Lameness vs Unsoundness

[TexasSlider]

Hey!

Do any of you know the difference between lameness and unsoundness? I have a friend who was asking me and I had no idea what to tell her! I have always used the two interchangeably, but it got me to thinking....

I am not really sure what to tell her! Anyway, it got me stumped I would love to hear what you guys think!

[kierababy]

To me they mean the same.

[KristinJ]

To me they mean the same.

Me too =) and kierababy - i love your icon pic =)

[kierababy]

Thanks. I took it the other day!

[sqshers]

hmm, I always thought of it this way, but maybe I'm just over-thinking! Lame, to me, indicates a very visible problem. Unsound, to me, would be when the horse looks 'off' - not quite right, but not quite sound either. So, one more severe than the other.

Again, I might be over-thinking on this one


I dunno..

[skysthelimit]

A lame horse is unsound.

An unsound horse cannot correctly track up and therefor the "beats" of the gait they are trying to do are "off". Unsoundness may or may not be caused by a lameness (although a lameness will ALWAYS cause unsoundness), because an unsound horse can also have neurological problems or other issues that cause the unsoundness.

At least, that's the way I look at it. Lol!~Brit

[LotsOfSavvy]

A horse can be unsound for breeding...but not lame

We have sold horses as Breeding Sound only before..

[skysthelimit]

You can also have an animal that has an unsound mind, imo. But I'm not sure that a mind could go lame....hahaha

[Giddy Up Gal]

To me is depends on what the problem is and what is going on with the horse. I use lameness generally when there is a problem with the horses movement or gait, unsound can be used for more than that. A horse that has health problems, is under weight, has mental problems, is sick, ect.. I usually call unsound. To me when I call a horse unsound it is when there is a problem that effects the horse as a whole for soundness and usability if that make sense lol. Some examples of what I mean is if I see a horse coughing in the field when he is running around that is unsound, if I see a horse that every time the saddle hits his back he flips out that is unsound, if I see a horse that is lethargic and groggy he is unsound, if I see a horse that is 21 years old and skinny that is unsound, now if I see a horse that is limping he is lame, if I see a horse that is hitching while moving he is lame. If I feel my horse is off while riding I would assume he is lame but unsound as it may or may not be a body problem but a tack or riding problem and there for until it is figured out he is unsound. So there is many things I take into account. That is just me though.

[rageandglory]

to me, lame implies painwith clear unsoundness. unsound can be mechanical offness with limited, minour or nonexistent pain as in old injury that tightened up a joint somewhere, a fused joint among others. i agree that unsound can include attitude. ages ago when i was learning the basics of the basics i was taught that soundness, unless otherwise specified, generally refers to the overall health and vitality of a horse. more recently it seems that a leg issue/cadence/movement that is assumed, unless otherwise specified.