Advice from Lucy Nicolas in Preventing and Managing Laminitis

Laminitis is condition which can affect many horses and ponies in the UK. The disease causes pain and discomfort as a result of inflammation of the internal laminae tissues which in some severe cases can result in the epidermal and dermal tissue bonds being torn and damaged causing the pedal bone to drop and rotate. Laminitis is more common during the Spring and Autumn months, often linked to obesity and also associated with mechanical trauma, stress, hormone problems, toxaemia and sometimes with steroid treatment. Lucy Nicolas shares her advice in preventing and managing laminitis. "We know that stressed grass is usually high in sugar. Spring is the time when the grass tends to start growing – sunny days and cool nights especially are said to ‘hold on’ to the non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs), e.g. the sugars in the grass. So research pasture management and get to know your own horse’s pasture. It is a good idea to lower the dietary sugar in your horse’s diet in any way you can following a low starch, low sugar diet year-round, but spring is an especially good time to assess this. It can be advisable to have your hay analysed to assess its sugar content and soaking it can reduce the sugar content. Where possible maintain or increase your horse's exercise to maintain good circulation, overall health and combat excess weight. Do not allow your horse to become overweight, as this is a trigger factor for laminitis. If likely to over indulge you can use a grazing muzzle to limit the intake of fresh grass intake your horse or pony can consume. If you can reduce the amount of time your horse grazes – bringing him in early, especially on sunnier days but do ensure he has enough dietary fibre to offset reduced grazing, whether through restricted turn out, or a muzzle." If your horse or pony has unfortunately succumbed to laminitis the RX hoof boot can be an incredibly useful addition to your equine kit. The RX hoof boot provides the ideal therapy hoof boot for equine laminitis sufferers. Sole support, essential for the laminitic horse, is achieved through using the RX boot on a bare (non shod) hoof as the boot is equipped with shock absorbing Easycare comfort pads inside. The supportive and stabilising boot allows the horse to benefit from increased circulation and when sufficiently recovered undertake controlled exercise or turnout once the hoof has stabilised which can aid healing. RRP from £62.50. Size guide and stockist info available at www.trelawneequine.co.uk or call 0844 2578585.