PADDOCK INSPECTION INFORMATION:

Below are two abstracts of journal articles that cover lameness in horses.
I have removed some material from both abstracts that discussed the
testing procedures.  Basically they studied the kinematics of 11 Dutch
Warmblood horses at a walk (1.6 m/s) and trot (3.5 m/s).  They evoked lameness
in fore or hind limbs and measured 13 variables.  I also broke the
summary apart so that important sentences are easier to read and understand
and added some comments.

So the next time your at the paddock take good notes and you might profit
from this information.  Also watch the the horses closely after the
post parade.


Larry
*********************** Summary Abstracts********

		     HH Buchner, Savelberg HH, Schamhardt HC, Barneveld
  Citation:          A, Limb movement adaptations in horses with
		     experimentally induced fore- or hindlimb lameness.,
		     Equine Vet J 28: 1, 63-70, Jan, 1996.

			Summary- Abstract

Hyperextension of the fetlock joint and flexion of the coffin joint 
during the stance phase decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in the lame 
limb, both in fore- and hindlimb lameness, at both gaits. In the contralateral
nonlame limbs both variables increased compensatorily.

*****Give the appearance of a stiff leg for the lame limb and flexible
limb for the good leg.

Flexion increased with increasing lameness in the proximal joints, i.e. 
the shoulder joint and even more the tarsal joint of the lame limb. 
The retraction of both forelimbs decreased during forelimb lameness 
at the walk, while in the lame hindlimb the protraction decreased.

The hoof arcs were lower in the lame limb than in the nonlame limb, 
due to an increased hoof height in the nonlame limb during forelimb 
lameness and to a decreased height in the lame limb during hindlimb 
lameness. 

It was concluded that patterns of the distal joints reflect
the different loadings of the limbs during lameness. 

Proximal joints acted as load dampers to reduce peak forces in the lame 
limb.  

Hyperextension of the fetlock and flexion of the coffin joint
proved to be the most sensitive indicators for fore- and hindlimb lameness.

*****Second summary abstract.

		     HH Buchner, Savelberg HH, Schamhardt HC, Barneveld
  Citation:          A, Head and trunk movement adaptations in horses
		     with experimentally induced fore- or hindlimb
		     lameness., Equine Vet J 28: 1, 71-6, Jan, 1996.


			Summary- Abstract

The kinematic patterns of head and trunk were studied in horses during
induced supporting limb lameness to understand the mechanisms horses
use to compensate for lameness and to evaluate different symmetry
indices for their significance as lameness indicators.

Peak vertical displacement, velocity and acceleration of head, withers, 
tuber sacrale and both tuber coxae were quantified at different phases 
of the stride. Changes in these variables due to lameness and symmetry 
indices calculated as quotients of the values during the lame and nonlame 
stance phase were analysed using a 2-way analysis of variance.

The head, withers and tuber sacrale showed a similar sinusoidal pattern 
in their vertical displacement, velocity and acceleration.

During both fore- and hindlimb lameness at the trot, the vertical velocity 
of the trunk at impact of the lame limb decreased (P < 0.05), during 
the lame stance phase the trunk was kept higher above the ground, maximal 
acceleration decreased and displacement amplitude was smaller than without 
lameness.

***The stiff leg appearance.

Changes in movements of the head were much more expressed than movements 
of the withers during forelimb lameness and reversed during hindlimb 
lameness.

At the walk, head movement patterns changed in the same way as at the
trot, while withers and tuber sacrale patterns were hardly changed.

***To detect hind limb lameness, we will need to watch the horse trot.***

Symmetry indices of all landmarks showed changes due to increasing
lameness at the trot.

The maximal vertical acceleration of the head and displacement amplitude 
of the tuber sacrale proved to be the best indicators to quantify a 
fore- and hindlimb lameness, respectively.