Laminitis is one of the most painful and common conditions affecting horses and ponies. Understanding its causes, prevention and welfare-sensitive management is essential for equine carers.
Laminitis causes severe, acute pain that is among the most distressing conditions in equine medicine. The laminar tissue connecting the hoof wall to the underlying bone becomes inflamed, causing extreme sensitivity to pressure with every step. Horses and ponies with acute laminitis may become completely non-weight-bearing on affected feet. The pain response is often visible as anxiety, muscle trembling, and the characteristic posture of shifting weight onto the hindquarters. Chronic laminitis with pedal bone rotation causes ongoing pain that impairs quality of life. The preventable nature of most laminitis cases makes the continued high prevalence in the UK pony population a significant welfare concern - many cases result from failure to restrict access to rich grazing despite known risk.