03/09/2026
🌱Growing Grass Alert ⚠️
I’ve posted this before but well worth a refresh under current conditions 😳
With the changes in climate and growing season, laminitis is a year round problem in the UK and needs to be a consideration at all times.
But being in the growing season (normally just spring/summer) can be a high risk time especially with bouts of warm weather and rain.
Laminitis is often a result of an accumulation of number of risk factors rather than just an ‘overweight pony’
High risk equids are warmbloods, native ponies and overweight cobs.
Any horse or pony which has had a previous episode is at a higher risk as even if they appear fully recovered we know damage within the foot capsule causes permanent change.
Concurrent metabolic disease is also a high risk factor, with both Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) and Equine Cushings (PPID) contributing to the risk. EMS is seen in lean ponies with uneven fat distribution (as well as obese ponies) and results in high circulating insulin and altered glucose levels. PPID means circulating steroid levels are increased due to the damage caused by a benign growth in the brain. Both these metabolic changes can lead to changes in the laminae within the hoof capsule.
Management changes
•Weight
Most of the UK’s pony population is overweight, the media images of successful show ponies does nothing to help us realise what a healthy equid looks like. Muscle is not soft like fat-so any areas where you can easily push your finger in (gently!) is more than likely fat. The common places are shoulders and over the rib cage. Ribs should be easily felt and often just visible when the horse is moving. The crest fat is often firmer but still an area where fat is deposited.
Many feed companies have portable weigh bridges so club together with others at your yard and get your ponies weighed. Your vet can also help with condition scoring, a scale used to help you monitor your horses condition long term.
•Exercise
Increased exercise (only when sound and not during active laminitis, most cases need rest to allow the inflammation to settle, without this you greatly increase the chances of rotation or fatal founder)
Walking out actively in hand or lunging to increase breathing rate will help aid weight loss. You can use a heart rate monitor to ensure training at the right intensity
•Nutrition
Low calorie and high fibre feed to reduce fat pads and reset the metabolism.
Careful feeding, it is worth avoiding sugar based feeds and most overweight ponies only require a feed balancer not a complete feed. There are some excellent low calorie feed balances available.
Avoid rye grass forage, either grazed or fed preserved as hay or haylage. It is designed as a feed for high yielding dairy cattle and completely inappropriate for most horses and ponies.
Test both grazing land and forage regularly so you know what supplements are actually needed.
Soaking good quality meadow hay for 12 hrs will reduce soluble sugars and help aid weight loss.
•Hoof Care
Remedial farriery (qualified trimmers and farriers included here) only with recent xrays as unfortunately no-one has X-ray vision so cannot predict the internal foot changes without it!
For acute episodes frog support can be needed, this can be provided by pads, shoes or an appropriate deep bed depending on the situation and is best assed by your vet and hoof care specialist.
•Medications
There are some drugs that can aid weight loss in equids but must only be used in conjunction with blood tests and monitoring. Your vet can discuss what may be appropriate for you in more detail.
•Analgesia
Bute and paracetamol are very useful for pain relief and can be used in combination with other drugs if needed. Again speak to your vet for the correct dose and usage; as it can cause a fatal colitis if used inappropriately.
🌟Other Major Heath Issues
-Colic
Sudden changes in grass growth results in higher sugar content and lower fibre, this forage is not only consumed at a higher rate but passes into the caecum faster. This can disturb the microbiome and lead to excess gas which is painful and can cause bloating and spasms
-Diarrhoea
If the gut microbiome is completely overwhelmed then the transit time through the gut can increase. As water isn’t absorbed in the large intestine more passes out in the dung causing watery dung.
Please give me a call to discuss your horse or pony. With over 20 years experience of dealing with laminitis plus my extra medicine certification and master’s level training you won’t regret it 🙂
☎️07483 831763
