Overview of Foot Lameness in the Horse
  by Robert N. Oglesby DVM

The most common location of lameness in horses is in the foot. Most of the time the location and cause of the lameness is fairly easy to determine on physical exam alone. However chronic undiagnosed lameness of the foot is also a common aggravating issue for horse owners. In the 1990's and early 2000 many of the traditional diagnostic techniques and their interpretation have not stood up to scientific scrutiny. Radiographs, local anesthesia, and intra-articular blocks have been studied and many of their interpretations changed. This article takes a step wise approach to the diagnostic techniques used to arrive at localization and diagnosis of diseases of the foot then in many cases provides links to specific diseases of the hoof. There is also a section on handling the undiagnosed foot lame horse.

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