Laminitis is an extremely painful hoof condition that is the second leading cause of death in horses after colic. Prevention through diet and management is highly effective.
Laminitis causes some of the most severe pain in equine medicine, with horses sometimes choosing to remain recumbent rather than bear weight on affected feet. The pain of acute laminitis from laminar tissue inflammation followed by the mechanical pain of displaced or rotated coffin bone is extreme and sustained. Chronic laminitis in horses with recurrent episodes represents ongoing welfare deterioration that affects every aspect of daily life. Prevention is dramatically more welfare-positive than treatment: managing high-risk horses with restricted grass access, appropriate low-sugar diet, ideal body weight, and regular veterinary monitoring for metabolic disease prevents most laminitis episodes. Once established, aggressive immediate veterinary intervention maximizes recovery prospects.