Soon after the start one of the team had gone lame.
"That works out at one man for every three miles of coast - providing that none is sick, and no horse has gone lame."
Or had his horse gone lame, cast a shoe?
It occurs to me that Senya may have gone lame because of an empty belly.
It seems one of the draught-horses had gone lame.
Here am I, stranded for the night because one of my horses has gone lame.
For the youth's horse had suddenly gone lame.
Glory also goes lame, requiring care and a long rest.
But a moment later one of the pursuing riders pulled up, as if his animal had gone lame.
And now the horse the lady was to ride is gone lame.