These are some of the most common problems seen on horses concerning soundness. The focus here is on mechanical treatment, which is what farriers do. Any additional information is strictly that and is intended to stay closely related to mechanical treatment.

• Bowed tendons or tendinitis: lameness from injury of flexor tendons and related structures.
• Splints: Ossification of the interosseous ligament between the splint bones and cannon bone. When healed, this is considered a blemish.
• Collateral Ligament Strain: Strain of the ligament connecting hoof wall to coffin bone.
• Coffin Bone Fracture: Article in progress (11-14-10)
• Thrush: Common anaerobic bacterial infection of frog. Fusobacterium necrophorum.
• Laminitis or Founder
• Ringbone: AKA phalangeal exostosis is an ossification around any part of the pastern area. High ringbone involves the pastern joint; low ringbone involves the coffin joint.
• Sidebone: Ossification of the lateral cartilages of the coffin bone.
• Carpitis: Inflammation or exostosis of the knee.
• Pedal osteitis: Inflammation of the distal border of the coffin bone.
• Corns: Bruises located in the seat of the corn, which is where the wall at the heels turn toward the bars.
• Osslets: Hard swelling on the front side of fetlock, or traumatic arthritis of the fetlock joint.
• Sheared heel
• Stringhalt
• Navicular dysfunction
• Coffin joint arthritis: Degenerative joint disease of the coffin joint. Poor prognosis.
• Spavins: Lameness or pathology of the hock (tarsus). There is a lot to delve into on this subject.
  • Bog Spavin: Synovitis. Tarsocrural joint distention.
  • Bone or Jack Spavin: Hard swelling (exostosis) usually on the inside of the hock. Involves any, but most commonly the central tarsal. Prognosis for future performance often poor.
  • Thorough-Pin: Distension of the tarsal sheath.
  • Curb: Sprain of plantar ligament. Shows as hard swelling a few inches below the point of the hock.
  • Capped Hock: Common blemish. Firm enlargement at the point of the hock. Often from kicking solid objects.