Horse Lover Magazine

Founder/Laminitis Alert

(The content is from an email sent by farrier Jim Apple in September. His contact information is at the bottom! The following is a link to another source for information on laminitis you may find helpful:http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/illnesses_injuries/lower_laminitis_risk_092309/?utm_source=ehr&utm_medium=nl&utm_campaign=eqs ) 

I  have  had  numerous  phone  calls  and  emails  over the  past  2-3  weeks  about  sore  footed  horses.  It  seems  that  the cold nights and hot days, have  as I  predicted,  made the  sugar/NSC levels  in  our pastures  reach  upper  end limits for what most horses can  tolerate  and  handle.  So  as  a  result  of  this  5 horses  have  foundered in  the  past  3  days, not  to  mention  all the ones that are possibly lurking at a sub-clinical level, just  waiting  for  us  to  let our  guard  down.

My job is to trim your horse and make suggestions, so here we go..... 

1) Understand that laminitis/founder is manageable with proper education.  2) Understand that excessive food can make and keep your horses sore footed.  3) Understand that I cannot control your horse's daily dietary intake.  4) Limit grass turnout on any horse over a 5-6 on the body score chart.  5) Know what causes laminitis/founder and be pro-active in watching and maintaining at risk horses   6) Create a drylot, no stubbie grasses, and use it. 

If for some odd reason I have not made these recommendations to you in the past,

 please let me apologize for not doing a crucial part of my job.

If anyone has any questions please feel free to contact me.

 

Jim Apple home. 615.792.9955 cell. 615.406.3491 WWW.BAREFOOTFARRIER.COM