Figure 1. Female horse brought in for a Palmer Digital nerve block. Photo credit: Katherine Kennedy. 

Horses that experience trauma to the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and joints often exhibit abnormalities in stance and leg movement. 

In order to find the resulting lesions, veterinarians employ a sequence of local anesthesias (nerve blocks): By disrupting neural signaling in sequence - starting at the hoof then progressing to the ankle, and finally to the knee - the area of damage can be deduced and treated. 

I had the opportunity to assist in a Palmer Digital nerve block on the horse pictured here. After administration, our veterinary team discovered that the horse's front right hoof was the source of her lameness.