Your horse is suddenly lame and you don't know what to do? This article helps you respond calmly and safely. Sometimes it's something minor (a stone in the hoof or a mild sprain), but lameness can also indicate something that requires prompt action, such as laminitis or a tendon injury. The step-by-step plan below guides you through what you observe, what you can do yourself, and when to call the vet.

Disclaimer: This article does not replace an examination by a veterinarian. In case of severe or acute complaints, or when in doubt: call your vet immediately.

 

Step-by-Step Plan for Acute Lameness

Step 1: Stop riding and ensure safety

Dismount immediately and avoid sharp turns. Lead your horse calmly to a safe, level surface, preferably the stable or a small paddock without slippery ground. Let it settle before proceeding to assess.

 

Step 2: Can your horse still bear weight?

This is the first and most important thing to assess:

•       Severe: the horse barely wants to bear weight, lifts the leg, or shows obvious pain.

•       Less severe: you notice irregularity, but it still loads the leg.

The less your horse bears weight, the greater the risk that something serious is developing. Restrict movement and consult your vet if in doubt.

 

Step 3: Observe from a distance: swelling, posture, wounds

Look at your horse from a short distance and compare left with right. Look for:

•       Swelling or a "thick tendon"

•       Obvious heat or redness

•       Wounds, blood or a visible foreign object

•       An abnormal position of the leg or hoof

Do not force anything and let your horse stand quietly.

 

Step 4: Gently palpate, compare heat and sensitivity

Run a flat hand along the pastern, cannon bone, tendons and joints. Always compare with the other leg. A clear difference in heat or thickness is valuable information for your vet. Do not force anything, do not flex the leg, and do not "test" to the point of pain.

 

Step 5: Hoof check: stone, loose shoe, signs of abscess

If the horse allows it, carefully lift the hoof:

•       Clean the sole and check for a stone or sharp edge.

•       Check for a loose shoe or protruding nail.

•       Note sensitivity, a bounding digital pulse or heat in the hoof. These may indicate an abscess or inflammation.

See a nail or foreign object in the hoof? Leave it in, take photos and call the vet immediately.

 

Step 6: First aid: rest, cold therapy and planning next steps

•       Rest: restrict movement. With obvious lameness, no turnout to "walk it off".

•       Cold therapy: with suspected acute swelling or overload, 10-15 minutes of cold therapy (2-4 times daily) may be appropriate. Do not cool so long that the skin becomes numb.

•       Bandaging: only if you are sure you can bandage correctly and evenly. Too tight or uneven can cause additional damage.

•       Pain relief: only in consultation with your vet. Pain relief masks symptoms and makes assessment more difficult.

 

Common Causes of Lameness

Hoof problems

The most common cause of sudden lameness is in the hoof. Consider:

•       Stone or bruise: often acute, sometimes more obvious on hard ground.

•       Hoof abscess: can worsen quickly; recognised by heat in the hoof, a bounding digital pulse and extreme sensitivity. The horse sometimes suddenly barely wants to bear weight.

•       Loose shoe or nail pressure pain: sensitivity and uneven movement; have assessed by farrier or vet.

 

Tendon and ligament injuries

With tendon or ligament injuries you often see heat or swelling along the tendon and sensitivity on palpation. Lameness may occur after exercise or after slipping. Rest and good management really help. Continuing to train greatly increases the risk of a lengthy recovery process.

 

Joint problems

Inflammation, irritation or (in older horses) arthritis can cause stiffness and an irregular gait. The fact that lameness "works itself out" does not mean it is harmless. With clear lameness: stop working and have your horse assessed.

 

Laminitis (always urgent)

Laminitis is painful and time-critical. Consider it with heat in the hooves, pain when turning, a typical stance with forelimbs placed forward and a strong digital pulse. If you suspect laminitis, call your vet immediately.

 

When to Call the Vet Immediately?

Call the same day (or urgently) with one or more of these signs:

•       Non-weight-bearing: the horse barely or does not want to load the leg.

•       Rapid or significant swelling/heat, or a clear "snapping" moment during exercise.

•       Wound, bleeding or suspected penetration (e.g. into hoof or joint).

•       Fever, lethargy or a generally unwell appearance.

•       Laminitis: forelimbs placed forward, severe pain on hard ground, warm hooves, strong digital pulse, always urgent.

•       Lameness that does not clearly improve after 24 hours of rest, or that worsens.

When in doubt? Calling earlier is always better than waiting too long. A good vet does not mind if you call to discuss.

 

What to Record for the Vet?

Good preparation helps your vet assess more quickly and thoroughly. Write down:

•       When did it start (acute after work, or gradually)?

•       Which leg is affected (left/right, fore/hind)?

•       Is there heat, swelling or pain on palpation?

•       Is the lameness worse on hard ground, on circles or on soft ground?

•       What has the horse done in recent days (training, footing, turnout)?

If possible, take a short video on a straight line (walk and trot) if that can be done safely. Stop immediately if your horse shows significant pain.

 

What Does the Vet Do in a Lameness Examination?

When you call or have the vet come out, it helps to know what to expect. A lameness examination is not a fixed procedure. The vet adapts it to what they see and what you report. There are however steps that almost always feature.

 

1. History: your account matters

The examination begins with a few targeted questions: when did it start, how is it progressing, what has your horse been doing in recent days? Everything you have noted (which leg, on which surface, heat or swelling) helps the vet move in the right direction straight away.

 

2. Inspection and palpation at rest

The horse is observed and palpated, first in the stable or at a quiet location. The vet inspects the limb stance, notes swelling and asymmetry, and systematically palpates tendons, joints and hooves. Both limbs are always compared.

 

3. Movement evaluation

The horse is assessed in movement: walk and trot on a straight line, on hard and sometimes soft ground. The vet watches for head nodding (forelimb) and pelvic movement (hindlimb). Sometimes assessment on the lunge is included, as lameness may be more or less visible on a circle.

 

4. Flexion tests

A joint is flexed for one minute, after which the horse is trotted immediately. Increased lameness after flexion indicates a problem in or around the joint. Flexion tests help the vet to localise the problem area step by step.

 

5. Diagnostic nerve blocks

To identify the source of pain more precisely, the vet may block specific nerves or joints. Does the lameness disappear after a palmar digital nerve block? Then the pain is in the hoof. Does it only improve after a higher block? Then the vet looks further up. A methodical approach to narrowing down the problem area.

 

6. Imaging: radiography, ultrasonography or more

Depending on findings, imaging may follow:

•       Radiography: for bone; consider osteoarthritis, fractures or pedal bone rotation in laminitis.

•       Ultrasonography: for tendons and ligaments. Essential when a tendon or ligament injury is suspected.

•       MRI or CT: in complex cases where radiography and ultrasonography do not provide sufficient clarity.

Not every examination ends with imaging. With a clear hoof abscess or a simple sprain, it is rarely needed. Always ask your vet after the examination: what can my horse do now and what should it avoid, and when do we re-evaluate?

 

Recovery and Prevention

General phases of recovery

•       Rest and inflammation management: restricted movement and management as advised by the vet.

•       Controlled walking: building up on straight lines, firm footing, a strict schedule.

•       Training build-up: only expand when the horse moves consistently sound and check-ups are positive.

 

8 practical prevention tips

1.    Ensure regular hoof care and keep to trimming/shoeing intervals.

2.    Build training gradually in duration, intensity and footing.

3.    Vary footing and avoid a lot of work on deep or slippery sand.

4.    Plan rest days and watch for early signs of overload.

5.    Keep your horse at a healthy weight.

6.    Check legs and hooves daily for heat or swelling.

7.    Always ensure a good warm-up and cool-down.

8.    Check pasture and paddock for hazardous areas (holes, slippery patches).

 

Always prepared for your horse

You hope it never happens, but a lame horse often comes out of nowhere. That's when it's reassuring to know you have the right supplies within reach. Think of cooling bandages for those first critical minutes, clean wound dressings for a leg injury, or a hoof pick to quickly check the hoof. Small things that make a big difference at the right moment – for you and your horse.

At Agradi you'll find everything you need for daily care and for those moments when you need to act fast. So you can focus on what really matters: taking good care of your horse.

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