A search on the Internet found the following:

"Sound - adjective \ˈsau̇nd\

: in good condition : solid and strong

: in good health"

"Definition of sound in English, adjective:

in good condition; not damaged, injured, or diseased"

"Definition: A sound horse is a one who has no lameness or illness.

Also Known As: soundness

Examples:

When buying a horse, you may want to have a veterinarian check it to make sure it is sound."

"I spent my first 40 years with the tightly held belief that the answer to the question "What is a sound horse?" was a horse that didn't limp, had even strides at the walk and trot, and that had clean flexion tests."

"Here's the definition of what it means when it is said that a horse is sound:

Having the capacity to perform the function for which the animal is about to be purchased or about to be accepted as an entrant in a contest."

"Sound to me is A) useable and B) not in pain (or on

painkillers).

My horse was postlegged and coon footed but useable, lightly, and not in pain or on painkillers. The vet once declared "He's sound, not Textbook, but basically sound"."

"It all depends on how you define "lame". A horse can be lame in all 4 feet, or the back, and have no head or hip bobbing, so not "head bobbing lame" as some folks call visible lameness. But he's still lame."

"I always thought of a horse as pasture sound if he was sound at the walk and sound for the occasional trot about (on his own) and would not be in pain after a short canter if he got a bit silly with his pasture mates."

So is a horses soundness only important at a point of sale or competition?

How about that old dobbin that only hacks a couple of times per week, is it important if he is sound? (And IS he?)

Is a horse not lame if people around it can't see it?

Is a horse only sound if not "nodding" or "bobbing" when moving?

Or is a horse that moves assymmetrically sound?

A horse that is only unlevel with a rider?

Ahorse that is only sound with a rider?

How about a horse that has an old injury, is pain free to all intents and purposes, but extremely assymmetrical, is he SOUND?