# horses can fake lameness!



## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

My old mare is the devious sort. She is out on pasture for 12 hours and in on drylot for the rest of the day, as she tends to be on the plump side.

The other day, after a rainstorm, I go out to catch her. She takes one look at a me, and takes off bucking and kicking, prancing and snorting. I think this would be a fabulous time to get some pictures. I come back out with the camera and she is standing on 3 legs, resting her hind left. 

I put the camera down, put her halter on, and try to get her to walk to her paddock. She won't budge. Not an inch. I check her leg. Everything looks fine, but maybe she slipped while I was in the house. I stand there for 5 minutes trying to decide if we need the vet. I ask again for her to walk and she takes a tiny gimpy step and holds her leg up in the air. I better call the vet. 

I unsnap the lead to go back to the house, and she spins around and takes off. Well, she sure doesn't look lame anymore! Certainly not 3 legged lame, unable to walk! 

I catch her again. This time, I yell at her in my no-nonsense voice to walk. She sighs, puts her head down, and quietly walks back to her paddock. 

Drama queen. 

To give her the benefit of a doubt, she probably did take a bad step while she was acting silly. After all she is 24 to 26! But she was perfectly capable of walking back to her paddock. She just didn't want to.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

In all my 5 decades of owning, riding, training and showing horses, I have never seen a horse "fake" lameness, IMO it doesn't happen.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Our cat came up lame for a few days, nothing serious just a limp. Gave him LOTS of attention and babying and lots of C-H-E-E-S-E.

After a few days the limp went away never to return. However for the next few weeks whenever he saw us he'd run to the fridge and hold that paw up in the air.

Cute.

That said I must agree, in your situation I don't see it being "fake". Why would a prey animal pretend to be injured? I've seen "fake" lamenesses...always turned out to be something. A cat is very different from a horse (and that cat is particularly smart and human like).


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## haviris (Sep 16, 2009)

We had a pony when I was a kid/teen, she would 'fake' lame, anytime she thought we were going to work her, she'd foundered in the past and learned being hurt ment no work. It typically went like this, halter her and try to lead her to the house, she was hurting so bad she could barely walk, take halter off, she bolts off kicking and farting. Best way to 'test' her, offer her a powdered donut, she'd forget all about playing hurt, and practically climb the fence for a donut. She didn't get away with it after we figured out her game.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

My dad used to tell me a story about a horse at the farm he worked at as a kid. The horse would be just fine for the farmer's daughter but if one of her brothers or my dad got on her she'd limp really bad. They'd get off and the girl would get back on and off she and the horse would go without a lame step taken. Not due to weight differences in riders either as the daughter was quite a bit older and bigger than the boys. That was the first thing I asked him. LOL


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

No, they don't have enough capacity for abstract reasoning to fake lameness. 

If I catch my horse from the field and see that it's lame, I'm not going to ride, but the horse has no way of knowing that I was (a) planning on riding that day and (b) the reason I didn't was that it was lame.  Similarly, if I get on and feel that it's unlevel, I might ride around a little longer to see if it works out of it, or put it on the lunge to see if I can identify which leg. Horse has no way of linking being lame with me getting off, lunging it, and putting it in its stable.

Sure, they make connections between behaviour and rewards, but the reward has to be clearly and immediately associated with the behaviour.


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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

My riding instructor had an Arabian mare that would fake lameness at the show! No lameness at home, drive to show......lameness.......scratch and go home.......no lameness! She did this on more than one occasion and my instructor rode national champions. It does happen, maybe not very often but it does happen.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

LONG, true, story...
I had gone to look at a ladies horses for evaluation. Met her in the grocery store, she said she had horses she needed to sell, and I told her I would look at them, and spread the word. I had no intention of them coming on my property. 

A couple of weeks later, DH(who does NOT believe in animal communicators, or even chiropractors), asked me if I had talked to the woman. No,I said, why? He said something told him to call her. So, I did. That day, we went over and picked up the four horses.....in the photo below. This was on Sunday.

On Tuesday, I took the TB (bay in front) to my lesson, so my instructor could assess a value. I rode him, then a lady who boards there rode him, she put her daughter on him, then called a friend who was looking for a Pony Club horse, and SHE rode him. Instructor says, GAWD, I've sold horses for $30,000 who didn't get tested THAT much!! Anyway, the lady is interested, but says, what is wrong with his eye? HUH? His eye was fine when he got in the trailer, but I said I would let her know....took him by the vet on the way home. She put the light on his eye, and his ENTIRE cornea looked like a mountain range. 

Better continue in another segment...


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## ShirtHotTeez (Sep 23, 2014)

waresbear said:


> In all my 5 decades of owning, riding, training and showing horses, I have never seen a horse "fake" lameness, IMO it doesn't happen.


Yes it does. I had a thoroughbred, could ride him anywhere. But when I wanted to sell him he would walk lame everytime someone came to see him. After they left and I let him go he would trot and canter round the paddock with no hint of a limp 

Wasn't funny at the time

:icon_rolleyes:


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

We started on drops and ointment, with no results, so we put him on oral antibiotics. It was August in Texas.....so I put a fly sheet on him in the barn. In six WEEKS, he turned into a MOST magnificent horse. All of that golden, dead hair fell out, and he was MAHOGANY. 

DH (remember? Does NOT believe in any hocus pocus!) says the horse, who's name was Erin's Trick,, and went by E.T., must have been sending him messages, because he would have been coyote bait if he had gone blind out where he was!

I had sold the Palomino in the picture to a family, so I called and told them about the TB. He was interested, so I set up a time for them to look at him. I went out to get him, and he was 3- legged lame. Called the man and told him....called the vet. She poked and prodded, found nothing...I turned him out, he RAN up the hill. The buyers were no longer interested.

A few months later, a new family moves in next door. Their house is not 200 feet from my barn. They have a special needs son who LOVES horses, so I offer to let the TB move to the other side of the fence...no charge. THREE LEGGED lame. No vet this time......I just turned him out....

He died on my place about 2 years later. That, apparently, was what he wanted all along.


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

You honestly think a horse can reason: "She's trying to sell me to this person. I don't want to be sold. If I pretend I'm lame, they won't buy me." That would be an extraordinary degree of abstraction.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Some horses have more perception than we can even imagine. Those who know me know I am not a sappy, anthropomorphizing horse owner. I just told the story...you deduce from it what you will.......

If it had not happened to me, I may not have believed it.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

I have seen some seriously sneaky horses at our barn, so I don't doubt for a second they could figure some of this stuff out to their advantage. It's really not that big a stretch for them to connect limping=no work.


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## ShirtHotTeez (Sep 23, 2014)

thesilverspear said:


> You honestly think a horse can reason: "She's trying to sell me to this person. I don't want to be sold. If I pretend I'm lame, they won't buy me." That would be an extraordinary degree of abstraction.


When it happened nine times over four weeks I figure he had some form of reasoning

:shrug:


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## AlmostTexan (Apr 27, 2014)

I don't know about malingering, but I know of two geldings that when they are saddled, will lay down, and stay down until you take the saddle off. Chiro, vet, dentist, saddle fitter, farrier - ALL checked, ALL fine. Both geldings are broke to ride. Saddle goes on, horse lays down. I once heard a story about gypsies teaching horses to do that, but never had seen it for myself until recently.


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

I had a horse that definitely DID play "sick". I would put a saddle on him, get on and take one lap around the barn when he would pull up "lame". Had the vet out, the chiropractor out, another vet, a fitter, a shoer, and another vet. Owner spent $$$$$ trying to diagnose (including tredmil tests and whatnot at a vet hospital). Everytime when doing a lesson he pulled up "lame". Finally she had enough and said "Stop it!" when he started during a lesson and he was miraculously 'cured'. My two year old colt when he was being weaned figured out that if he acted 'colicy' he would be put in a warm stall with really deep bedding and fed a mash. I had the vet out so many times that afterwards they stopped charging me. Nothing was wrong and miraculously if he was brought in BEFORE he acted sick there were no incidents the rest of the time. 

I don't falt anyone for not believing because I wouldn't have thought it had I not been there and seen it. Horses can rationalize a whole hell of a lot more than we give them credit for!


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## stargirl90 (Aug 28, 2012)

A lady I knew was leasing this mare to use in our riding class. Every class, this mare was dead lame. She was checked out multiple times. Finally, the lady and the teacher (who also owned the horse) decided that that was enough. The teacher loaded her up and took her home. Released her in the pasture and she takes off bucking and galloping.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ponyboy (Jul 24, 2008)

thesilverspear said:


> You honestly think a horse can reason: "She's trying to sell me to this person. I don't want to be sold. If I pretend I'm lame, they won't buy me."


The horse doesn't have to think all that in order to fake lameness. All they need to understand is that when they show lame, something they don't like goes away - whether it's work, a certain person, etc.


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## Goldilocks (Jan 30, 2015)

Considering my tb would "hobble" on the drive way out of the house, and when turned around walk perfectly sound back home, i say YES they can put it on a bit. They are not stupid. They know the tricks. My mare knows if she stays where she is in the field, i will walk to her - then she can run to the stable and have a few mins to cause havoc in the feed bins. As soon as i get in she stops and runs back out. She knows what shes at.


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

I had a half arab gelding, laziest horse I've ever dealt with, the last couple of years I owned him, he's pull up lame, not seriously lame, but definitely off. Had the vet out numerous times, and he wasn't able to find anything. Granted it was always a few days later, but then as soon as the vet left, he was off again. Finally stopped giving him time off when he was off, (per vets request), and the vet said he'd come out immediately next time horse was off. Well low and behold, horse was off, about 15 minutes later, the vet shows up. Mind you by now he was thinking I was just totally over reacting by this time, and I was sick and tired of lame horse being fine every time the vet showed up. Well vet FINALLY saw a little bit of short stridedness, but never was able to figure out why, and we sold him shortly there after to a little girl who just wanted to do walk trot basics and some trail. I do firmly believe that a horse can start associating "limping" with getting out of work. All it takes is one time of actually being hurt, and rider immediately jumping off so as to not further aggravate whatever injury just occurred for the horse to realize that the pain caused the rider to get off. Then they can try limping later and if it works again, voila, "lame" means rider gets off. They are very perceptive animals, and pick up on stuff we don't even realize we are doing. I have to agree that I've seen horses that are acting sore while being led around, but then as soon as you turn them out, off they run.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I have a friend who was afraid her good polo mare was getting arthritis in her right fore. Whenever the friend drove up the mare was in a small pasture and had a slight limp.

If I drove up, she did not limp. If my friend's husband came through the area and drove up in his truck he saw no lameness in the mare.

My friend thought we were just poor judges of lameness.

Finally her truck was in the shop and she needed me to haul some horses for her. We drove to the barn in my truck, and the mare walked up to us without sign of lameness. 

I'm sure I just imagined the mare's eye widening when her owner hopped out the passenger side of the truck.


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## Labrador (Jul 31, 2013)

No lameness story here, but I do know a few horses who fake colds when being ridden. One mare in particular will be fine at the walk but within a minute of trotting her she stretches her neck way out, and lets out these huge, straining coughs. Ride her through it and she doesn't do it again the whole ride. At one point years ago this mare did have a cough and learned that she didn't have to work hard if she had a cold. Now, all these years later, she still tries coughing to get out of work EVERY time you ride her.


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## Customcanines (Jun 17, 2012)

Many years ago I had a squirrely little Dalmatian that was a total wimp about pain. One day she got into a fight with my other Dal (The wimp started it LOL) Anyway, she was pretty bitten up and very sore. I had to carry her outside to pee, and she wouldn't eat unless I hand fed her. After several days, I figured she SHOULD be getting better and I was becoming concerned. SHe wouldn't even stand up, and if I stood her up, she would "melt" and collapse. Later that day, I carried her outside and put her down and the phone rang, so I ran into the house. I could see her out the window, and as I watched, she JUMPED up, ran a little ways away, squatted and peed, then RAN back to where I had put her down and laid back down. I couldn't believe my eyes! I went outside and walked up to her, and she once again did her "limp" routine. I didn't know whether to laugh or be mad - I had been carrying her for days!!!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I had an old horse that was lame on and off. I was riding him one day and he seemed a bit lame. We got charged by an aggressive cow. Suddenly he forgot that he was lame and ran like a race horse.

I don't think that he sat there and faked lameness. I think that the lameness was mild enough that he didn't notice it when he was interested in something else.

For that matter, I have so many old injuries that I limp half the time. If I am busy and interested in something, I just ignore the "lameness" and go on about my business.

Horses don't have the mental capacity to think stuff like this through. Some lameness issues are mild and the horse can ignore it if he wants. It is not really faking lameness. It may be more like "faking" soundness.

Now dogs are a bit smarter. They don't so much fake lameness, but they can learn to limp on command. The dog is lame. You say "poor little dog". Soon the dog realizes that "poor little dog" means "limp and somebody will pat you on the head".


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I have never seen any horses that smart that figured out how to fake lameness. I have seen horses limp while being ridden, then run off farting and kicking when untacked and let go. And if you think that's faking lameness, you missed a clue, so think again my friends.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

haviris said:


> We had a pony when I was a kid/teen, she would 'fake' lame, anytime she thought we were going to work her, she'd foundered in the past and learned being hurt ment no work. It typically went like this, halter her and try to lead her to the house, she was hurting so bad she could barely walk, take halter off, she bolts off kicking and farting. Best way to 'test' her, offer her a powdered donut, she'd forget all about playing hurt, and practically climb the fence for a donut. She didn't get away with it after we figured out her game.


Powered donut for a foundered horse-hmmm


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Celeste said:


> I had an old horse that was lame on and off. I was riding him one day and he seemed a bit lame. We got charged by an aggressive cow. Suddenly he forgot that he was lame and ran like a race horse.
> 
> I don't think that he sat there and faked lameness. I think that the lameness was mild enough that he didn't notice it when he was interested in something else.
> 
> ...


Agree.
My gelding, who was lame the last few years of his life, would from time to time, because of excitement, join into running and bucking with his friends, and I would have a glimmer of hope that he was becoming riding sound again, but he had just over ridden his pain for the moment, and paid for that exertion.
Let me also say, I am 100% positive this horse never faked lameness, as he enjoyed his work, always eager to step out, either coming or going


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## DarlaPony96 (Jan 5, 2015)

This does happen with some horses. I have an 18 year old Quarter horse that is very lazy and will avoid work however he can. In the mornings or periodically throughout the day, I will see him galloping and bucking around the pasture. As soon as I clip a lead rope to his halter and walk him towards the arena, he starts limping. I believed for a years that he was actually lame until I realized that he only does it when it's time to work.  Gotta love our silly horses!


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## haviris (Sep 16, 2009)

Smilie said:


> Powered donut for a foundered horse-hmmm


Yeah, that was an accident, it's not like we bought them for her, just discovered that that was something she really really loved!! (I think my sister was the one eating them) But yeah, not the most practical treat for a foundered pony. She was sound at that point (no matter what she tried to make us believe). 

This wasn't a baby limp, just a little sore, this pony acted like it took everything she had just to stay up right, each step looked excruciating, the first time she did it I was actually thinking this could be the end, we may have to put her down, but pulled off the halter and suddenly she was fine! She bolted off with a kick and fart for good measure, leaving me standing there with a dumb look on my face, still trying to figure out what just happened. At that point we'd all out grown her and she was more pet then anything, so she rarely had to work anyway, but we caught on to her game pretty quickly. She'd only try it in the beginning, as soon as she saw we weren't going for it she'd quit and be fine for the rest of the time.


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## BiologyBrain (Jul 9, 2015)

I don't have a horse in this fight, but... For arguments sake...

I've seen over and over again in this very forum the statement that once a horse bucks the rider off and 'gets away with it' they're ruined for life (basically) because they've been 'trained to buck' until the rider gets off or falls off. 

So what is the difference between bucking, succeeding to get the rider off, and being 'trained to buck' and limping to end a ride (not come out of pasture, whatever), succeed ending a ride (in staying at pasture, whatever) and being 'trained to limp'? It's the same basic concept isn't it? Especially if the limp ends a ride like the buck ends a ride. 

There doesn't have to be a complex thought process behind it. Even staying out in the pasture, with buddies and freedom can be enough reward for the task of limping. Especially since limping takes up much less energy than bucking (in my earlier example) and has a greater chance of reward. 

Even though horses are prey animals, 'faking' an injury is not unknown among prey animals - some animals pretend injury to lead predators away from their young (the ones I can recall best are birds though). Presumably also, our horses know we aren't truly their predators - otherwise riding them would be pretty impossible. So if we can train them to ignore their instinct for survival in one case (riding), training them to ignore it (even accidentally) isn't improbable. 

Again, I have no horse in this discussion. Just stating my observations and logic. 

:cowboy:


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## secuono (Jul 6, 2011)

BiologyBrain-
That's exactly what I was thinking!
If they can learn to rear or buck and that will get the rider off or for the ride/work to stop, then there is no way they also cannot learn that a limp or cough can get them out of work as well. 
They are very smart.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Celeste said:


> I had an old horse that was lame on and off. I was riding him one day and he seemed a bit lame. We got charged by an aggressive cow. Suddenly he forgot that he was lame and ran like a race horse.
> 
> I don't think that he sat there and faked lameness. I think that the lameness was mild enough that he didn't notice it when he was interested in something else.
> 
> ...


My 21 yr old Fox Trotter mare is much like the horse you describe. Going out on a ride, she walks slow and slightly gimpy footed. There has been many a ride, that on the way out, I am thinking, maybe I need to quit riding this horse. BUT, when I turn for home, she turns into a fire-breathing dragon that will not walk, she only wants to jig all the way home. She is definitely barn sour! But also sound.....on the way home!

So I am kind of torn. Is she gimpy and ready to retire? Or only acting that way because we are walking away from home?

When she rushes home (very sound and would run home if I let her :icon_rolleyes does that mean she IS sound, or is her excitement to get home overriding her slight lameness issue? 

Since she IS past 20 years old, I tend to think the later. But it's really weird going from "horse needs to retire" to "I can't hardly keep her from running home" in a matter of moments. 

Sometimes when she is walking slow and a little "off," I will test her by turning for home. She will immediately pick up speed and get into a big hurry. Then I turn her back to going away from home and she will walk out for a little bit before becoming a slug again. That was just a test to make sure you really aren't ready for retirement, lol! 

But yeah, in general, I really can't imagine a horse faking a lameness. I think often it is a case of excitement overriding it and they forget they are lame temporarily. But I could be proven wrong.....


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

It's a flight animal. Of course enough adrenaline and excitement can override almost anything. I had the unfortunate experience of spectating a CCI*** event and watching a horse break its back leg on a fence. Horse cantered off after the jump and the spectators and jump stewards had to scream at the rider to stop. Rider didn't notice, and horse had so much adrenaline that he was charging off for the next fence on three legs.

On a less catastrophic scale, I've seen plenty of arthritic horses jig their way back to the barn from a trail ride, even though they are unlevel when leaving or schooling. Just means that going home is exciting enough that they don't notice as much. It's hardly "weird."

Also, lots of horses can have an exercise-induced asthma or seasonal allergies that play up when they start faster work. If you (and they) are lucky, you only get some coughing as soon as you start trotting and cantering and then they get over it.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

thesilverspear said:


> It's a flight animal. Of course enough adrenaline and excitement can override almost anything. I had the unfortunate experience of spectating a CCI*** event and watching a horse break its back leg on a fence. Horse cantered off after the jump and the spectators and jump stewards had to scream at the rider to stop. Rider didn't notice, and horse had so much adrenaline that he was charging off for the next fence on three legs.
> 
> On a less catastrophic scale, I've seen plenty of arthritic horses jig their way back to the barn from a trail ride, even though they are unlevel when leaving or schooling. Just means that going home is exciting enough that they don't notice as much. It's hardly "weird."
> 
> Also, lots of horses can have an exercise-induced asthma or seasonal allergies that play up when they start faster work. If you (and they) are lucky, you only get some coughing as soon as you start trotting and cantering and then they get over it.


Ditto on the points made!
Many horses with some degree of CPOD will cough when first worked and then work out of it
A lame horse can still jig, but just does not protect his soreness as much, going where he wants to, versus where he does not. In fact, very common for a horse that is sore, not to want to work, thus being slow and reluctant to leave home, but then over riding his pain to jig home.
Maybe there is the rare horse that will actually fake lameness, as one should never say never, but in most cases, it is wrong conclusions drawn by the owner, in not really understanding the nature of the horse, and the etilogy of what they are seeing


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

BiologyBrain said:


> I don't have a horse in this fight, but... For arguments sake...
> 
> I've seen over and over again in this very forum the statement that once a horse bucks the rider off and 'gets away with it' they're ruined for life (basically) because they've been 'trained to buck' until the rider gets off or falls off.
> 
> ...


Well, while your assumption does make a ceratin amount of sense, you will need to read this link, where the following is derived from:

Eldritch Massage: Do Horses Fake Lameness?

won't go into everything they talk about in the book regarding parts of the brain and brain activity, but I will say that horses to not have the cognitive ability to plan schemes and deceive. What they do have the ability to do is learn from experience. So, if you continually reward a horse for a certain behavior they will learn to continue to do that behavior in order to receive their reward. This is the most basic example of how horses are trained. It is possible if your horse bucks and you get off and put him away, and then he does it again and you get off and put him away again, his brain circuits will equate bucking with a pleasurable response - and if you keep doing the same thing over and over again he will start to buck every time someone gets on him after awhile. But that is not because he consciously thought, "Hey, this is great. I've totally got her wrapped around my finger!" It is because the horse instinctually (like us) seeks release from pressure and will do the thing he is rewarded for over and over again to find that release from pressure. That is a huge neurological difference from the cognitive ability to "fake injury" in order to get off work.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

From another source, link below

Even experienced veterinarians sometimes have a hard time identifying the site and cause of lameness. If your horse has a severe lameness, or a slight lameness that does not improve within a few days, see your vet. He or she may use x-rays, nerve blocks, and newer, high-tech tools to help identify the problem. Do not force a lame horse to work - you may turn a minor problem into a long-term unsoundness. Contrary to popular folklore, horses do not "fake" lameness.

https://share.ehs.uen.org/node/1846


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I would have said it was impossible for a horse to fake lameness if I'd never known Buck. He was a young horse my DH decided to sell because he felt he was working away too much to give him the attention he deserved. In all the time he had him he was never lame but every time someone came to try him he'd start hopping very noticeably on one back leg. We had him vet checked thoroughly and nothing at all wrong, as soon as prospective buyers were out of the yard we could get on him, run him up and down and not a limp in sight. Someone came to try him one day and he didn't limp for them at all, they bought him and he went on to show jump and then compete in eventing, he stayed in our area, later in his life he was sold into a hunting home and then in his senior years into a riding school. He stayed sound all his life.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

trailhorserider said:


> So I am kind of torn. Is she gimpy and ready to retire? Or only acting that way because we are walking away from home?
> 
> When she rushes home (very sound and would run home if I let her :icon_rolleyes does that mean she IS sound, or is her excitement to get home overriding her slight lameness issue?
> 
> Since she IS past 20 years old, I tend to think the later. But it's really weird going from "horse needs to retire" to "I can't hardly keep her from running home" in a matter of moments.


I would try giving her some bute an hour or so before riding her. If she is hurting, she should do better going both ways. It could be a good experiment to help you figure out what is going on.


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## ManeEquinessence (Feb 11, 2014)

My old TB faked lameness then when he walked out of the show ring, he walked normal and tried to trot to the barn! He'd also pretend to faint with equipment on him and if you didn't watch him, he'd get up and huff and puff and do it again until he was yelled at. He smiled too, lol.


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## BiologyBrain (Jul 9, 2015)

Smilie said:


> Well, while your assumption does make a ceratin amount of sense, you will need to read this link, where the following is derived from:
> 
> Eldritch Massage: Do Horses Fake Lameness?
> 
> won't go into everything they talk about in the book regarding parts of the brain and brain activity, but I will say that horses to not have the cognitive ability to plan schemes and deceive. What they do have the ability to do is learn from experience. So, if you continually reward a horse for a certain behavior they will learn to continue to do that behavior in order to receive their reward. This is the most basic example of how horses are trained. It is possible if your horse bucks and you get off and put him away, and then he does it again and you get off and put him away again, his brain circuits will equate bucking with a pleasurable response - and if you keep doing the same thing over and over again he will start to buck every time someone gets on him after awhile. But that is not because he consciously thought, "Hey, this is great. I've totally got her wrapped around my finger!" It is because the horse instinctually (like us) seeks release from pressure and will do the thing he is rewarded for over and over again to find that release from pressure. That is a huge neurological difference from the cognitive ability to "fake injury" in order to get off work.


I'm making it much more simple _without_ the complex thought of "hey, this is great! I've got her wrapped around my hoof." Instead I'm paring it down to pressure = riding, method of attaining release = limp, release = no more riding. Substitute coming in out of the pasture, away from friends and freedom, or out of the comfy stall with hay, or going into the show ring and if the horse accidentally finds release through limping from whatever pressure the horse dislikes, the horse could easily be 'trained' to limp just as easily as it could be 'trained' to buck by bucking a rider off once or twice*. 

I'm not saying there is a complex thought process that goes along with it. I'm just saying that there is a behavior - limping - that can produce the desired release from pressure - no more riding or work or whatever - that could be trained. Adding complex thoughts like some evil mastermind is beyond what I believe. 

*I was told on these forums by several 'experts' that I had effectively taught my mare to buck because she managed to get rid of me twice in one riding session... One time that I was unable to get back on her since I was taken to the ER by ambulance. Those experts basically opined that one instance of my mare removing the pressure (me) without me being able to get back on trained her to buck. That's the only time I fell and did not immediately get back on to ride again. Prior to that she had bucked, but not gotten rid of me... Therefore not removed the pressure.


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## jenkat86 (May 20, 2014)

I have a 27 yo mare and she has always had tender feet. We will be walking in the grass and if we start approaching gravel, she will begin to limp...while still on the grass. Move her away from the gravel and she can miraculously walk again. I also have a gravel patch in my pasture and when all the horses get to romping around, my other mare will start chasing her, and she can run through that gravel pretty quick and nimble with no problems.


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## haviris (Sep 16, 2009)

When it comes right down to it most people have their minds made up and aren't interested in changing them no matter what anyone else says. I see study after study that 'proves' one thing, only to have another come along and 'prove' the opposite. I put more stock in personal experiences.

That said, I do see lots of 'aww' animal videos that 'appear' to show one thing that are easily explained based off natural behavior of that type of animal (anyone ever see the vids of the ducks (and swans) feeding the fish? Well they aren't 'feeding' the fish, they need to wet their bills when they eat, and the fish getting a snack is just a happy coincidence)

It is definitely possible to momentarily forget about pain or injury when excited, or even just when your mind is busy on something else, I know it's happened to me. And that could probably explain many 'faking' episodes. In my pony's case she wasn't just a little sore, she was 'on her last leg, needs to be shot and put out of her misery, don't know how she's managing to stand' kind of sore, and I'm sorry I don't care how much she liked being turned loose or powdered donuts, you do not just 'forgot' that kind of pain. That as well as the fact that she wasn't lame at ANY other times, leads me to the conclusion that she was faking to get out of work, now how much 'thought' she put into it, I won't even speculate, could be we trained her (accidently) to do it.

My own personal opinion is that no one can say what an animal is capable of or how/what they think, they can only give an educated guess. I think animals are not given as much credit as they sometimes deserve. I've definitely seen plenty of situations that don't quite 'fit' with the popular beliefs that are generally claimed as facts.


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## AlmostTexan (Apr 27, 2014)

One of my mares is currently doing this. 
Minute she's in the round pen/arena, she's lame.
Chiro, vet, farrier - no one can give me a reason why she goes lame. 
Take her out of the round pen/arena and she's all of a sudden healed. My vet has called her the "Hallelujah Mare."


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## LopinKing (Sep 20, 2014)

I heard someone say this once to me and my mom (my mom has been around horses all her life. Was a groom for her dad. He raced and trained harness horses.) 
My mom said to her: "Your horse is really lame! You want some bute and absorbine and wraps?"
Person: "No she's just faking!!! She just doesn't want to work tomorrow!"
My mom: "Ummmmm...... Alright... Cant wait what tomorrow brings lol"

No horses cant fake soreness LOL


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## ShirtHotTeez (Sep 23, 2014)

For you nay-sayers, I wouldn't have believed it either until I saw it.


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