Companion Animals

Horse Laminitis Advanced: Prevention, Treatment and Long-term Management

Laminitis is one of the most painful conditions affecting horses and ponies. Advanced understanding of triggers, treatment and long-term management significantly improves welfare outcomes.

Key Facts

Laminitis involves inflammation and disruption of blood flow to the sensitive laminae
Grass fructan and insulin dysregulation are major triggers in leisure horses
Rotation of the pedal bone (founder) causes severe chronic pain if untreated
Dietary management of sugar intake is central to prevention in at-risk animals
Corrective farriery to support the pedal bone is critical for long-term welfare
Pony breeds including Welsh, Shetland and native types are at highest risk

Welfare Considerations

Laminitis causes intense, incapacitating pain and is one of the leading reasons horses and ponies are euthanised. The welfare impact of chronic laminitis, where animals live with persistent foot pain, is enormous. Prevention through pasture management, grazing restrictions and body condition control is far preferable to management of established disease. For affected animals, rapid diagnosis, appropriate farriery and pain management are essential welfare priorities.

What You Can Do

Learn to identify early laminitis signs including heat in hooves and digital pulse
Manage grazing carefully for at-risk native pony breeds throughout the year
Ensure regular farriery and discuss laminitis prevention with your farrier and vet
Support research into insulin dysregulation and effective laminitis prevention