possible. In addition, penetration of the tarsometatarsal joint or the tarsal
sheath occurred in up to 25% to 38% of horses. Subtarsal anesthesia may
improve tarsometatarsal joint pain and vice-versa, but most improvement in
suspensory pain is usually seen following anesthesia of the deep branch of
the lateral plantar nerve. It has been suggested that pain is less successfully
alleviated by anesthesia of the deep branch if enthesopathy of the proximal
plantar portion of the metatarsal cortex is present.