07/30/2025
"I think it's in the shoulder doc!"
Picture this: You notice your horse has a lameness in the front end.
Two scenarios - it has come on over time or it has shown up overnight. In either case, it is often in the foot!
The most common cause of lameness in horses is in the foot, despite the way your horse may present the pain to you. For example, foot abscesses are capable of causing acute pain and three-legged lameness in a very short period of time. Other common instances of lameness in the front end that may be less acute are a result of changes to the navicular bone or surrounding soft tissue, changes to the coffin bone or joint, thin soles, etc.
As the old adage goes, "no foot, no horse!" and now you know why!
Additional resource: https://open.lib.umn.edu/largeanimalsurgery/chapter/lameness-diagnosis/
Thank you to the Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information.
