Summary

Equine lameness is an abnormal gait caused by pain, injury, conformational defects, neurologic issues, or disease affecting muscles, tendons, joints, or bones. Horses may show subtle performance decline rather than an obvious limp. Diagnosis follows a systematic approach including history, physical and neurologic exams, palpation, conformation assessment, and detailed gait analysis at different gaits and surfaces. Flexion tests and diagnostic nerve or joint blocks are often used to localize pain, followed by imaging such as radiographs, ultrasound, MRI, or CT. The document describes common visual indicators of lameness, such as “down on sound” head movement, hip hike, and changes during lunging. Lameness severity is commonly graded using the AAEP 0–5 scale. It also introduces Equinosis® Q, an objective sensor‑based gait analysis system that measures asymmetry using motion sensors to help detect and monitor lameness.