 Obesity
 Grain overload
 Over eating of lush new grass (especially in spring)
 Sudden changes in diet
 Heavy exercise on hard surfaces (concussive laminitis)
 Excessive weight bearing on one leg if injury has been caused to another
 Hormone-related conditions (such as Cushing’s / Equine Metabolic Syndrome)

Symptoms

 Pottery short strides in front
 Reluctance to move
 Heat in the hooves
 Strong digital pulses
 Leaning back onto heels to relieve pressure at the toe
 Sweating and increased respiratory rate in acute cases

Your horse may show some or all of these when suffering from laminitis.

What to do if you see any of these symptoms or suspect laminitis

 Call your vet in all instances (we can advise you over the phone how to make your horse or pony more comfortable in the meantime)
 Bring your horse into a stable onto deep shavings to support the feet
 Remove all hay and feed

What happens next?

Depending on the severity of the episode your vet will advise box rest for an initial period whilst prescribing anti-inflammatory drugs.  Your vet will examine your horse’s feet with hoof testers and discuss factors with you such as your horse’s normal routine, diet and management. Radiographs may be taken to determine the position of the pedal bone (depending on the severity of the symptoms).  Remedial farriery may be necessary to assist your horse with recovery.

Prevention

Laminitis is a distressing condition for both horse and owner and prevention is better than cure. As a general rule, following these steps could help:

 If not retired, try and keep your horse in regular exercise
 Keep an eye on your horse’s weight - talk to your vet about conditioning scoring
 Restrict grazing, especially in overweight horses
 Monitor  intake of new spring grass
 Avoid lots of concussive work on hard surfaces

For more  information on how to manage your horse during the high-risk spring period, please contact the practice and we will be happy to help.

There are some commonly held myths regarding laminitis; namely that it only occurs in the spring and affects only overweight ponies.  However, these can be dangerous assumptions as laminitis can affect horses of any age, breed and size.

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