07/11/2025
‘When can my Laminitic horse have grass again?’
If you’re currently on or have ever been on a traditional livery set up and your horse has come down with a bout of Laminitis, chances are you’ve put your horse on box rest whilst they’re symptomatic and you found yourself asking that very question.
Laminitis is a whole-body condition, often starting in the gut and presenting itself in the feet. An extremely common cause of Laminitis is diet, calling into question the suitability of our methods and management.
For horses on box rest, there is an increased risk of colic, ulcers, anxiety and boredom related behavioural issues, declining hoof health from lack of stimulation, loss of muscle and obesity to name a few. One thing we know for certain is that any horse on box rest is being restricted of some their most fundamental, basic species requirements such as movement and same-species interactions. You might be thinking to yourself ‘well, if my horse has Laminitis, what else am I meant to do?’. It's very difficult as an owner to see your horse struggling, specially when they’re shut in on box rest, so you may be tempted to get your beloved horse back onto the grass as soon as you possibly can.
Due to the general lack of knowledge around Laminitis and other conditions like EMS, there is an overwhelming percentage of owners who try to change everything, including their horse, to suit their management style. Changing out feeds, trying a different shoe, wedge, pad or boot, giving new herbs and supplements, soaking hay, not soaking hay, no turnout, turnout at night only – none of it matters if the root cause of the Laminitis isn’t addressed and removed which often means our management needs to change.
This idea that Laminitis is only an unfortunate coincidence due to the weather or a momentary problem from lack of shoes is unfortunately a major reason why we see horses with chronic Laminitis continue to suffer in the environment that compromised their health in the first place. As owners, the question we should be asking ourselves is not ‘when can my Laminitic horse have grass again’ but more along the lines of ‘how do I prevent this from happening again?’
Grass is one of the biggest causes of Laminitis there is and there is a huge amount of horses that are extremely sensitive to the grasses here in the UK, which doesn’t always necessarily show in the form of Laminitis. Many owners are also unaware of the tell-tale signs of sub-clinical Laminitis and the importance of catching it before it worsens to the acute or chronic stages. Footiness or soreness over varied terrain is one of the biggest reasons we see owners use shoes but is one of the biggest and easier to spot signs of sub-clinical Laminitis.
When a horse has already had Laminitis, regardless of what stage, they are prone said Laminitis reoccurring. We cannot expect our horses to remain in good, optimal health if we put them back into the environment that caused the Laminitis in the first place. Removing your horse’s access to grass when they have suffered a bout of Laminitis is the very first thing you should do but it isn’t enough to temporarily remove the cause and reintroduce it, even if you do it gradually through a period of time. This is where the Paddock Paradise track system plays a very important role in the future of Laminitic horses world wide.
Complete Laminitic rehabilitation can take months or even years for those with hoof deformities, extreme sensitivities and metabolic conditions; the whole body is suffering, their health is compromised and their feet are sore. We as owners should be changing the way we keep our horses to prevent Laminitis, making sure that WHAT they are provided with and HOW we keep is appropriate to them as a species, not just easy for us owners. Removing the grass entirely might not be what you want to hear, but sometimes its what your horse needs.
