Unit 7 Worksheet “Unsoundness in Horses”
Name:_____________________________
Date:______________________________
1. Define Unsoundness and blemish.
a. Unsoundness – Any condition that interferes or is apt to interfere with
the function and performance of the horse.
b. Blemish – Unattractive, but does not and is not apt to interfere with
the horse’s performance
2. How does unsoundness differ from a blemish? A blemish is usually acquired
physical problem while an unsoundness is usually caused by poor
conformation and will tend to be a problem throughout the horse’s lifetime.
3. What are the four most common locations for blemishes and unsoundness? Head,
Lungs, Body, and Limbs.
Unsoundness of the Head
4. A monkey mouth would be described as what type of unsoundness? Bad Mouth
5. This unsoundness is often caused by a vitamin B deficiency? Moon Blindness
6. What could be wrong with a horse that you see dropping food constantly from
their mouth while in the process of chewing? Quidding
7. What type of treatment could be done to help the horse in question #6 with their
problem? Floating the teeth, soft palatable feed
8. Gingivitis is? Bad teeth or bad gums
9. This is characterized by cloudiness of the cornea? Blindness
10. This unsoundness is acquired from a bruise or constant irritation in the region of
the poll? Poll Evil
Unsoundness and Blemishes of the Body
11. This is generally a blemish that occurs on any portion of the abdomen, it
sometimes could result in unsoundness. Hernia
12. If a horse received a direct kick or other trauma to the shoulder which would
cause damage to the nerve in the shoulder this unsoundness would result.
Sweeney
13. An inflammation of the withers? Fistulous Withers
14. This is often noticed because of the presence of white hairs? Scars
15. If you were standing behind a horse and you noticed that one hip appeared to be
lower than the other what would this be considered? How may have it occurred?
Knocked-down Hip, this could be caused by horses hurrying through narrow
doors, crowding in trailers, and falling.
16. Name and describe two problems that could cause unsoundness through horse
lungs? Roaring (Whistling) – a paralysis or partial paralysis of the nerves
that control the muscles of the vocal cords.
Heaving – loss of elasticity in the lungs resulting from a breakdown in the walls
of a portion of the air cells.
Unsoundness of the Limbs
17. A bony enlargement at the base and inside back border of the hock? What type of
horse would this be more common in? Bone Spavin
18. I noticed yesterday that my horse had a swelling or thickening area above it’s
fetlock on the back surface of the leg. Can you tell me the problem? Is it
unsoundness? Bowed Tendons, this is severe unsoundness
19. After hauling my horses for a period of time on the trailer I realized that several of
them had swelling or thick skin on their hocks. What is this? Should I be
concerned? Capped Hock, no do not be concerned it is just a blemish.
20. This refers to an injury to a ligament. It is caused by an abnormal range of
motion. Sprain
21. I was speaking to a horse owner yesterday and he told me that his horse appeared
to be what he considered “lame”. I asked him when the last time the horse’s feet
had been trimmed? He replied, “A couple years ago”. He thinks the horse is
getting old because he has noticed cracks in the heel and hoof wall of the horse.
Please tell him what is wrong with the horse. Cracks because of poor hoof care,
or the horse could be in rain or mud for a long period of time.
22. What is wrong with a horse that has festering around the coronet band? Quittor,
which is resulted from a neglected corn, gravel, or nail puncture.
23. What major unsoundness occurs around the pastern joint and the pastern-coffin
bone? Ringbone
24. I noticed my horse placing its heel down first and not its toes? After the
veterinarian checked it out he noticed that the sole of the horse’s foot lacks a
natural concave curve, what is this considered? Flat Foot
25. This is caused when a horse gains access to great amounts of grain or lush grass.
Founder or Laminitis
26. This is caused when the interosseous ligament is damaged? What could a horse
owner do to help a horse with this problem? Splints, a horse owner could
provide the horse rest, given hydrotherapy, and possibly order medications.
27. This often occurs in racehorses which have high amounts of concussion and stress
on the knee. This also can be seen in athletic horses such as barrel horses, hunters
and jumpers, and other rodeo event type horses.
28. A horse that has shoes on and decides to lay down folding its leg under its body
may cause what? Shoe Boil, seen mostly in horses that are stabled or lay down
for periods of time. The horse lays with the shoe up against the elbow
irritating the elbow from the trauma being hit by the foot.
29. This is a condition caused by chronic inflammation of the coffin bone. Pedal
Osteitis, caused by persistent pounding of the feet, chronic sole bruising, or
laminitis.
30. You picked up a horses hoof and began cleaning it and a terrible odor came from
the foot, you began examining it noticing that the frog appeared a black color,
what is the problem? What would help this horse? Thrush, just clean the horse
foot really well.
Now on your own paper please list all the possible blemishes and unsoundness that
can occur in horses and what area of the horse they occur in.
Ex. The head area;
Head
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Blindess
Moon Blindness
Bad Mouth
Poll Evil
Quidding