Lameness and poor performance assessments - a holistic approach
This includes:
Cardiovascular and respiratory systems (heart, lungs, and airways)
Gastrointestinal health, including potential gastric ulceration
Dental and ophthalmic (eye) assessments
Saddle, bridle, and bit fit, and how these may influence comfort and behaviour
By integrating findings from each of these areas, we can build a complete picture of your horse’s health and performance. This allows us to identify the root cause of poor performance and create a practical plan to restore comfort and optimise potential.
Our ultimate goal is to ensure your horse can perform at its best – comfortably, willingly, and to their full potential.
Early detection: the key to equine soundness
Prevention is always better than cure. While some cases of lameness and poor performance are immediately obvious and demand urgent veterinary attention, many develop insidiously – subtle, progressive, and often irreversible.
To make matters more complex, horses are prey animals. Their survival instinct compels them to mask signs of pain, a behaviour that once protected them from predators but now works against timely diagnosis. When pain or stress triggers this instinct, the body releases adrenaline and β-endorphins. Adrenaline drives the flight response, while β-endorphins dull the pain. We have all seen the injured horse that gallops wildly around the field – pain masked by endorphins – only to reveal the full extent of the injury once the adrenaline fades. This same mechanism can hide significant pathology beneath a seemingly normal gait.
That is why identifying subtle lameness and performance issues is such a challenge – and why it matters. Undetected, these problems lead to major financial loss and, more importantly, lasting harm to the horse’s welfare.
By detecting issues early – often before they are apparent to the not-so-experienced person – we can protect both the horse’s long-term soundness and the owner’s investment.
Our preventive approach
At Seven Hills Equine, we understand the above better than anyone – and we truly value prevention above everything else.
This is why we strongly recommend using our lameness and poor performance consultancy tool. To know more about this service you must first register with us as this service is available only to registered clients.
Of course, we fully support your choice to book an in-person appointment, where we can provide a comprehensive and informed assessment of both your concerns and your horse’s condition. During these visits, we carry out a thorough physical and dynamic examination to evaluate your horse as a whole.
Although we are not saddle fitters and therefore cannot advise on the technical aspects of refitting, our experience allows us to recognise when a saddle may be contributing to lameness or performance issues, and to identify the type of adjustments likely needed for a proper fit.
We appreciate that this approach may, at times, sound a little “over the top” or not immediately practical. That is precisely why we developed our consultancy tool – to give you an accessible and effective way to act early, long before minor issues develop into something more serious.
Early action makes all the difference. If you notice even subtle changes in your horse’s movement or attitude under saddle, register with us and you will have access to more information on this service. A timely assessment can save money and months of rehabilitation whilst protecting your horse’s long-term soundness.
ONLY FOR REGISTERED CLIENTS