| Many people have different ways of assessing | | | | the limb before and after weight bearing (weight has |
| whether or not a horse is lame. If you are viewing a | | | | been put on it). When the horse is lame in both legs |
| horse for sale or a number of horses for sale it | | | | you will notice that there is a long cranial phase |
| always helps if you can identify whether or not the | | | | (between where the limb is in the air and gets put |
| horse is lame as this will save you a lot of time, trouble | | | | back down) and a short caudal phase (the time when |
| and money. There are some basic ways of telling | | | | the hoof is on the ground and being lifted back up into |
| whether or not a horse is lame and even the most | | | | the air again). |
| novice of riders and/or horse lovers can put these into | | | | Another method of seeing whether a horse is lame is |
| action. | | | | to look at the fetlock drop. This is where you compare |
| Firstly you need to see if the horse can be walked | | | | how flexed the fetlock is between limbs when fully |
| and trotted along hard flat ground. It is always a bonus | | | | weight bearing. Normally the lame leg will not have as |
| if you can see it being lunged. If the owner or horse | | | | much flexion in it as again the horse will be wanting to |
| seller/dealer cannot do this for you and say the horse | | | | put the least amount of pressure on it as possible to |
| is perfectly fine then I would consider walking away | | | | avoid the pain. |
| from the sale, as there is no excuse that the owner | | | | One of the most common aspects (which many |
| dealer cannot do this unless they are hiding something. | | | | experts as well as novices use) is to listen to hoof |
| Now to tell if a horse is lame there are a number of | | | | sound. When a horse does a certain motion i.e. walk, |
| things you can do. Most people can usually tell if there | | | | trot etc you will notice there is a certain rhythm that |
| is horse lame straight away as the sound of the | | | | there is a certain rhythm as the hooves hit the ground |
| hooves will not be in rhythm to the motion the horse is | | | | and get lifted up again. The most easiest thing to look |
| doing. They can also usually see it limping as it is | | | | or should I say listen for is any abnormality or 'off beat' |
| walking. If you cannot see this clearly on the horse | | | | rhythms to the hoof sound. You may hear this if the |
| horses you are viewing for sale then there are other | | | | horse is putting a leg down and lifting it back up quickly |
| aspects you can check for. You can look at the stride | | | | whereas the other hooves may be staying on the |
| length of the left and right limbs when the horse is | | | | ground for slightly longer. |
| being walked or trotted. Usually the lame leg will have | | | | This is the basic information of telling whether a horse |
| a slightly shorter stride as the horse will try and avoid | | | | is lame or not. It will always be beneficial if you or |
| putting pressure on it and will want to lift it off the | | | | someone you know is able to assess whether or not |
| ground as soon as possible. This method however | | | | a horse is lame especially when viewing a horse for |
| does not work if the horse is lame in both legs. | | | | sale. Even if you are looking at a number of horses |
| To tell whether or not a horse is lame in both legs you | | | | make sure you check each one before buying as the |
| can use the method of looking at the phases of stride | | | | wrong decision can leave you with a lot of stress and |
| length. It will help if you look at the distance travelled by | | | | vets bills. |