What Is Pony Founder?

Founder is the common name for laminitis, a condition of the hoof in horses and donkeys. Within the hoof, there are structures called laminae that attach the hoof wall to the coffin bone. When a horse is foundering, these laminae become inflamed, the blood supply becomes compromised, and they break down.

What does it mean for a horse to founder?

Laminitis (also termed founder) is inflammation of the laminae of the foot – the soft tissue structures that attach the coffin or pedal bone of the foot to the hoof wall. The inflammation and damage to the laminae causes extreme pain and leads to instability of the coffin bone in the hoof.

What happens to a foundered horse?

Founder is a common cause of lameness in horses. It involves damage to the laminar connection between the hoof wall and the coffin bone. This often leads to rotation and/or sinking of the coffin bone which causes severe pain and can permanently damage the hoof structure.

Is laminitis same as founder?

Laminitis refers to inflammation within the laminae of the horse’s feet. Founder is a term broadly used to describe laminitis, typically denoting a more severe form of laminitis. The laminae are delicate structures which hold the bone within the hoof capsule (coffin bone) to the hoof wall.

At what age do horses founder?

Horses that are over the age of 10, easy keepers, overweight or cresty-necked seem especially vulnerable to grass founder and should be the focus of founder prevention. Laminitis or founder, as it is commonly called, is inflammation of the laminae of the horse’s foot.

Should you exercise a foundered horse?

Allow your horse to exercise to promote blood circulation.
Wild horses recover by keeping moving with the herd, which promotes blood circulation in the hoof and helps remove toxins. You can turn horses with mild laminitis out onto soft pasture with other animals to encourage them to keep moving.

Can a horse recover from being foundered?

Can horses recover from founder? Yes, most horses will recover completely from founder if it is caught and addressed early. There are cases, however, where changes in the foot will result in life-long lameness.

Can a horse with laminitis be turned out?

Horses, especially those with a history of laminitis, benefit from turnout and regular exercise to increase circulation to the feet and maintain an appropriate body weight. Horses also benefit from the social interaction and routine hoof care,” advises Huntington.

What to feed a horse that has foundered?

Feed grass hay, possibly a little alfalfa hay, or rinsed sugar beet, BUT stay away from corn, oats, barley, and especially stay away from sugar as molasses. Feed extra fat in the form of oil or rice bran if you need to get energy into the horse.

How long does it take for a horse to show signs of founder?

Timing is everything. A laminitic episode generally occurs sometime between 20 and 72 hours after a trigger event.

Are carrots good for horses with laminitis?

High starch feeds should be avoided, including treats such as carrots and apples. To manage and prevent laminitis from occurring, choose a low sugar and starch diet. Look for a combined sugar and starch content of less than 10% (NSC).

Can a foundered horse go barefoot?

Even when an underlying metabolic problem is controlled through management changes, stable founder will persist and require continual care. “Usually those feet can’t get to where they can go barefoot,” says Morrison. “The majority of them need to stay in some type of shoe because the laminae are more compromised.

Can foundering be reversed?

“Treatment of a foundered horse can only be considered an attempt to allow the horse to exist comfortably with structural damage,” Moyer continues. “You can diminish pain and possibly prevent more damage, but you can’t reverse what has been done.”

How do I stop my pony from getting laminitis?

Correct feeding, in conjunction with reducing acid build-up in the bowel, are the most effective ways to prevent laminitis. The basis of feeding horses with laminitis involves formulating a balanced diet high in fat and fibre whilst avoiding sugars (i.e. grains and carbohydrate-rich pastures).

What are the first signs of laminitis?

10 Early Warning Signs of Laminitis

• A strong/bounding digital pulse.
• A hoof that’s hot for hours.
• A distorted hoof shape and/or unusual rings.
• An increased heart rate.
• Too little—or too much—foot lifting.
• Apparent stretched and/or bleeding laminae.
• A shortened stride.
• Increased insulin levels.

What hay is best for foundered horses?

What is the best hay choice for laminitis prone/foundering horses…

• Lucerne – 2nd grade dry land lucerne – can be mixed with grass.
• Grass/pasture.
• Millet.
• Meadow.
• Rhodes grass.

What to do with a foundering horse?

Allow the horse to fill up on hay before turning out on grass for a few hours. Place a grazing muzzle on horses predisposed to foundering to limit their forage intake. Grazing muzzles limit grass intake but allow the horse to exercise throughout the day.

Can a horse founder from too much grass?

It’s important to exercise caution though, because overfeeding on grass when it’s rapidly growing can lead horses to founder.

Does cold hosing help laminitis?

Horse owners should not be tempted to stand horses or ponies suffering from laminitis in a stream or to cold hose their hooves. Although it may initially make the animal more comfortable, prolonged cold will make the condition worse.

Do Magnets help laminitis?

Conclusion. As you can see, magnetic therapy seem to have a positive impact on healing arthritis, laminitis, and windgalls. They seem to stimulate blood flow and blood circulation, and ease muscle, and joint pain.

How long should a horse be on box rest with laminitis?

The standard advice is 30 days of box rest after the horse or pony is moving around the stable freely, but this may vary depending on the affected animal’s condition. Some horses that founder may have to be stabled for up to a year after the initial bout of laminitis.