A veterinary imaging company has launched a free online educational hub to help educate owners about lameness.
Hallmarq created the hub, which is entitled, Talk Lameness, after recent research showed six in 10 UK horse owners don’t instinctively connect MRI with lameness.
Just 16 per cent of UK horse owners spontaneously mentioned MRI when asked what tests a vet might use for unexplained lameness. That compares with similarly low unprompted recall for x‑rays (21 per cent).
When shown a list of diagnostic options, 60 per cent recognised MRI – a 44‑point gap between prompted and unprompted awareness.
Lack of connection
This pattern, drawn from an initial sample of more than 50 UK horse owners within a wider respondent survey of almost 200 across the UK and US, suggests while owners know the technology exists, many have not yet instinctively connected it to their horse’s lameness.
Even when a vet recommends a standing MRI, UK owners reported the lowest likelihood of agreeing of all regions surveyed, with cost cited as the primary barrier.
The result, vets say, is that horses risk going undiagnosed for longer, receiving repeated or ineffective treatments, and facing slower or less complete returns to health.
Educational tool
It is hoped that Talk Lameness will help owners spot subtle signs often mistaken for resistance or training issues. The hub contains expert articles on nerve blocks, scintigraphy, and what happens during a standing MRI as well as short videos from leading equine vets on lunging for lameness, the role of MRI, and preparing for a vet visit.
“Delayed or incomplete diagnosis can mean longer periods out of work, repeated treatments that don’t address the underlying problem, and, in some cases, long‑term damage which could have been avoided,” said Holly Johnson, equine clinical product manager at Hallmarq.
“An accurate diagnosis is not a luxury – it’s the foundation of effective care. Even with a modest sample, the gap we saw was so large that it’s unlikely to be random. That’s worth acting on now.
“UK horse owners know what MRI is. Many have experienced an MRI themselves. What they haven’t had is a clear, trustworthy explanation of how it applies to their horse – and how to have that conversation with their vet. That’s exactly the gap Talk Lameness is designed to fill.”
For more information and to test your knowledge, visit https://talklameness.org/.
