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Updated: May 20, 2025
When an animal is made to travel in a circle, when a member affected with supporting-leg-lameness is on the inner side of the circle, lameness is accentuated because weight is borne by the lame leg for a greater length of time, the result of such circuitous manner of locomotion.
In the words of Dollar, one is thus enabled to recognize the existence of "supporting-leg-lameness," "swinging-leg-lameness" or "mixed lameness." When the cause of lameness is not strikingly apparent it becomes necessary to have the subject moved farther than a few steps and at different paces.
The average subject is best observed by being led, rather than being ridden, and in so doing the animal should be given moderately free rein. A close grasp on the lead may interfere somewhat with head movements. Nodding of the head with the catching up of weight by a sound member in supporting-leg-lameness of a fore leg, constitutes the chief symptom considered in detecting the lame leg.
In other words, when an animal that is affected with supporting-leg-lameness travels in a straight line, since weight is borne by the diseased leg for an abnormally short period of time, the sound member needs be in the act of advancement a correspondingly short period.
If the suppurative material discharges readily by way of the sole, no disturbance of the heel or quarters occurs above the hoof. Symptomatology. A supporting-leg-lameness characterizes this condition; and this lameness in most instances varies in degree with the amount of distress which is occasioned by pressure upon the inflamed parts.
Where supporting-leg-lameness affects a hind limb the head is raised at the time weight is caught by the sound member here the long axis of the subject's body may be likened unto a lever of the first class. The posterior part of the body, at the time weight is taken upon the sound leg, is as the long arm: the fore limbs the fulcrum, and the subject's head the weight, which is lifted.
In manipulating tendons for the purpose of detecting supersensitiveness, care must be taken so that no false conclusion be drawn, because of the aversion many horses have to submitting to palpation of the tendons even when they are in a normal condition. Supporting-leg-lameness is present and varies in degree with the intensity of the pain caused by weight bearing.
In pacing horses, since front and hind legs of the same side are advanced at the same time, there occurs in supporting-leg-lameness, a nodding of the head with discharge of weight from the lame leg, and a dropping of the hip as weight is caught by the sound pelvic member. The gait, in such cases, is peculiar, animals appearing stiff and they are said, by horsemen, to have a "choppy" gait.
Incipient cases of bilateral involvement are more difficult to diagnose than are unilateral affections, particularly when lameness is not marked. There is manifested a supporting-leg-lameness which varies as to degree in the same subject at different times. This may be noticed during the same trip in an animal that is being driven.
In cases where extensive injury has been inflicted, and great pain exists, the foot is kept off the ground much of the time and it may be swung back and forth as in all painful affections of the extremity. Nail punctures cause typical supporting-leg-lameness and in some cases certain peculiarities of locomotory impediment are worthy of notice.
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