Horse Laminitis: Prevention and Welfare Management

Laminitis is one of the most painful and debilitating conditions in horses, caused by inflammation of the sensitive tissue connecting the hoof wall to the pedal bone, and has significant welfare implications.

Key Facts

Laminitis affects an estimated 7-14 percent of horses and ponies in the UK each year
The most common cause is dietary — access to sugar-rich grass, especially in spring and autumn
Endocrine disorders including Equine Metabolic Syndrome and PPID significantly increase laminitis risk
In severe cases the pedal bone rotates or sinks within the hoof capsule causing chronic pain and lameness
Pain assessment using standardised lameness scores and use of the EQUUS-LAMI scale improves welfare monitoring
Diet management — track grazing, grazing muzzles, and hay testing — is the cornerstone of prevention

Welfare Considerations

Laminitis causes severe, acute pain described by equine pain researchers as analogous to having fingers slammed repeatedly in a door. Horses with active laminitis shift weight off their front feet, adopt a characteristic leaning-back stance, and show extreme reluctance to move. Chronic laminitis produces ongoing low-grade pain that significantly impairs quality of life. Prevention is far preferable to treatment from a welfare perspective, and grazing management is highly effective at reducing incidence in at-risk horses. When laminitis does occur, prompt anti-inflammatory treatment, correct trimming or shoeing by a farrier experienced in the condition, and controlled exercise restriction are key to welfare management.

What You Can Do

Identify horses at high risk of laminitis — native ponies, overweight horses, or those with Cushings — and manage grazing proactively
Test hay for non-structural carbohydrate content and soak it for high-risk horses when necessary
Learn to recognise early signs of laminitis — increased digital pulse, heat in hooves, and reluctance to turn — for prompt treatment
Ensure your horse has regular farriery from someone experienced in managing the laminitic foot