Horse Lameness: A Revolutionary Approach to Detecting Pain in Horses

Dr. Dyson's research gives us the tools to better understand and respond to our horses' needs.

Have you turned to your fellow horse owners in the yard and uttered, "Does my horse look right?" or "Does my horse look lame"? I certainly have or had others say things like, "He looks a bit footy," I nod along, not wanting to admit that I don't know the subtle signs of lameness. Well, no more, my friends. Dr Sue Dyson is changing all that.

For Dr. Sue Dyson, understanding lameness became a forty-year quest to revolutionise our understanding of equine pain.

What started as clinical observation at the highest levels of equestrian sport has evolved into a groundbreaking system for lameness diagnosis that's transforming how we evaluate horses for pain - and challenging everything we thought we knew about "problem" horses.

And, most importantly, it's something any equestrian can learn and use, empowering us all with the knowledge to better care for our horses.

Understanding Horse Lameness: Beyond the Traditional Lameness Exam

When most veterinarians perform a lameness evaluation, they focus on obvious signs - the horse's gait, limb movement, and response to flexion tests. But, Dr Dyson's journey reveals a more complex story. "I've been a veterinarian for many, many years," she shares, her voice carrying the weight of countless clinical examinations, "it's been very clear to me for a long time that people were rather poor at recognising lameness. And that includes not just riders and trainers, but also veterinarians, saddle fitters - across the board."

Her perspective is unique—not just as an equine orthopaedic specialist and researcher who has published over 370 peer-reviewed research papers but as someone who has lived both sides of the story. Her own horse, Kenvara, jumped clear in the Olympics in 1988 and 1992.

This combination of clinical expertise and practical experience led her to realise that traditional lameness examination methods were overlooking critical signs of equine pain.

Revolutionary Approach to Lameness Detection

Speaking with Anna Louise on the Curious Equestrian Podcast, Dr Dyson leans forward intently, her passion evident as she describes the catalyst for her research. "I was witnessing firsthand the influence that discomfort can have on performance," she explains. "And because people were slow to recognise lameness, they would tell you to bring the horse for investigation when problems had been present for many, many months, if not years."

This observation led to her groundbreaking study identifying 24 key behaviours that indicate pain in ridden horses. Her documentary on the subject, "The 24 Behaviors of the Ridden Horse in Pain," has captivated over 420,000 viewers worldwide - not because it's revolutionary science (though it is), but because it gives voice to what many owners have felt in their gut but couldn't prove: their horse was trying to tell them something was wrong.

Advanced Lameness Diagnosis: Moving Beyond Basic Assessment

The interview takes a poignant turn when Dr. Dyson addresses a fundamental issue in veterinary medicine. "Most veterinary surgeons were taught at vet school to deal with all sorts of animals," she explains, choosing her words carefully. "They never received specialist training in lameness diagnosis or poor performance evaluation." This gap in veterinary education has led to countless cases of chronic lameness being misdiagnosed or, worse, dismissed as behavioural issues.

But there's a deeper problem. Traditional lameness exams often focus solely on physical symptoms—the horse's response to nerve blocks, reaction during flexion tests, and gait during a trot-up. Dr. Dyson's research reveals that lameness investigation needs to encompass a much broader spectrum of observations.

Common Causes of Horse Lameness

Through her decades of clinical experience, Dr. Dyson has seen how soft tissue injuries, hoof problems, and even subtle gait abnormalities can manifest in ways that traditional examinations might miss. "The longer a horse has been uncomfortable," she emphasises, "the more likely it is to develop secondary problems. It's going to stiffen its back, it's going to lose muscle, it may overload another limb and therefore develop lameness in another limb."

This cascade effect explains why many cases of subtle lameness eventually develop into more severe lameness - and why early detection is so crucial. It's not just about identifying forelimb lameness or hind limb issues; it's about understanding the entire biomechanical chain of events that leads to poor performance, and the relief that comes with knowing we can take proactive steps to prevent it.

Identifying Subtle Lameness in Performance Horses

Perhaps nowhere is this more critical than in performance horses, where the line between peak condition and subtle lameness can be vanishingly thin. "We have to bear in mind," Dr Dyson notes, "that horses tend to try to protect themselves from masking lameness because they are inherently prey animals. So they don't want to look weak and vulnerable."

This protective instinct leads horses to develop compensatory mechanisms—taking shorter steps, reducing their hind limb impulsion, and stiffening their backs—all of which can be misinterpreted as training issues rather than signs of underlying pain.

Advanced Diagnostic Tools in Lameness Investigation

The revolution in Dr. Dyson's approach isn't about discarding traditional diagnostic tools - nerve blocks, ultrasound examination, and other clinical assessments remain vital. Instead, it's about complementing these tools with systematic behavioural observation.

The Future of Equine Lameness Treatment

What makes Dr. Dyson's work particularly revolutionary is its accessibility. Her system for lameness diagnosis isn't locked away in veterinary textbooks or restricted to specialist clinics. "Anybody can learn this," she insists, challenging the notion that detecting lameness requires special expertise. "Anybody, as long as you put your mind to it and you watch carefully and think about what you're seeing."

The democratisation of lameness detection marks a significant shift in veterinary medicine.

We're seeing a real shift in how we spot lameness, where it's not just about waiting for the vet to tell us something's wrong. Now, we horse owners are becoming more tuned in to our horses' subtle signals, combining what we see when we're riding or handling them with the traditional vet checks. It's pretty exciting actually - we're all becoming better advocates for our horses' wellbeing, catching issues earlier, and playing a more active role in keeping them sound and happy.

By integrating traditional lameness evaluation methods with behavioural assessments, a new approach emerges—one in which horse owners actively participate in their horses' welfare rather than merely waiting for obvious signs of lameness.

This perspective encourages us all to engage in a new era of horse care and lameness prevention.

Transforming Horse-Human Relationships

The interview reveals a compelling paradox: while we've never known more about equine pain and lameness, the industry still clings to outdated practices and beliefs. "It's shocking the amount of misinformation that is spread," Dr. Dyson notes, her voice carrying both frustration and determination.

Yet she remains optimistic about the future of equestrian sports. "I sincerely hope that we still have horse sports in the Olympic Games," she says, "because I think that that is a very, very good thing for horse sports in general."

But her vision extends beyond competition. It's about creating a future where horse welfare and performance aren't seen as competing interests but as complementary goals.

Conclusion: A Revolution in Lameness Detection

Dr. Dyson's message offers both challenge and hope for the hundreds of thousands who've watched her documentary and the countless more who will benefit from her research. Her work isn't just about identifying lameness—it's about fundamentally changing how we think about horse welfare and training.

"If you're training a horse," she reminds us, "various chemicals are released in the brain, just as we do if we're running, that make them feel better." This insight captures the essence of her approach: good horsemanship isn't about avoiding work—it's about ensuring that work is done without pain.

The revolution in horse welfare isn't coming – it's already here. Dr. Dyson's research gives us the tools to better understand and respond to our horses' needs.

The only question remaining is: are we ready to listen to what our horses have been trying to tell us all along?

About Our Guest

Dr Sue Dyson is a world-renowned equine orthopaedic specialist and researcher with over 40 years of clinical experience. Former Head of Clinical Orthopedics at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket (1982-2020), she has published over 370 peer-reviewed papers revolutionizing our understanding of horse lameness and pain recognition.

A graduate of the University of Cambridge, Dr. Dyson combines exceptional clinical expertise with practical horsemanship. As an accomplished rider, she trained her own show jumpers and event horses, including Kenvara, who jumped clear rounds at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics.

Her groundbreaking research on behavioural indicators of pain in ridden horses, particularly "The 24 Behaviors of the Ridden Horse in Pain," has transformed equine welfare assessment globally. The documentary of this work has reached over 420,000 viewers worldwide.

Dr. Dyson co-authors "Diagnosis and Management of Lameness in the Horse" and "Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery," which are essential texts in veterinary medicine. She is also wrote Harmonious Horsemanship: Use of the Ridden Horse Ethogram to Optimise Potential, Partnership and Performance with Sue Palmer.