| This Spring, owners of laminitis horses are starting to | | | | even one round of "normal" vaccination can trigger a |
| chew their fingernails because spring is just around the | | | | laminitic episode. |
| corner. Despite record cold weather in parts of the | | | | Managing Laminitis Horses During the Spring Once |
| country, green grass and other signs of spring are | | | | spring has well and truly arrived, there are more horse |
| popping up regardless. This, of course, makes people | | | | health care steps you can take to protect your equine |
| who have laminitis horses quite nervous! | | | | friend from a laminitis episode. Laminitis horses have to |
| If you are one of those people, don't panic. Luckily for | | | | be carefully managed in terms of diet and nutritional |
| you, there are a lot of horse health care steps you | | | | supplements, hoof care, and pasture turnout. |
| can take to prevent your equine buddy from | | | | Diet for Laminitis Horses The best diet is simple, low in |
| experiencing laminitis symptoms... or at least keep them | | | | carbohydrates, and high in fiber. Small amounts of |
| to a minimum. The same is true for horses who are | | | | equine senior feed is acceptable for some laminitis |
| insulin-resistant, or otherwise on the edge of falling into | | | | horses, while others do well on a small amount (8 |
| laminitis. | | | | ounces) of oats or barley. At the same time, some |
| In this article I cover some basic steps you can take to | | | | laminitis horses can not tolerate any grains. |
| keep your laminitis or laminitis-prone horse healthy this | | | | A probiotic/enzyme supplement like FasTrack or |
| spring. If you want to learn more about this chronic | | | | Simplexity Spectrabiotic supports the digestive function |
| condition in general, check out the ebook, | | | | and limits the production of endotoxins. Simplexity |
| Understanding and Mangaging Cushing's Disease, Insulin | | | | blue-green algae provides a source of food-based |
| Resistance and Laminitis. Horse Health Care: Preparing | | | | vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Small doses of |
| Laminitis Horses for Spring Before spring really hits, | | | | antioxidants such as coenzyme Q10 may be indicated. |
| horse owners can take steps to ensure that their | | | | You should not need to give more than 60-120 mg a |
| laminitis horses are healthy and ready for warmer | | | | day of a good quality Q10 product like those produced |
| weather and greener pastures. Assuming that your | | | | by Simplexity Nutramax Comal, or Thorne brands. |
| horse is currently not experiencing any symptoms of | | | | Generic brands of Q10 may not be active. |
| laminitis, here are three steps you can take to ensure | | | | Hoof Care for Laminitis Horses Spring is also the time |
| that he's ready for the coming season. | | | | many people pull their horses up and put shoes on. |
| Check Weight and Insulin Levels Overweight horses | | | | However, if possible it is best to keep laminitis horses |
| and insulin-resistant horses are both prone to laminitis. | | | | barefoot for as long as possible. They must be |
| Before you turn your laminitis horse out on pasture, | | | | trimmed regularly. If their toes are allowed to grow long |
| make sure that he is at a healthy weight. Overweight | | | | or their heels are allowed to get too high, then the |
| horses tend to develop mechanical laminitis, meaning | | | | normal mechanism of the hoof is impaired. Overly |
| their hooves can't stand the weight of their bodies. If | | | | correcting angles on overdue hooves creates |
| your horse is overweight, you probably need to help | | | | unnecessary discomfort for the horse and sets back |
| him lose weight before spring. If he still has his winter | | | | his effort to establish new laminar attachments. |
| coat, you may have to run your fingers through his | | | | If your horse must have shoes, you might try a heart |
| coat to see if he's fat or just furry. If he is fat, you can | | | | bar shoe or a shoe with a Theraflex pad for at least |
| help him lose weight either by feeding him a more | | | | one shoeing period. If contracted tendons are the main |
| appropriate diet (see the section on diet below) or | | | | problem then wedge pads are used to raise the heels. |
| exercising him more, or both. | | | | A reverse shoe may suffice if the tendon tightening is |
| This is also a good time to have some blood work | | | | mild. I always shorten the toe to ease breakover. I |
| done on your horse to check on insulin levels. | | | | rarely if ever lower heels. Shoeing must be done by a |
| Insulin-resistant horses may or may not be overweight, | | | | competent farrier that has worked before with |
| but are prone to grass founder or laminitis. Signs of | | | | foundered horses. These horses have special needs |
| insulin resistance include a cresty neck and unevenly | | | | which may require beveling the inside shoe rim to |
| distributed fat over the withers and base of the tail. A | | | | protect the sole and clips to take pressure off the nails |
| preventative blood test now to check insulin levels can | | | | and hoof wall. The shoeing interval must be regular |
| save you grief this coming spring. | | | | and tailored to the horses needs. Amazingly, owners |
| Double Check Overall Health Because laminitis horses | | | | will spend thousands of dollars to save a foundered |
| tend to experience symptoms when they are | | | | horse but neglect hoof care after the crisis is past. |
| generally unhealthy, check for signs of overall health. | | | | Pasture Management for Laminitis Horses Turn-out on |
| Signs that your horse isn't healthy include poor hair | | | | lush grass should be approached cautiously. Many |
| coat, eye discharge, change in temperament, stiffness, | | | | horse laminitis cases have hormone imbalances that |
| sensitivity to hot or cold weather or weather changes. | | | | affect their sugar metabolism. Fast-growing, lush grass |
| If your horse shows any of these signs of poor health, | | | | is high in sugar. In the spring, laminitis horses should |
| now is the time to increase his nutritional program, and | | | | closely-monitored for an increase in digital pulse if |
| restore his overall health. The combination of one | | | | turned out on pasture. |
| ounce of XanGoMangosteen juice plus Simplexity | | | | The safest time to turn out laminitis-prone horses on |
| Essentials seems to work well for most horses. | | | | pasture is late at night or early in the mornings, when |
| Avoid Over-Vaccination and Drugs Vaccination is a | | | | the grass is not in a flowering stage of growth or |
| normal part of most barn routines, and yet | | | | stressed by drought or frost. It's best to turn these |
| over-vaccination can be one of the main causes of | | | | horses out in pastures that have not been sprayed |
| laminitis. In addition, laminitis horses are extremely | | | | with artificial fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides. |
| sensitive to drugs or vaccinations in their bodies, and | | | | |