Autumn grass flush and declining exercise can cause dangerous weight gain in horses and ponies, directly predisposing to laminitis, a painful and potentially life-threatening hoof condition.
Laminitis causes intense, unrelenting hoof pain through inflammation of the laminar tissue within the hoof capsule. Severe cases cause rotation or sinking of the pedal bone through the hoof sole. The condition is largely preventable through proactive weight management, particularly in autumn. Owners who do not monitor body condition score and restrict access to lush autumn grass allow preventable suffering in susceptible animals.