How would you identify a horse with significant lameness?

Identifying a horse with significant lameness primarily involves observing signs of discomfort. When a horse is lame, it often exhibits behaviors that indicate pain or difficulty in movement, which can manifest as limping or favoring one leg over another. Limping can occur due to a variety of underlying issues, including injuries, joint problems, or hoof issues, and is a key sign that something is affecting the horse’s ability to move normally.

High-speed movement does not typically reveal lameness and may even mask it, as horses can sometimes compensate for discomfort when moving quickly. A complete lack of movement may indicate a more severe issue but does not specifically identify lameness, and it is not always the case that a horse showing no movement is suffering from lameness. Lastly, the absence of visible signs of injury does not rule out lameness, as many lameness issues can arise from internal problems that are not immediately visible. Recognizing signs of discomfort, such as limping, is therefore critical in identifying lameness effectively.