Comments on: Founder in Horses – The Spring Time Scourge http://www.horsemanmagazine.com/2009/04/founder-in-horses-the-spring-time-scourge/ Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:44:45 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Heidi Meyer http://www.horsemanmagazine.com/2009/04/founder-in-horses-the-spring-time-scourge/comment-page-1/#comment-64 Heidi Meyer Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:40:40 +0000 http://www.horsemanmagazine.com/?p=1042#comment-64 One of the biggest aggrivants of founder and laminitis is improper trim. A well balanced hoof (one where the sole depth is the same at the heel as at the toe) with frog contact on the ground will have far less chance of suffering from the influx of fructan in spring grass, first cut hay, or even an overdose of grain. If the hoof has been in a compromised state already, ie: high heel and long toe or excessive flaring due to improper/infrequent trimming, then the laminae are already under strain. The toxic effect of the sugar overload immediately renders those laminae almost useless....and thus any torque on them due to improper mechanics (toe first landing) and hoof imbalance (like you see in the hoof pictured....HIGH HEEL!) will cause the hoof capsule to be rotated around the coffin bone, pointing it into the sole and causing much pain/suffering. Spring rain also affects the hoof (softening it) and mud that is usually prevalent at that time further causes issue with proper frog stimulation/circulation......which in itself can make a horse tender on hard/stony ground. This also happens at a time when most people (like me) who have been waiting all winter to really get going riding/training again.....stressing a potentially weakened unbalanced hoof. Paying attention to how your horse stands when he eats, the ease in which you can pick up each hoof (weighting the opposite hoof fully can sometimes tell you if the horse is sensitive but not showing signs of being off yet.) By the time they are almost perforating sole (like the hoof above) you are beyond just a week of rest and changes in diet/environment to help reverse. I send out reminders to my clients about keeping appointments close together, taking time to maintain a dry environment and low sugar diet in the spring to counter and flux in forage content. Hoof boots and pads can greatly help you get a horse through an early stage of laminitis. In severe cases it may be necessary to glue on a composite (flexible) shoe to get the horses mobile so he can start to heal the damaged laminae. Owners have the power to control diet and are responsible for frequent correct trimming by their farrier/trimmer. It should never have to get to this point. One of the biggest aggrivants of founder and laminitis is improper trim. A well balanced hoof (one where the sole depth is the same at the heel as at the toe) with frog contact on the ground will have far less chance of suffering from the influx of fructan in spring grass, first cut hay, or even an overdose of grain. If the hoof has been in a compromised state already, ie: high heel and long toe or excessive flaring due to improper/infrequent trimming, then the laminae are already under strain. The toxic effect of the sugar overload immediately renders those laminae almost useless….and thus any torque on them due to improper mechanics (toe first landing) and hoof imbalance (like you see in the hoof pictured….HIGH HEEL!) will cause the hoof capsule to be rotated around the coffin bone, pointing it into the sole and causing much pain/suffering.
Spring rain also affects the hoof (softening it) and mud that is usually prevalent at that time further causes issue with proper frog stimulation/circulation……which in itself can make a horse tender on hard/stony ground.

This also happens at a time when most people (like me) who have been waiting all winter to really get going riding/training again…..stressing a potentially weakened unbalanced hoof.

Paying attention to how your horse stands when he eats, the ease in which you can pick up each hoof (weighting the opposite hoof fully can sometimes tell you if the horse is sensitive but not showing signs of being off yet.)

By the time they are almost perforating sole (like the hoof above) you are beyond just a week of rest and changes in diet/environment to help reverse. I send out reminders to my clients about keeping appointments close together, taking time to maintain a dry environment and low sugar diet in the spring to counter and flux in forage content.

Hoof boots and pads can greatly help you get a horse through an early stage of laminitis. In severe cases it may be necessary to glue on a composite (flexible) shoe to get the horses mobile so he can start to heal the damaged laminae. Owners have the power to control diet and are responsible for frequent correct trimming by their farrier/trimmer. It should never have to get to this point.

]]>