| A horse with laminitis will likely have sore feet. If you | | | | the bottom of the sole. A horse left suffering with this |
| notice your horse doesn't seem to feel good & | | | | case will more than likely have to be euthanized. |
| seems extremely unwilling to walk even out of his stall, | | | | In a less serious case the horse can probably be |
| it could be laminitis. Sometimes horses with laminitis will | | | | saved, but will usually require a long painful recovery |
| stand with their legs tucked underneath their body. This | | | | and sometimes surgery. In the mildest case your horse |
| happens because laminitis most often affects the front | | | | may need special shoes. How it all plays out depends |
| feet. Your horse is trying to take the weight off the | | | | on how fast you get your horse to a vet. |
| painful areas by supporting a much of himself as he | | | | Laminitis and founder are serious conditions. The two |
| can with his back feet. In some cases laminitis and | | | | words are often used interchangeably, but actually |
| founder can also affect the rear feet. | | | | refer to two different conditions. Laminitis involves an |
| If you think your horse has laminitis, call a vet | | | | inflammation of the laminae, which are sensitive tissue I |
| immediately! If the condition is allowed to progress, the | | | | horse's feet. If it progresses, a bone in the bottom of |
| laminae break down and resulting founder can get so | | | | the foot known as the coffin bone actually rotates, |
| bad that the coffin bone can actually come through | | | | and this is called founder. |