For the Health of It
regions increased, especially in the
caudal thoracic and lumbar regions.
We have observed that the ten-
dency of a saddle to slip persistent-
ly to one side is most frequently
associated with hindlimb lameness.
Abolition of lameness by diagnostic
analgesia results in resolution of
the saddle slip. The saddle most
commonly slips to the side of the
lame or more lame hindlimb, but
less frequently slips toward the
less lame limb. Presumably saddle
slip is induced by altered range of
motion of the thoracolumbosacral
region, which may vary among
horses. Saddle slip may actually be
an indicator of the likely presence
of hindlimb lameness.
Overt lameness may not be
apparent when a horse is trotting,
but musculoskeletal pain may be
manifest at a canter by the horse’s
tendency to become disunited or
repeatedly change leading limbs
behind or in front, crookedness,
loss of a normal three time rhythm,
placing the hindlimbs either abnor-
mally close together spatially and
temporally, or placing the limbs re-
markably far apart. These observa-
tions may be apparent either on the
lunge or when the horse is ridden.
Abolition of baseline lameness seen
in hand may paradoxically make
the canter appear worse if sacroiliac
pain is contributing to pain and
poor performance.
These observations highlight the
importance of evaluating horses
with performance problems both
in hand, on the lunge and ridden,
preferably by the normal rid-
er. Horses should be assessed in
walk, trot, and canter, bearing in
mind that while one aspect of the
gait may improve with diagnostic
analgesia, another may deteriorate.
Horses should also be assessed per-
forming the movements which they
find most difficult, because in some
horses this may be the only condi-
tion when the problem is manifest.
Contact:
Sue Dyson, MA, VetMB, PhD,
DEO, FRCVS
sue dyson@aht org uk
+44 (0)1638 7519098
Centre for Equine Studies, Ani-
mal Health Trust Newmarket,
Suffolk, UK
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