How Hard Ground Affects your Horse's Legs

We know that ground conditions can be hard on our horse's legs, but what effects does it actually have and what are the signs that something is going wrong?

Our horse's legs are precious so to protect them when the going gets hard, we must understand them.  Your horses legs are made up of unique structural arrangements make leg movement more efficient, such as being able to use elastic springs (tendons) instead of having to use fuel energy in the muscles. The bones in the legs also act as leverage of the leg which helps the horses body propel forward.  When the ground become hard, then these delicate structures become damaged.  In this article we will cover what happens, how it happens and what to do about keeping your horse sound this summer.

Hard ground-associated injuries

Concussion and jarring of hard ground causes:

• Bruised feet
• Splints
• Tendon Injuries
• Arthritis
• Ringbone and Side bone
• Laminitis: not all cases are due to fat ponies being overfed; some are seen in the summer months as a result of concussion, which traumatises the sensitive laminae structures in the horse's feet.
• Sore shins: this is a common problem in racehorses, but it is also seen in other animals working on hard ground. The signs are swelling to the front of the cannon bone, which may lead to fractures within the bone if the horse is not rested
• Joint injuries

Looking after your Horses Legs

Whatever your discipline, it is essential to take good care of your horse's legs to prevent problems occurring.

Correct care of legs, feet and back will help prevent future problems and prolong your horse's working life. However, many of us overlook good joint care, something that could impact on all of these areas. Daily wear and tear is unavoidable and places stress on joints, ligaments and tendons so being aware of potential problems is important. Ongoing care can help minimise the risk of problems or injury, aid fitness and improve all-round performance.

The Farrier's view

Conformational faults are highlighted when your horse has to cope with hard or variable ground. Horses with poor foot conformation, such as low heels or thin soles, will feel the effects of hard ground more than horses with boxy or upright feet.

Our horses' feet suffer when they go from a wet climate to a dry one.  Hooves dry out and become brittle due to the abrupt change in conditions.  Additionally, people are doing less roadwork and more work on synthetic surfaces. Consequently, our horses' feet are a lot softer than they were 20 years ago.  Advances in farriery mean there is plenty we can do to help protect horses' feet against the effects of variable ground.  Shoeing your horse with wide bars and shock absorption pads also gives your horses much more support.

Joints, Tendons and Ligaments explained:

A horse's joints are designed to absorb shock and bear the weight of the body, while helping them to move easily and without friction. There are three main types of joints:

• Cartilaginous - these joints have limited movement, such as spinal column and pelvis
• Fibrous - fixed joints, such as the skull
• Synovial - these are the moveable joints, such as the fetlocks, stifles, hocks and knees

Synovial joints are the most active joints in your horse's body.  They are also the most likely to incur injuries or problems. Each end of the bone is covered with a lubricated cartilage, which absorbs the forces placed on the joint as the horse moves, and it is when this lubrication called synovial fluid, is affected then friction can cause joints to wear.

Tendons and ligaments are dense bands of fibrous tissue composed mainly of collagen. The tissue is very strong but not elastic. This fibrous material groups together in bundles forming long cords running from the knee to the foot. Tendons connect muscle to bone, while ligaments connect bone to bone. The flexor tendons run down the back of the leg from the knee to the foot. Their role is to flex the fetlock and digit joints in the pastern and the hoof. The suspensory ligament lies at the back of the cannon bone, deeper than the flexor tendons, and stretches from the back of the knee to the fetlock. The suspensory ligament provides support for the fetlock, preventing extreme over-extension, over-flexing and over-rotating.

How are they affected?

Problems usually occur when joint damage happens faster than repair.  There are many ways in which a horse's joints can be affected by exercising on hard ground. Although care and consideration go some way to protecting from unnecessary deterioration, age and general movement will always cause wear and tear. Conformation is also a key consideration - the better a horse's conformation, the more balanced they will be, so the less impact will be placed on the legs. Poor conformation can exacerbate limb problems, as more stress is placed on compensating joints, causing more wear and tear. Fitness, diet, foot condition and type of work can also play a part in general condition. Working your horse on hard or rough ground can affect the movable synovial joints in particular, as it creates extra shock and impact.

The main function of tendons is to transmit muscle power to the lower leg. Tendons have elastic properties and healthy tendons are able to bear extreme stretching forces. This elasticity allows them to store energy and absorb minor overloads during exercise. However, any sudden overload exceeding the limits of their ability to stretch can cause the fibres and blood vessels to begin to rupture. This begins within the central core of the tendon. The end result is inflammation, pain and swelling characteristic of a bowed tendon.

Ligaments are stronger than tendons. They are bands of very tough tissue that hold joints together and hold bones in place. There are many small ligaments in each joint, but the most commonly damaged are those in the suspensory apparatus above the fetlock. The job of the suspensory ligament is to hold the fetlock joint in its correct position; it lies just in front of the main flexor tendons that run at the back of the leg above the fetlock. The job of the suspensory apparatus is important and demanding, its function is to support the fetlock during the weight bearing phase of the stride. It is during this phase when most ligament injuries occur. Uneven loading at some stage in the weight bearing stride may be accompanied by contributing causes of uneven ground surface and poor foot balance.

The Energy of Movement

The long tendons transmit the shock from your horses hooves hitting the ground from the lower limb to the muscles in the upper leg and body. Tendons are much lighter than muscles. The front cannon, pastern, and hoof account for less than 1% of the horse's weight.

When your horse puts weight on their legs the tendons are stretched.  When the horse takes weight off the leg, the tendons recoil like elastic.  Elasticity of their legs rebound after being pushed, pulled, or twisted out of shape. Tendons can stretch when the force from the ground is applied, they then recoil when the tension is released. The stretching process stores the energy, which is released during recoil. 

Elastic energy is stored as the limb has weight put on it and then is released when the limb lifts off the ground. That released energy is used to move the joints literally springing the horse's legs forward rather than the horse having to actively use his muscles to move them. This avoids expending energy to contract the muscles, giving the horse more efficient movement.  A tendon in the biceps brachii muscle at the top of the foreleg flexes the elbow, and it acts almost like a catapult to pull the leg forward as soon as the weight comes off the front hoof.

The digital flexor tendons and the suspensory ligament that run down the back of the leg act the same way, stretching as the fetlock extends when the limb is loaded, then recoiling as the leg leaves the ground. As the horse goes faster, there's more loading of the leg and stretching of the tendons when it's on the ground, and more recoil and flexing when it comes off the ground.  This helps the limb move faster, as the extra loading of the tendons in the stride bounces the leg higher off the ground.

Things to look out for

Horse's can suffer from many different types of leg injury or problem, and treatment can range from massage and hydro-therapy to intra-articular medication which is the injection of a drug into the joint, depending on the type and seriousness of your horse's condition.

 As part of the daily routine, it is important to keep an eye on your horses legs, hooves,and back, checking for abnormalities. Signs can include lameness, heat or swelling and pain on movement or flexion. In these cases it is important to consult your vet who can advise on what the problems are, and the best course of treatment.

Signs that a horse is in pain from the hard ground

• A shortening of the stride: a horse may lose the swing and spring in its step as it tries to minimise jarring when its feet hit the ground.
• Increased tension: muscles change their function on hard ground to help stabilise the lower limbs and reduce concussion. This means they reduce their ability to work independently and compromise overall performance.
• Refusing: jumpers may be reluctant to land after a fence, so may start stopping when they have never done so before.
• Flattening and rushing over a fence: to minimise concussion on landing the horse adjusts its technique to prevent it landing so hard.

Prevention is better than cure

When it comes to your horses' legs, prevention is better than cure, so it is important to be aware of what causes them extra stress, and how this can be minimised. Warming up and cooling down after exercise is essential, as it helps keep joints supple and reduces the chance of damage or friction. Competitions do have an impact, so if you are competing, be aware of the ground condition - hard ground or rougher terrain than your horse is used to will place more stress on joints and limbs. Leaving time enough time for the horse to rest after strenuous exercise or competition will allow them to recover and reduce the chance of lasting problems. When schooling, gradually help your horse build up a resistance on different surfaces, this will help protect from injury, keep joints supple, and improve condition in the long run.

Every horse is different

Although there is no way to prevent general wear and tear on your horse's legs and joints, there are effective ways to reduce it. Every horse is different, so it is important to look at each of your horses individually.  What worked for one may or may not work for another. Help your horse build up strength and joint resistance slowly. Conformation, age and workload all play a part in the overall condition of your horses legs, and while these are factors that can't be changed, others can. Proper care will ensure legs are kept in the best condition possible, increase stamina, and ultimately help prolong your horse's working life.

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