Revealed: How much will a lameness investigation cost?

Lameness in horses is a major problem for horse owners when it occurs. An awful lot of emotion, time and money is invested into a horse to get ready for competition at whatever level, and if lameness occurs this can feel like a real disaster.

Finding where the pain is coming from in the horse is essential, and as a horse owner in the UK, you’re likely wondering how much will a lameness investigation cost even before the treatment. This guide tries to break down the typical costs and steps involved in identifying lameness so you can plan and feel confident in your next steps.

1. Initial Veterinary Examination £50–£100 (excluding call-out fees)

The first element in your lameness investigation cost is a thorough clinical examination by your vet. This is sometimes called a lameness work up.  This typically involves:
  • Assessing the horse’s overall condition and movement.
  • Observing the horse at walk and trot in a straight line, and ideally on the lunge on a hard and soft surface. Sometimes seeing the horse ridden is also very valuable.
  • Palpation and manipulation of limbs and joints to detect swelling, heat, or pain.
Cost Estimate: £50–£100 (excluding call-out fees).
Examination costs for lameness are going to be variable depending on the situation. In our practice we try to charge by time as far as possible, so an initial examination would range from just over £50 for something quick to just over £100 for 20 minutes. Call-out fees/visit charges vary between practices but would be just under £50 at our practice. Some lameness examinations will take a lot longer and the cost will reflect this.

2. Nerve and Joint Blocks £40- £100 depending on the volume of local anaesthetic required

If the cause of lameness isn’t immediately clear, we may recommend diagnostic nerve or joint blocks. This is a very common part of a horse lameness investigation cost. These involve injecting local anaesthetic into specific areas to pinpoint the source of pain. With nerve blocks, local anaesthetic is injected around the nerves supplying feeling to an area: if the lameness improves after the block, then it shows that the region blocked is where the pain is coming from.
Joint blocks are where we inject local anaesthetic directly into a joint: if the lameness improves after this, then it shows that the lameness is coming from the joint injected.
Nerve blocks usually start at the bottom of the leg and work upwards until the source of the lameness is found. The reason for this is that if we started at the top of the leg, then we’d be blocking the whole leg out and it wouldn’t help us localise the region if pain. By starting at the bottom of the leg, we can rule regions out systematically: the down-side of this is that some horses end up having multiple injections into their leg and understandably can become tricky to inject, plus there is an increasing cost with the increasing number of blocks performed and time taken. We do our best to minimise the number of blocks required and usually we don’t need to perform many.
Cost Estimate: Nerve blocks at our practice cost just over £40, increasing depending on the volume of local anaesthetic required.
Joint blocks may also be performed if joint pain is suspected or to localise the source of pain further after nerve blocks. Joint blocks have some risks but are a routinely performed procedure and a vital part of a lameness investigation in many cases.
Cost Estimate: Joint blocks will be around £100 per block, depending on the volume of local anaesthetic required. Some joint blocks require X-ray guidance and have higher costs associated with them.

3. Lameness Investigation Cost: Imaging Techniques – £100 – £2000+

Once the affected area is identified, further diagnostic tools may be used to determine the underlying issue. These include:

X-rays (Radiography)

  • Excellent for looking at the bones. We can see issues such as fractures, developmental bone diseases and arthritis on X-rays.
  • It will likely involve taking multiple views of the affected area.
  • It can be done at the yard using wireless, battery-operated equipment.

Cost Estimate: Less than £200 to £300+, depending on the area imaged and the number of images required.

Ultrasound Scans

  • Effective for diagnosing soft tissue injuries, such as tendon or ligament damage.
  • Non-invasive and typically performed on-site.
Cost Estimate: £100–£150 for a routine tendon scan.

Advanced Imaging (MRI/CT)

  • MRI or CT scans provide a detailed view of both soft tissue and bone structures.
  • Typically performed at specialist equine hospitals.
  • MRI is especially useful for imaging of the horse’s foot and related structures.

Cost Estimate: MRI: £1500–£2,000 for bilateral front feet imaging.

4. Lameness Investigation Cost: Laboratory Tests – £100+

In some cases, your vet may recommend blood tests, joint fluid analysis, or other lab work to rule out infection or underlying systemic issues.
Cost Estimate: £100+, depending on the type of test.

5.Lameness Investigation Cost: Treatment Costs – £ – £££

Once the cause of the lameness is identified, treatment options will be discussed. These could include:
  • Anti-inflammatory medications or pain relief.
  • Corrective shoeing or trimming (in collaboration with your farrier).
  • Rest and rehabilitation plans.
  • Surgery or regenerative therapies
Cost Estimate: This varies widely depending on the diagnosis and treatment plan. Basic treatments like oral medication may cost £50–£150, while advanced therapies or surgery will cost £1,000 or more.

6. Lameness Investigation Cost Overview

To give you an idea, here’s an example breakdown of costs for a typical lameness investigation cost of a workup:

  • Initial Exam + Call-Out Fee £150
  • Nerve/Joint Blocks (2) £85
  • X-rays (5 views) £350
  • Ultrasound (if needed) £120

Estimated Total £705

Advanced diagnostics like MRI/CT or specialist treatments will increase the total cost, but your vet will discuss these options before proceeding.

Lameness Investigation Cost: How to Plan for Diagnostics

1. Get an Initial Consultation: Start with a vet visit to assess the issue. Sometime,s a phone call in advance with the vet can help them to prepare (correct equipment and enough time booked in the diary).
2. Discuss Budget: Discuss costs upfront with the vet to understand potential expenses. We are open to and used to working within budgets. It is much better if all parties are upfront and openly discuss budgets and possible costs.
3. Consider Insurance: Many equine insurance policies cover lameness investigation cost, but check your policy limits and terms.
4. Follow Your Vet’s Advice: Early diagnosis and treatment often prevent more costly interventions later. If you have any concerns or don’t think something has worked, call the vet and discuss it with them. Also, even if you think the horse is fixed, it is still really important for the vet to follow up as this enables us to manage the case better in the future if the horse deteriorates again.

If in doubt, contact South Moor Equine today.

The cost of diagnosing lameness in horses depends on the complexity of the issue and the diagnostic tools required. While expenses can add up, addressing lameness promptly and comprehensively can mean your horse is no longer in pain and is back being ridden in a quicker time frame. Call the practice to create a plan tailored to your horse’s needs and your budget.
If you’re concerned about lameness in your horse, give our equine reception team a call. Our experienced equine vets are here to help with diagnostics, treatment, and care tailored to your horse.