick out your horse’s feet every day. Sometimes, something sharp can penetrate the hoof sole, especially if the foot is softened by prolonged exposure to wet conditions.
Hoof penetration or puncture injuries can be very serious, as they can damage important structures within the hoof. If your horse is suddenly or severely lame, check the hoof for a penetration injury. Do not pull the offending object out – instead call your vet, who will advise next on the steps.
If possible, do not move a horse with a penetrating injury to the foot while you wait for the vet to attend. If you do remove the foreign body, always save it for examination, marking how deep it went into the foot.
Joint infection
If lameness is accompanied by heat, swelling, sensitivity or puffiness around any vital structure, such as a tendon sheath or a joint, and a raised body temperature, contact your vet for advice. If a joint infection is suspected, a vet may place a needle into the joint to obtain joint fluid and test it for infection markers.
Joint infections are very serious and usually require urgent surgery to flush the affected joint, remove contamination and potential career-ending arthritic changes.
Laminitis
Laminitis occurs when the tissues that attach the pedal bone to the hoof wall within the hoof capsule – or the laminae – become inflamed. This is usually due to an underlying condition, such as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) commonly known as Cushing's disease, equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), a sudden excess of sugar in the blood from a flush of grass or concussion.
Early signs of laminitis can be subtle, such as horses being short-striding or footsore on stony ground, choosing to walk on softer surfaces like a grass verge or showing a shortened stride.
Acute cases may display total reluctance to move, the feet may feel hot and a bounding digital pulse may be present. Horses may adopt a stance tilting backwards on their legs to try and escape the pain. Pain will be exhibited with hoof testers and sometimes they can barely lift a foot up a they are so sore.
Always call the vet if you suspect laminitis, who will advise on management and prescribe pain relief. While a farrier may be able to help chronic laminitis with solutions such as pads or special shoes, a horse with acute laminitis is likely to require urgent pain relief from a vet due to the level of inflammation in the feet.
Nail prick
Nail prick occurs when a nail from a shoe comes too near or penetrates a sensitive structure within the hoof capsule, causing pressure, pain, inflammation and in some sudden lameness after shoeing.
Sam says although nail prick warrants a call to your farrier, it’s extremely rare.
“Your horse is incredibly unlikely to be at risk of shoeing mistakes like nail prick – it hardly ever happens,” says Sam. “So I would recommend checking your horse thoroughly for signs of injury first.
“I would run my hand down the leg to make sure nothing else could be amiss. Joint puffiness and heat in the leg could indicate an infection or injury, for example.”
Sam also notes that there is a difference between marked lameness and foot sensitivity after shoeing, and not all lameness after shoeing is a result of the shoes being fitted, but it can happen.
“Sometimes horses can show sensitivity in the feet after a new set of shoes. On the whole, this is nothing to worry about. Finer horses or laminitics, for example, can be tender after shoeing because there is a lot of vibration in the foot when you’re applying a shoe, which can irritate a sensitive horse. However, any tenderness should alleviate within 24 hours. I'd advise not jumping on and riding after a horse like this is shod; giving them a day off helps things settle.”
Sam adds that minimising the risk of nail bind means giving farriers the best possible conditions to work with.
“Sitting at your desk and typing out an email is quick and easy, but writing one standing in a field after dropping your laptop and covering it in mud means you’ll probably be sending an email with a few typos to the wrong address,” says Sam. “It won’t be your best work, and it’s the same for a farrier trying to shoe a fidgety horse in a muddy gateway.
“Farriers do their best work on a hard surface out of the weather with a clean horse who can stand calmly and quietly. This means the best possible results for your horse too.”
Tendon/ligament injury
Damage to tendons and ligaments occurs due to strain or due to external damage from injury.
Signs a horse has injured a tendon include:
- heat at the site of the injury
- swelling around the site of the injury
- lameness of varying severity
- if the deep or superficial flexor tendon is completely ruptured, the fetlock will drop towards the ground
Your vet should be contacted to diagnose, which they will do by palpating to swollen tissue to identify the affected structure and frequently use ultrasonography to confirm the extent of the damage.
Tying up
Tying up, or azoturia, is the term for cramping of the muscle groups usually along a horse’s back end or hindquarters.
Signs include:
- struggling or unable to move
- pain
- rapid pulse
- muscle tension
- dark brown/red urine
If you suspect tying up, do not encourage your horse to move. If typing up occurs out riding, the horse will need to be transported home. Cover his loins with a rug and seek veterinary advice.
There is also atypical myopathy, often referred to as sycamore poisoning as it is caused by the toxins from sycamore seeds. In such cases the horses may collapse or be be reluctant to move, so it is more complex than lameness.
In conclusion, there are many causes of lameness. Ideally, you, your vet and your farrier will be able ti work as a team to resolve the problem.
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Sam Dracott is farrier based in Surrey who has spent more than 13 years as a fully qualified registered farrier. He has experience shoeing horses of all types, from leisure horses to elite athletes, and has dealt with numeral complex remedial cases over the course of his career.
Our equine veterinary expert has more than 30 years experience in practice. She is an FEI vet and has attended the past three Olympic and many other major championships in her role. She has a particular interest in anaesthesia, pre-purchase examinations, ophthalmology and dermatology amongst other clinical concerns. She has been Horse & Hound’s official veterinary advisor since 1991. Karen is part of the Bell Equine team.
A horse owner and rider with more than 20 years experience, Bethany has been writing for equestrian publications since 2017. Over the course of her career, she has reported from major British Riding Clubs and British Dressage championships, covered Badminton Horse Trials and interviewed equestrian sport’s best athletes. Her work can also be found in Country Life, The Field and Breathe magazine.