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". . . . All of the horses were reported to have developed bilateral (both front legs, or both hind legs) lameness over a period of time, although the severity of the lameness varied among cases. In a few horses, all four legs were affected. All had a painful response to palpation of the branches of the suspensory ligament, particularly in the area where the ligament "branches." Swelling in the fetlock ("windpuffs") is a common early symptom of DSLD, and owners reported that the fetlocks seemed to be "sinking more" when the horse moved.
As the condition worsens, the pastern area becomes increasingly parallel to the ground, and ringbone (calcification in the pastern joint area) can develop. One of the most telltale signs of DSLD is in the horse affected in the hind legs; the pasterns level out, making the fetlocks seem "dropped," and the stifle and hock gradually straighten, making the horse reticent to move, even to its feed bucket or water tank. Some horses will dig a hole in their pastures and stand with their toes pointing down and the heels elevated. Still others find the condition so painful they lie down. Those horses often are mistaken as suffering a colic episode."
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