09/05/2025
Autumn Laminitis:
While the risks associated with lush pasture in the spring are well understood, why do we see cases happening as the summer starts transitioning to the fall?
The primary reasons appear to be changes in pasture and forage nutrients, as well as a shift in a horse’s metabolism. This is brought on by the onset of colder nights and shorter days with hard frosts causing grasses to retain their sugar content.
As the colder months approach, nature has designed horses to begin to accumulate fat reserves to sustain them through the winter. This process is accompanied by increased insulin secretion, promoting fat storage. While this has served our wild horses well, it does not always work to our domestic horses advantage.
It is important to be aware of your horse's endocrine status. Testing for insulin dysregulation (or equine metabolic syndrome) and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, formerly known as equine Cushing's disease) can help identify potential risks. If your horse is found to be predisposed to these conditions, limiting nonstructural carbohydrates in their diet can help prevent laminitis.
In short, reducing access to nutrient-rich forage (e.g., autumn frosty pasture) and incorporating regular exercise into your horse's management plan during the fall/winter season (even a 15 minute session in the round pen or a brisk hand-walk) can help mitigate the risk of developing autumn laminitis.
