There are many causes of lameness in the horse that are difficult to palpate with your hands or image with X-rays. These include subtle tendon and ligament strains as well as joint capsule and cartilage disorders. We can freeze, or nerve block, areas of the limb to try to find the painful area, however this is not possible for all areas of the limb. In some cases, your vet will refer the horse to a university level referral facility for a bone or back scan or an M.R.I. when the lameness cannot be diagnosed with conventional techniques. Life would be much more simple if horses could talk
