21/05/2025
‼️ Laminitis ‼️
With the recent flurry of rain and rapidly growing spring grass, we are seeing an increase in laminitis cases. Even if you think your horses pasture looks bare, chances are it's not! Horses are great lawn mowers and will constantly graze the growing grass. It’s vital you recognise the clinical signs and make important changes to help prevent laminitis.
What is laminitis?
Laminitis literally means inflammation of the laminae, which hold the pedal bone in position within the hoof. It can be extraordinarily painful, and in severe cases can cause irreversible damage to the hoof.
What are the causes of laminitis?
🚫 Increased sugar intake from grass
🚫 Horses being overweight
🚫 If your horse suffers with Cushing’s Disease or EMS they are more at risk
🚫 Stresses on the hooves- including infrequent hoof care
What are the signs of laminitis?
🐴 Lameness
🐴 Reluctance to walk or pottery when walking
🐴 Weight shifting from foot to foot
🐴 Reluctant to pick up their feet
🐴 Increased heat in hoof wall and coronet
🐴 Increased digital pulses
🐴 Increased time lying down
Top tips to help prevent laminitis:
✅ Managing your horse’s weight and body condition score
✅ Soaking hay for 8-12 hours to remove sugars, best way to achieve this is to soak one net at night ready for the morning, then soak a new one in the morning ready for the night.
✅ Trickle feed haynets throughout the day or double net haynets to slow down eating and keep horses entertained
✅ Strip/track grazing pastures
✅ Avoid turning out between early afternoon-early evenings. This is when grass sugars are at their peak
✅ Grazing muzzle- love them or hate them they allow the horse to forage and move whilst reducing their grazing intake
✅ Low sugar diet- check your feed bag for sugar content
✅ Regular hoof care with a registered farrier
What to do?
Simple- CALL US! Laminitis requires an emergency visit, while you are waiting for your vet to arrive put your horse on strict box rest, with a deep bed covering the entire stable or field shelter. If your horse does not have access to a stable or field shelter, fence them a restricted area, preferably where there is no lush grass.
If you are worried your horse may be showing signs of laminitis please contact us on ☎ 01584 841080 ☎
