Exams

Chirorpractic Exam | Lameness Exam | Neurologic Exam | Physical Exam | Soundness Exam

The Soundness Exam

The Soundness Exam is a form of preventative medicine. The veterinarian conducts a musculoskeletal exam, places a horse’s joints through their range of motion, and observes the horse in motion or at work with the rider. Depending upon his or her findings, the veterinarian may or may not opt to conduct flexion tests.

A Soundness Exam is appropriate for a horse that does not exhibit an ouvert lameness, but is subject to a rigorous work schedule. It is frequently used with seasoned competitors to assess the efficacy of their maintenance regimen. It is a method of detecting subtle changes and attempting to address them before they become larger problems.

Types of therapies that could be indicated following a Soundness Exam range from joint injections to chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, rest, anti-inflammatories, a change in equipment, diet, shoeing, or perhaps no therapies or changes at all.

It is fair to say that most hard working athletes –and many retired senior citizens- live with some form of musculoskeletal discomfort. We proactively assess a horse’s comfort level and make any adjustments necessary to maintain or increase its comfort during a Soundness Exam.

The more frequently a Soundness Exam is conducted, the more valuable it becomes. This is because the veterinarian becomes familiar with a horse’s idiosyncracies and is able to detect differences relative to its “way of going” as an individual.