Laminitis is an inflammation of the laminae that anchor the coffin bone to the hoof wall. It's painful, can worsen at lightning speed, and should always be treated as an emergency. The risk increases especially in spring, when grass grows quickly and is high in sugar.
What Laminitis Is
Inside the hoof are thin laminae that hold the coffin bone in place within the hoof wall. In laminitis, those laminae become inflamed and weakened. In a severe case, the coffin bone loses its grip and can rotate or sink within the hoof — visible on X-ray as rotation or sinking. That's the stage you want to avoid at all costs, because it's difficult to reverse and largely determines whether a horse can walk normally again.
It mainly affects the front hooves, since a horse carries most of its weight there, but it can occur in all four hooves. See also the explanation of the hoof and lameness in the glossary.
The Main Causes
Laminitis is almost always the result of an underlying problem, not an accident. The most common causes:
- Too much sugar and fructan from grass. Young, fast-growing spring grass, and grass after a cold, sunny night, is rich in sugars. Unrestricted grazing is the classic trigger for at-risk horses.
- Metabolic problems. EMS (Equine Metabolic Syndrome, often with excess weight and insulin resistance) and Cushing's disease (PPID) in older horses significantly raise the risk and often cause recurring episodes.
- Excess weight and too much concentrate feed. An overweight pony, or a horse that consistently gets more energy than it uses, is at higher risk.
- Overloading one leg. If a horse overloads one leg for a long period due to an injury in the other, laminitis can develop in that supporting leg.
- Serious illness. A severe infection, a retained placenta in a mare, or major colic (abdominal pain in the horse — always call the vet) can trigger laminitis through its effect on metabolism.
Ponies, donkeys, and easy keepers that hold condition readily are more susceptible than large, lean sport horses. But no horse is completely safe.
Recognizing the Symptoms
The sooner you intervene, the better the outcome. Watch for these signs:
| Sign | What You See |
|---|---|
| A sawhorse stance | The horse stands with its front legs stretched forward and its weight shifted back, to spare the painful front hooves |
| Reluctance to move | Stiff, cautious walking; turning is difficult; often prefers lying down over standing |
| Warm hooves | One or more hooves feel distinctly warmer than normal |
| Bounding pulse | A palpable, throbbing pulse in the arteries at the back of the pastern, just above the hoof |
| Sensitive sole | A pain response to pressure on the sole, especially around the toe |
| Behavior change | Listless, refusing to eat, sweating from the pain |
Not sure whether it's laminitis or ordinary lameness? Treat it as laminitis until the vet determines otherwise. The first hours are decisive.
First Aid During an Acute Attack
Laminitis is an emergency. The steps below are general; the vet determines the diagnosis and treatment, including any pain relief.
- Call the vet immediately and describe what you see. Ask whether someone can come right away.
- Take the horse off the grass. Put it on a soft, dry surface — a thickly bedded stall, or a base of sand or shavings that supports the sole.
- Limit movement. Don't let the horse walk around or "stretch its legs." Moving on painful, weakened hooves can damage the coffin bone further.
- Adjust the feed. No concentrate feed and no grass; give some clean, low-sugar hay and water. Discuss the rest with the vet.
- Don't give medication on your own initiative. Painkillers, dosing, and cold therapy fall under the vet's advice — used incorrectly, they can mask the picture or cause harm.
The vet may take X-rays to see whether the coffin bone has already started to rotate, and tailors the treatment and recovery plan accordingly. In severe cases, the vet works together with the farrier (the specialist who trims and shoes the horse's hooves) on support for the hoof.
Prevention, Especially in Spring
Many episodes can be prevented by managing feed and weight. For at-risk horses — ponies, easy keepers, horses with EMS or Cushing's — this matters year-round, and especially in spring.
- Build up turnout slowly. In spring, start with short periods and extend them gradually, instead of putting a horse out on young grass for a whole day right after winter.
- Be careful at high-risk times. Sugar levels in grass are often highest on sunny afternoons and after cold nights. A grazing muzzle or a fenced-off, sparser patch of pasture (a dry paddock) helps limit intake. Read more about turnout — time outside in the pasture — in the glossary.
- Keep an eye on weight. Assess body condition regularly; fat pads on the neck and at the base of the tail are a warning sign. Adjust feed and exercise before it becomes overweight.
- Feed low-sugar and in moderation. Don't give more concentrate feed than needed, and choose fiber-rich, low-sugar forage for sensitive horses. See the feeding guide.
- Have underlying conditions tested. For a horse with recurring episodes, an abnormal coat, or unexplained weight gain, it's worth having the vet check for EMS or Cushing's disease.
- Maintain the hooves. Regular trimming by a consistent farrier keeps hoof balance in check and makes changes visible earlier.
In Closing
Laminitis is serious, but a lot can be gained by staying alert and acting promptly. Know the sawhorse stance, the warm hoof, and the bounding pulse, and treat those signs as an emergency — not as something to wait a day on. In spring, carefully building up turnout is the simplest and most effective measure. For diagnosis, pain relief, and the recovery plan, the vet is and remains the source; when in doubt, call too early rather than too late.
See also: Recognizing Horse Emergencies and Colic · Hoof Care and the Farrier · How to Feed Your Horse Well