Equine Lameness for the Layman
Tools for Prompt Recognition, Accurate Assessment, and Proactive Management
G. Robert Grisel, DVM
First published in 2018 by
Trafalgar Square Books
North Pomfret, Vermont 05053
Copyright © 2018 G. Robert Grisel
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, by any means, without written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer quoting brief excerpts for a review in a magazine, newspaper, or website.
Disclaimer of Liability
The authors and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book. While the book is as accurate as the authors can make it, there may be errors, omissions, and inaccuracies.
Trafalgar Square Books encourages the use of approved safety helmets in all equestrian sports and activities.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Grisel, G. Robert (George Robert), 1966- author.
Title: Equine lameness for the layman : tools for prompt recognition, accurate assessment, and proactive management / G. Robert Grisel, DVM.
Description: North Pomfret, Vermont : Trafalgar Square Books, 2018. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017038952 (print) | LCCN 2017048318 (ebook) | ISBN 9781570768842 | ISBN 9781570768347 (concealed wiro)
Subjects: LCSH: Lameness in horses. | Horses--Paces, gaits, etc. | Horses--Anatomy.
Classification: LCC SF959.L25 (ebook) | LCC SF959.L25 G75 2018 (print) | DDC 636.1/089758--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017038952
Book design by Lauryl Eddlemon
Cover design by RM Didier
Index by Andrea M. Jones (www.jonesliteraryservices.com)
Illustrations by G. Robert Grisel, DVM
Typeface: Verdana
Printed in China
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For my family Peter, Ben, Lisey, Kate, and Fionn for their patience and support
Contents
Our Responsibility to the Performance Horse
1 The Responsibility of the Horse Owner in Successful Management of Equine Lameness
2 The Responsibility of the Veterinarian in Successful Management of Equine Lameness
6 The Issue of Visual Subjectivity Among Observers
Reference Chart: Common Forms of Lameness
7 Primary versus Secondary Lameness
Common Forms of Secondary Lameness
8 Painful versus Non-Painful Lameness
9 Weight-Bearing versus Non Weight-Bearing Lameness
10 Authentic versus Artificial Lameness
The Concept of Diagonal Synchrony
11 Axial versus Peripheral Lameness
12 Consistent versus Intermittent Lameness
Reference Chart: Intrinsic Causes of Tripping in the Horse
Reference Chart: List of Equine Skeletal Myopathies
Reference Chart: Visual Markers for Neurologic Disease in the Horse