Laminitis is a condition in which the tissues (laminae) that bond the hoof wall to the pedal (coffin) bone in the horses hoof become inflamed.  This is caused due to the weakening of the lamina and can lead to the tearing of the support structure suspending the pedal bone within the hoof.  Left untreated the pedal bone will drop or rotate downwards within the hoof.  When the pedal bone has dropped, the condition is commonly referred to as founder.

Laminitis is a very painful condition which can affect horses of any age, gender or size at any time.

There are a number of things which can cause laminitis, but the following are some of the most common causes:

• Carbohydrate overload e.g. excessive grain intake
• Nitrogen compound overload e.g. through grazing clover dominant pasture or direct ingestion of nitrate fertiliser
• Colic
• Lush pastures – ponies and ‘good doers’ are much more susceptible to this form of laminitis than other horses
• Horses eating frosted grass or grass under stress
• Untreated infections e.g. retained placenta in a mare
• Insulin resistance in the horse
• Mechanical separation when horses with long toes are worked excessively on hard ground
• Poor blood circulation

Signs of laminitis:

• Walking very tenderly, as if walking on egg shells
• Repeated easing of affected feet
• Lameness
• The horse attempting to decrease the load on its affected feet. If it has laminitis in the front hooves, the horse will bring its hind legs underneath its body and put its forelegs out in front in a position known as ‘pointing’
• Tendency to lie down, whenever possible or in extreme cases to remain lying down
• Increased temperature of the wall, sole and/or coronary band of the foot
• Anxiety
• Visible trembling
• Increased vital signs and body temperature
• Sweating
• Flared Nostrils

How to minimize the risk of laminitis:

• Feed a forage based diet of mature grass and hay
• Manage grazing carefully – avoid feeding lush pasture, frosted or stressed grass
• Strip graze to minimize intake
• Avoid feeding bran and cereals
• Feed little and often and avoid any rapid changes of diet
• Avoid excessive work on hard surfaces
• Make sure horses hooves are trimmed regularly
• Avoid allowing horses to become overweight