Dietary management is the cornerstone of laminitis prevention and management in horses, and appropriate nutrition prevents this devastating and painful condition.
Laminitis represents one of the most painful conditions in equine medicine and one of the most consequential welfare failures from inadequate management. The inflammation of the laminae connecting the hoof wall to the pedal bone causes intense, burning pain that leaves horses reluctant to move, shifting weight constantly, and adopting the characteristic 'sawhorse' stance to relieve pressure on the forefeet. Severe episodes cause the pedal bone to rotate or sink through the sole, causing irreversible structural damage that may necessitate euthanasia. The connection between dietary management and laminitis prevention is clear: horses with metabolic conditions that predispose them to laminitis require careful management of non-structural carbohydrate intake through restricted grazing, soaked hay, and appropriate exercise. Prevention through nutrition is dramatically better than managing established disease.