Q: I have realised that I really cannot see lameness and it makes me worry that I don’t see issues with my own pony. How can I learn to get better at this so that I don’t miss something important?
A: To spot lameness you’ll need to watch carefully and have someone else walk and trot the pony away from and towards you, ideally on a flat and hard surface. When your pony is led away from you, look for the hindquarters dipping an uneven amount on each side as he moves or whether one hindleg swings out to the side, is snatched up or if he’s dragging his toes. When he’s led towards you, you might spot him nodding his head. It’s also worth looking to see how evenly he picks up his front feet. Some vets ask for the pony to be trotted past them side-on as well, which can help them to see any shortness in the strides.
Another good way to spot lameness, can be to watch your pony walk and trot on a circle, as this can make it clear where the problem is. Make sure to circle on both sides and to ensure that your pony is calm when moving.
If you are struggling to spot the issue, it can also help to close your eyes and listen to the rhythm of him moving – it can sometimes be easier to hear unevenness in the rhythm than to see it.
Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself about this. Lameness detection is something that you get better at with practice, and even the most well-trained observers can sometimes miss something. Try and learn what you can by listening to other knowledgeable people and by observing as many ponies as you can, but if you have any concerns about your own ponies, just call you vet – nobody will laugh at you and it is always better to be safe than sorry!
NOTE: It goes without saying that if your pony is lame you should always call your vet for an examination to get to the bottom of what is causing the lameness. If you do call your vet out for lameness, ask them to explain what they are seeing. Most vets will be more than happy to help you learn more!
