Can Coaches Reliably Detect Hindlimb Lameness in Horses?
- Sue Dyson
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Our Snippets of Science series with Independent Consultant Dr Sue Dyson takes a closer look at equine research and reveals what the science really tells us. In this article, Sue takes a closer look at a studies that looked into whether coaches can detect hindimb lameness in horses.
Can you rely on your coach to detect hindlimb lameness? Previous survey studies performed in Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom have shown that more than 50% of the sports horse and leisure horse population are assumed by their riders to be working comfortably are in fact lame. This is a potential welfare problem.
It has also been shown that the ability of equine veterinarians to detect lameness accurately is less for hindlimb lameness than for forelimb lameness.
For those riders that are receiving regular coaching, it would be desirable that the coaches were able to detect lameness that riders were unaware of.
Identifying Hindlimb Lameness
A recent study investigated the ability of Swedish coaches to correctly identify hindlimb lameness based on video recordings of 13 horses trotting away from and towards the observer [1]. There were 3 non-lame horses, 6 horses with left hindlimb lameness and 4 horses with right hindlimb lameness. Lameness grades varied between 0.5 and 3.5/5 based on the assessment by equine veterinarians and verified by objective gait analysis.
In the first phase of the study there were 23 high-level (Level A) trainers and 64 lower-level trainers. Overall, only 43% of the horses were correctly categorised. There was no difference in the performance of the high-level trainers compared with the others.
In phase 2, the 64 lower-level trainers underwent computer aided training on how to detect hindlimb lameness. This comprised evaluation of video-recordings of 13 horses, 3 non-lame and 5 each with left and right hindlimb lameness respectively. The participants were provided with the correct answers and could reassess the set of the video recordings as often as they liked. After the 2 weeks training period the trainers re-evaluated the original 13 video recordings used in phase 1 and their performance was compared between phases 1 and 2. When the results were compared, excluding the 3 horses that were included in both the test videos and the training videos, there was not a significant improvement in the trainers’ performance.
These results indicate that even when provided with some training professional trainers had limited ability to accurately detect hindlimb lameness in horses trotting in-hand. This is somewhat at odds with the response to a questionnaire in which 86% of the lower-level trainers said that in the last 6 months they had either been asked by a student whether a horse was lame or had stopped a lesson because a horse was lame.
However, this question did not differentiate between forelimb and hindlimb lameness. Moreover, whether the trainer was correct in their evaluation could not be determined.
The way in which the results were presented in the study did not allow determination of whether the coaches could accurately differentiate between non-lame and lame, which is perhaps a more relevant question for a coach. The failure to improve in performance after training may reflect inadequacy of the training, rather than a lack of ability to learn. In addition, the horses were only evaluated from in front or behind and not from the side. Trainers may be more accustomed to watching horses from the side during their coaching. Also, the study only investigated the ability of the coaches to determine lameness in horses trotting in-hand, not ridden.
Evaluating Behaviours
The results reinforce the potential value of the Ridden Horse Performance Checklist (otherwise known as the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram) to evaluate ridden horses’ behaviours as an aid to the identification of lameness and other pain-induced gait dysfunction.
Perhaps formal training about lameness recognition should be a mandatory requirement for all coaches. A British Horse Society Stage 5 coach is expected to ‘demonstrate competence to coach with empathy, effect and understanding for the horse’s capacity to learn and their wellbeing’.
Are you confident you can recognise discomfort under saddle?
Many performance problems are mistakenly labelled as training issues, when subtle pain-related behaviours are actually present. Learning to recognise these early signs is one of the most important skills we can develop, for performance, welfare, and the long-term soundness of the horse.
Movement and Behaviour is an online course with internationally respected clinician and researcher Dr Sue Dyson and her widely recognised Ridden Horse Performance Checklist - a clear, systematic framework designed to help identify pain-related performance issues before they escalate.
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References
1. Leclercq A, Byström A, Söderlind M, Persson E, Rhodin M, Engell MT and Hernlund E (2022) Evaluation of feedback methods for improved detection of hindlimb lameness in horses among riding instructors and trainers. Front. Vet. Sci. 9:992954. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.992954
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