The Basics of Good Arena Footing

The ideal footing needs to:

• Have traction
• Have no dust
• Have cushioning
• Deter injuries
• Boost performance
• Provide stability
• Provide rebound energy (the responsiveness and resiliency of the footing surface to return it its original form by returning energy back to the horse)

Factors that make footing poor quality include:

• Too deep
• Too hard
• Too uneven
• Too loose
• Too dusty
• Non-draining
• Slippery

There are three primary layers to arenas: the top footing, the sub-surface, and the base.

Sand is the most popular surface used across the world, both with and without synthetic fibers added. Others include wood chips/sawdust, rubber chips, grass, and dirt. The sub-surface has many options: a drainage layer, grid-mats, compacted stone, sand, or another manufactured material. Most bases are made out of clay, stone dust, and the natural native soil of the property.

What the arena is made of, how much traffic goes through it, precipitation and temperature all play a part in keeping an arena safe.

Different arenas have different requirements to keep them in peak performance, but most require the following:

• Watering regularly
• Regular dragging and grooming
• Removal of manure, urine and other organic material
• Adding new sand
• Raking upkeep
• Picking out weeds, rocks and other debris

Sand and Fiber Footing

Cynthia Brewster Keating is the national director of sales and marketing director for GGT-Footing. For more than 25 years, Polysols, the parent company of GGT-Footing, has been producing innovative equestrian footing products for riding arenas.

“The arena footing products are repurposed remnant virgin material that’s used to make various fibers and textile blends,” says Keating. “The focus is on developing the best combination of synthetic chopped non-woven material and combining it with the highest-quality sands from quarries across the county.

“The different disciplines require a different amount of tightness in the sand,” she adds. “The pleasure blend has minimal fiber and is designed to keep the sand fluffy. The dressage blend has 15 percent fiber and is designed to provide variations according to how it is groomed and maintained. The jumper blend has 30 percent fiber, designed to offer concussion, relief, and stability as well as rebound energy.”

Keating has found that the quality of the sand is not as good as it used to be in the United States due to amount of fracking and the oil industry.

“Because of this, we have found that it’s important to use more fiber, regardless of what your discipline is,” says Keating. “Ninety percent of our sales are blend. We use our competition blend at high-end horse shows, which is 50 percent geotextile and 50 percent fiber. [These shows] require the most support and concussion relief, especially in the Grand Prix dressage and jumper arenas.

“Nowadays, it’s recommended that you hire a consultant that can test the sand that you are thinking of using,” she adds. “Many professional arena builders are now using mixtures of variable grades of sand to achieve the best results.”

Keating says anyone building arenas should assess the level of riding and how many horses go through their arena each day.

“Across the country, there are a varying products available for base, so it’s best to work with a contractor who is familiar with your specific property and ground,” she says.

A Vet’s View

Poor footing can be a big contributor to lameness, according to Rob van Wessum, DVM, M.S., who practices at Equine All-Sports Medicine Center in Mason, Mich. He’s also a Grand Prix dressage rider who holds a diplomate from the American College of Equine Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (ACVSMR).

He says that close to 50 percent of his case load of lame horses is due to improper footing and improper training techniques in inadequate footing. He mostly sees tendon or ligament injuries related to both these factors.

“In deep footing with lack of stability, the horse moves the footing material too much, which means less rebound of ground-reaction forces into the horse, causing tendon injuries, especially suspensory ligament injuries,” says van Wessum. “The horse loses energy with every stride, moving footing instead of himself. That puts a lot of strain on muscles to deliver more energy. A horse is built for rebound energy stored in tendons, so a lot of kinetic energy is stored as elastic energy during the air phase and then used in the next stance phase. With deep footing, there is far less rebound energy.

“When muscles get fatigued due to excess work in deep footing for too long in the same kind of work, a horse can’t stabilize his core anymore, which will cause damage to the connective tissue as result,” he continues. “Connective tissue is often ligament, fascia or tendon. You can find it in the limbs but also in the back, neck, and pelvis region. Damage to all those regions is diagnosed daily in our practice.”

Consequences of Poor Arena Footing

Footing that is so deep the coronary band disappears is one of the most common kinds of bad footing.

“The opposite of too deep is too hard, which can damage to the bone structures due to concussive forces,” says van Wessum.

He explains that footing that has too much grip, like when too much fiber is added, can cause damage to the collateral ligaments of the coffin, pastern, and fetlock joint. This is due to rotational forces when riding in small circles, lateral gaits, or landing and turning after jumps—any time the foot gets stuck on the footing while the upper part of the limb turns. He also sees this with too-deep footing when it is muddy or clay-like and sucks the hooves in.

“Footing that is too slippery due to rain or over-watering causes many injuries, such as ligament and tendon injuries in the lower limb, but also spinal ligament injuries in the neck, back and pelvis,” says van Wessum.

One of the worst kinds of footings van Wessum sees is when the same arena has different areas within it, like harder, softer and then deeper areas.

“When the quality of the footing suddenly changes, a misstep and strain or distortion of joint or ligament is the result,” he says.

Van Wessum stresses that there is no general rule for quality footing materials.

“It depends on what the arena is used for, where it’s located geographically, the traffic through the arena (one or two horses a day versus 60), and the quality of the maintenance,” he explains.

The Best Prevention

What are the best steps a rider can take to protect their horse? Incorporate proper training and exercise to adapt to the quality of footing, according to van Wessum.

“When the footing is deeper, shorter bouts of more intense work, alternating with walking, helps the horse recover and avoid fatigue,” he says. “Proper shoeing and timely reshoeing so the angles don’t change too much is extremely important.”

Van Wessum does not see any advantage to boots or leg protection when it comes to preventing injury due to bad footing.

His client horses receive regular soundness exams (approximately every six months) to monitor any small changes in performance and sensitivity of tendons and ligaments before they become a bigger issue.

“We saw horses from the same facility showing tenderness in the suspensory ligament,” says van Wessum. “After looking at the footing, we could see that it was getting too deep because of less watering in dry times.”

It’s smart to take a walk in any new footing with your horse before riding, exercising or competing. Pay attention to the depth, consistency and condition of the arena.

What’s under your horse’s feet will affect his overall soundness, confidence and performance. Knowing how horses react to different surfaces will help you determine the best type of footing to ride in.

With patience and proper training, you can help your horse travel on many surfaces safely and without injury.

This article about arena footing appeared in the September 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Arena Footing 101 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

A few weeks ago, my friend called me out of the blue. I thought it was odd since she usually texts. When I picked up, I knew instantly something was wrong. Her daughter’s horse had lain down to roll, but when she got up, she didn’t shake. That was the first red flag. And when she tried to lay down again to roll, she realized that the horse was colicking.

My friend is still relatively new to horse ownership, so she wasn’t sure what to do. Being a few hours away, I couldn’t be there to help, but I told her to keep the horse up and walking, and call the veterinarian. Thankfully, her horse came out of it, and they got some pretty funny videos of her after the vet administered some medication that made her woozy. She fell asleep standing up and snored with her tongue hanging out!

That ordeal made me realize that my own horse first aid kit needed to be upgraded. We had some basics, but it wasn’t complete. I started researching the most essential items, but also found some things I would have never thought of that could come in handy during an emergency. 

Below, find a list of items to keep in your horse first aid kit, broken down by different needs and circumstances. 

Horse First Aid Kit: Emergency & General Care

Horses are hardy animals, but more often than not, they manage to get themselves into some kind of scrape. While many injuries and illnesses can be treated at home, having the right tools on hand is essential. Here’s a list of emergency and general first aid items to keep stocked in both your barn and trailer.

Items Needed:

• Stethoscope: To check heart rate and gut sounds
• Gloves (disposable latex or nitrile): For clean handling of wounds and medications
• Twitch or sedation alternative: If handling an injured horse
• Headlamp or flashlight: For emergencies in low light
• Thermometer: To check temperature
• Syringes: To administer meds
• Needles: For injections
• Electrolyte paste or powder: To help with dehydration recovery
• Activated charcoal or Bio-Sponge: For toxin ingestion concerns
• Notebook or first aid log: To track treatments and vital signs
• Vet & emergency contact list: In case of urgent care needs

Horse First Aid Kit: Pain & Inflammation Management

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), colic is the most common cause of death in horses that are 1 to 20 years of age and the second most common cause of death for horses older than 20 years of age (USDA APHIS NAHMS 2015). Flunixin meglumine, often known under the name brand name “Banamine,” is a common NSAID used for equine inflammation and pain associated with injuries, but it’s also used to alleviate pain from colic. However, it is highly encouraged to only administer Banamine with a vet’s permission—or, better yet, by the vet themselves.

Phenylbutazone (more commonly known as “bute”) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) are also common NSAIDs, mainly for joint swelling and injuries, but they’re not great for colic. In fact, if DMSO is administered incorrectly, it can actually cause signs of colic in some horses.

Dormosedan Gel (frequently nicknamed “Dorm gel”) is another good addition. This is an oral sedative for calming a panicked or uncooperative horse in stressful situations.

Be sure to talk with your vet about directions for use and follow all medication guidelines. 

Items Needed:

• Bute: Pain relief, anti-inflammatory
• DMSO: Anti-inflammatory
• Dorm gel: Oral sedative
• Topical cooling gel or liniment: For muscle soreness

Horse First Aid Kit: Wound Care & Bandaging

If you are treating a wound, it’s important to inspect the wound for depth and infection. If the wound is too deep, it can lead to an abscess and it will require a call to the vet. Wounds on the eye also warrant an immediate call to the vet. 

When cleaning a wound, remove debris and wash with soap and water if possible. Avoid hydrogen peroxide or alcohol on open wounds as they can delay healing. Instead, use wound spray or antibiotic ointment.

Items Needed:

• Non-stick gauze: For wrapping wounds
• Cling gauze: Secures dressings without adhesive
• Gauze pads: Absorbs wound fluids
• Vet wrap: Self-adhesive bandage
• Elastikon: Strong adhesive tape
• Bandage scissors: For careful cutting of bandaging items
• Cast padding: Prevents pressure sores
• Duct tape: Secures hoof wraps
• Absorbine Silver Honey®: Antimicrobial wound care
• Triple antibiotic: Prevents infections
• Wound spray: Disinfects wounds
• Saline solution: Flushes wounds/eyes
• Hydrogen peroxide (3%): For cleaning tools, but not recommended for wounds
• Betadine (povidone-iodine solution or scrub): Antiseptic for cleaning wounds
• Cold packs or instant ice packs: For swelling and injuries

Horse First Aid Kit: Hoof Care

If your horse suddenly starts limping, chances are it’s a hoof abscess. Check for heat, swelling, tenderness, or drainage from the hoof. Treating an abscess often involves soaking the hoof in warm Epsom salt water or applying a poultice to draw out the infection. Wrapping the hoof or using a boot helps keep it clean and protected.

Items Needed:

• Bandaging items: See above
• Duct tape: Secures hoof wraps
• Soaking boot: Easy way to soak a hoof and keep out debris
• Epsom salt: Soaks abscesses and reduces swelling
• Animalintex: Poultice pad for infections
• Green poultice: Cooling clay poultice
• Magic Cushion®: Hoof packing for pain relief
• Hoof pick: To check for lodged objects and clean the hoof
• Diapers or sanitary pads: Great for hoof abscess wraps
• Soft-Ride Boots or hoof boots: If dealing with a hoof injury

Talk With Your Vet

Be sure to talk with your veterinarian about your first aid kit. They can recommend additional items tailored to your horse’s specific needs, explain best practices for administering medications and treating injuries, and may even offer pre-made first aid kits.

Emergencies and injuries are inevitable, but having a well-stocked equine first aid kit can make all the difference. Acting quickly gives your horse the best chance at a full recovery. While some situations will still require a vet, being prepared allows you to stabilize your horse until help arrives. When the unexpected happens, you’ll be glad you took the time to get ready.

The post Horse First Aid Kit: 25+ Items Every Horse Owner Needs appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

It was two days after the 4th of July when I decided to take my horse Milagro for a ride alone on the trail. We live in an equestrian community with well-groomed bridle paths, and I planned to have him out for about an hour. We were only about half a block from home when it happened.

I heard a car coming down the street we had just turned off. One minute I heard the motor, and the next minute, a loud pop. Someone had thrown a firecracker out of the car window in our direction.

Milagro is solid on the trail—he’s my North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC) competitive trail horse—but firecrackers are his nemesis. He bolted in terror, racing up the trail at a mad gallop, away from the sound.

In an effort to stop him, I turned his head and pushed him with my leg into a tight circle. But the bridle path that once seemed wide and safe was not big enough for a terrified, runaway horse.

As I turned him, his back hoof landed on the sloped driveway of one of the homes adjacent to the trail. I felt his back end going down. He scrambled and got his feet under him, but not before he let out a horrible scream.

I jumped off and examined his back legs. I didn’t see anything obvious, even as I led him home. His adrenaline was racing, and he was practically dragging me.

An hour later in his paddock, he had calmed down. It was then that I noticed he was dragging his left hind toe. I called out the vet, who examined him by lifting the affected leg and stretching it out behind him. Instead of bending at the hock, the leg extended straight out in a way that turned my stomach.

“He’s got a rupture of the peroneus tertius tendon,” my veterinarian said.

How Tendon Injuries Happen

Tendon injuries can occur in two ways: through chronic overuse, or through trauma. Because horses’ legs are made up of a number of tendons, they are prone to stress and injury.

“Tendon injuries result from sudden tears or ruptures from a single overloading event, or chronic strains from overuse,” says Annette McCoy, DVM, M.S., Ph.D., Dipl. ACVS, associate professor of Equine Surgery at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine.

“The former are usually recognized right away after an athletic episode, and usually have the hallmarks of heat, focal pain when touched, and obvious swelling,” she explains. “The latter can result in low-grade chronic lameness that can be difficult to diagnose.”

The most commonly injured tendons and collateral ligaments that support joint stability in non-racing horses are the suspensory ligament, deep digital flexor tendon, the check ligament and the superficial digital flexor tendon, according to Jennifer G. Barrett, DVM, Ph.D., DACVS-LA, DACVSMR-EQ, Theodora Ayer Randolph professor of Equine Surgery at Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center at the Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.

Varied Treatment of Tendon Injuries

The way a tendon injury is handled right after it’s discovered can make a big difference in the ultimate outcome.

“Right after an injury happens, we are trying to combat inflammation and swelling,” says McCoy. “This is accomplished with a combination of cold therapy like icing or cold-hosing, compression with bandaging, systemic medications like a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug [NSAID] such as phenylbutazone [bute], and stall rest.”

Although scarring of the tendon as it heals cannot be prevented, making the scar tissue as functional as possible is the goal.

“Controlled exercise in a rehabilitation program helps us to do that,” says McCoy. “Periodic re-evaluation with ultrasound helps us determine the healing progress. A rehab program might need to be altered, depending on how the tendon is healing.”

A number of adjunct therapies can also be used to help tendons heal, including extracorporeal shock-wave therapy, therapeutic ultrasound, and low-level laser and magnetic therapy, although not all of these therapies have been studied in clinical research.

“Biological therapies such as platelet rich plasma [PRP], autologous conditioned serum, and mesenchymal stem cells injected directly into a tendon injury under ultrasound guidance have shown some promise at either speeding healing, improving the quality of the healed tissue, or helping to reduce the incidence of re-injury,” says McCoy.

“More work is needed to understand exactly how these treatments work, and what injuries are best addressed by using them,” she adds. “This is a very active area of ongoing research.”

There are some tendon and ligament injuries that can benefit from surgical treatment, according to Barrett.

“Examples include the suspensory ligament in hind limbs, the deep digital flexor tendon, and superficial digital flexor tendon when they are injured in a tendon sheath or bursa,” she says.

Slow Recovery

When a horse injures a tendon, the issue can require a temporary layup or permanent retirement.

“Prognosis is entirely dependent on the severity and location of the injury, but typically ranges from fair to guarded for future athletic use,” says McCoy. “An owner should expect that their horse will be out of full work for nine to 12 months while the injury heals. Unfortunately, horses that have had a tendon injury are highly prone to re-injury.”

The way the layup and rehabilitation are handled can make a huge difference in whether the horse is able to return to his previous activity.

“The hardest thing for owners to understand is that healing takes a very long time for tendons and ligaments,” says Barrett. “Humans can rest by taking the weight off the limb completely. This is not possible for horses, so we rely on reducing exercise as much as possible during healing.”

Stall rest is the best we can do to limit trotting and overuse of a healing tendon, but stall rest is hard for owners, and is often seen as hard for horses too, according to Barrett.

“The same way you need to be on crutches to heal a tendon, horses need stall rest and very controlled exercise once your veterinarian determines it appropriate,” she says. “All of the difficult and expensive care your veterinarian provides [might] be wasted if the exercise recommendations are not followed.”

The length of stall rest and the limited exercise needed to help the horse recover depends on the injury. Extensive stall rest is usually prescribed early in recovery, with a gradual return to gentle exercise as the tendon heals.

“Early loading—exercise—of the tissue is the most essential aspect of healing, but we can’t load too much, otherwise it breaks again,” says Henk Offereins, DVM, of equinetendon.com, an Ireland-based equine management service specializing in the area of tendon injuries. “Getting that balance right [is the difference between] success and failure in rehabilitation.”

Update on Milagro

Milagro made a full recovery after rupturing his peroneus tertius tendon, but only after a one-year layup that required three straight months of stall rest with physical therapy on the affected leg. He eventually graduated to hand-walking, slowly building up the amount of time he could be walked over a period of months.

Today, he is back to trail riding around our community as well as competing in NATRC events. He is so sound these days, I often forget he ever suffered this horrible injury. I believe the long layup and following my veterinarian’s instructions on rehabilitation made all the difference.

Key Takeaway

Tendon injuries are as complicated as equine injuries come—and certainly time-consuming to recover from. Understanding treatment options and the recovery timeframe can help horse owners and caretakers to better manage any future tendon injuries.

Further Reading:
◆ Managing Horses with Tendon and Ligament Issues
◆ Taking Care of Your Horse’s Tendons

This article about equine tendon injuries appeared in the April 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Treatment of Equine Tendon Injuries appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

It’s often what you can’t see that leads to trouble, and that’s definitely the case with white line disease. Understanding the nature of this condition, its signs, and effective treatment options will help horse owners to ensure the long-term health of their equine companions.

Treatment is highly successful when this condition is caught in the early stages. Unfortunately, white line disease is often not detected promptly. This may lead to serious problems—sometimes even to the point of coffin bone rotation. However, most horses with white line disease aren’t lame unless the condition is allowed to progress to this stage.

The name “white line disease” is a bit misleading, since not all cases involve the actual white line of the hoof, which is where the sole joins the wall. When identified early and treated effectively, many cases are generally restricted to the “stratum medium”—the middle and thickest of the hoof’s three layers.

What is White Line Disease?

Technically, white line disease is not a disease, but rather a fungal infection of the equine hoof wall.

Infection develops when opportunistic fungi routinely present in the environment find an opening in the hoof wall. Once in the hoof, the fungi work their way up, digesting the keratin until a cavity is created beneath the wall.

Although the sensitive tissue of the hoof isn’t involved, the hoof wall separation caused by white line disease can have major consequences.

If left untreated, hoof integrity can be compromised to the point that the coffin bone pulls away from the hoof capsule and rotates. Although this is not exactly the same rotation that occurs with laminitis, it can still result in lameness.

Signs of White Line Disease

White line disease can affect horses of any breed, age, and discipline, infecting one or more feet at the same time. The following signs are associated with the condition and indicate a problem is brewing:

◆ Cracks or separation in the hoof at the toe, heel, along the wall or along the white line

◆ Debris packed deeply into the hoof wall

◆ Chalky, grayish-white powder visible between the hoof’s sole and wall

◆ “Rotten fruit” odor

◆ Significant flaring or dishing of the foot

◆ Hollow sound when outside of hoof is lightly tapped with a hammer

After operating his own farrier business for 11 years in Ohio, Jason Maki has been the full-time farrier at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ Large Animal Hospital in College Station, Texas, since 2008.

Maki points out the puzzling conundrum that horses receiving exceptional hoof care and living in well-managed barns can still get white line disease, as can backyard horses on inconsistent hoof care schedules.

“Sometimes a hoof that is dishing and flared is a sign of separation under the wall caused by white line disease,” says Maki.

He adds that hooves that become dished and flared because they’re allowed to get too long between trims may become more susceptible to this condition.

Maki agrees with the study published by Michael Wildenstein, Certified Journeyman Farrier, of Cornell University that identified fungal infection being to blame for white line disease. He notes that while specific fungi may be the primary cause of action, they can’t cause harm unless they get inside the foot.

“Essentially, there has to be a break or a micro crack in the hoof wall that allows the fungi to ‘set up shop,’” he explains. “The fungi are ingesting the hoof and create a pocket. The longer they’re present in the hoof, the more they will undermine it.”

The presence of grayish powder in any separation between sole and wall seems to be definitive of white line disease.

“The powder is disintegrating hoof wall,” says Maki, adding that if you see this when cleaning your horse’s hooves, you should contact your farrier promptly.

How to Treat White Line Disease

Wildenstein’s study revealed that the anerobic fungi responsible for white line disease can be effectively treated with a chlorine dioxide solution.

The basic protocol for treating white line disease is to debride the affected area, removing the damaged hoof wall to expose the infected portion of the hoof to air and then treating the area with chlorine dioxide. Because chlorine dioxide makes fungi and bacteria vulnerable to oxygen, this helps destroy them.

Maki points out that simply squirting a chlorine dioxide product up into the cavity isn’t enough. The infected portion of hoof wall must be removed.

“You follow the tract (cavity) as far as it extends and cut it out until the gray powder is not visible and you have good attachment to the hoof wall,” says Maki.

He is one of many farriers who have had great success treating the condition with a chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) product. Maki personally swears by White Lightning equine hoof treatment.

“In my experience, debridement followed by White Lightning is the silver bullet for treating white line disease,” says Maki. “The chlorine dioxide gas infiltrates the hoof, gets into the nooks and crannies, and kills the fungi. If I even suspect white line disease, I use this to treat it.”

Challenges of Treatment

When caught early, your farrier can usually treat white line disease effectively at home. More complicated cases can require your veterinarian and farrier working together.

“Depending on how extensive white line disease is, or if the horse is lame, you’ll want to get your veterinarian involved,” says Maki. “White line disease shows up on a radiograph as bright white, so it gives you a good idea of the extent of erosion and also shows any rotation.”

When white line disease isn’t found and treated early, the farrier may have to cut away a significant portion of hoof wall to totally expose the affected area.

“You want to take only what you have to and leave enough wall to treat the hoof. If you have a deep white line tract but still have good attachment of the hoof wall, the hoof is less likely to splay,” says Maki, noting that the tricky part can be providing enough stability that the cure doesn’t become a problem.

Maki explains that if extensive sections of hoof wall have to be cut away, steps must be taken to stabilize the foot until new wall grows in. This may involve special shoeing techniques.

“You need to make sure the horse has good mechanical support of the hoof capsule,” he notes. “Managing extensive white line disease without a shoe or cast is problematic. I’ve found bar shoes, heart bar shoes, sole support, and clips to be useful for adding stability to the hoof and minimizing the chance of mechanical rotation due to instability.” 

Environmental Considerations and Prevention

While the fungi to blame for white line disease are present in many environments, Maki has dealt with more cases when horses live in regions where the weather is warm and wet without extended periods of freezing temperatures.

While he says there’s no definitive answer as to whether some horses are simply more susceptible to white line disease, environmental conditions play a role.

Horses can’t be expected to have optimal hoof health if their feet are constantly exposed to moisture. When feet never get the chance to dry out, continuous moisture can compromise the hooves by softening and weakening them. This makes hooves more vulnerable to cracking and separation, which can allow in fungi and bacteria.

The goal is to keep hooves as dry as possible. This may mean waiting to turn out until the grass is dry and not turning out during wet weather.

Maki reminds horse owners that basic routine hoof care with short cycles between farrier visits is crucial for protecting horses against white line disease. He emphasizes that it’s always best to keep horses on a regular farrier schedule, even during times of the year when their hooves aren’t growing quickly.

White Line Disease In Summary

White line disease poses a serious risk to horses, requiring vigilant monitoring and prompt treatment to prevent severe consequences. Though it can affect any horse, early detection and proper hoof care significantly enhance treatment success. By adhering to a proactive care routine and consulting with experienced farriers and veterinarians, horse owners can effectively safeguard their horses against this condition.

Further Reading on Hoof Health
◆ Helping Your Horse Have Healthy Hooves
◆ Nutrition for Hoof Health
◆ 5 Serious Hoof Conditions
◆ Keeping Your Horse Barefoot

This article appeared in the August 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post An Overview of White Line Disease appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

How a Hoof Abscess Starts

A hoof abscess begins when environmental bacteria access the horse’s hoof capsule.

The most common way that bacteria does this relates to fluctuating moisture in the environment. When the ground is dry, hooves become hard and somewhat brittle. This causes small fissures (cracks) to develop in the sole. When the ground becomes wet, the hoof acts like a sponge and softens, further opening these small cracks. Bacteria in the environment can take advantage of these small breaches in the otherwise impenetrable hoof wall and invade the tissue inside.

As they invade the warm, healthy inner hoof tissue, the bacteria multiply rapidly. The horse’s immune system comes to the rescue, but during the battle between good and evil (the horse’s white blood cells versus bacteria), casualties occur as white blood cells die and cause pus to accumulate.

This pus exerts pressure in the confined and inflexible hoof wall. If you’ve ever had swelling under a nail, you know the pain this causes. Now imagine the pain a horse might deal with as they stand on an abscessed hoof.

Hoof abscesses can, however, occur at any time of year, so the weather is not the only cause. Sole bruises caused by hard ground and penetrating hoof wounds also invite bacteria to invade the hoof. One type of penetrating wound is a close nail, or one that is driven too close to the sensitive laminae (internal supporting structures between the outer hoof wall and the coffin bone). This creates a convenient path for bacteria to enter on the nail, which can lead to infection.

Poor hoof conformation can also be a contributing factor to the development of a hoof abscess. Some thin-soled horses are naturally predisposed to frequent abscesses. This is likely due to their increased risk of sole bruising and the shorter distance bacteria have to travel between the outside and inside of the hoof.

What You Might See

While you might expect to see a severely lame horse, keep in mind that not all abscesses are created equal. Observable signs depend on how large the abscess is, where in the hoof it is, and how long it’s been developing. If caught early, some horses are only slightly lame. Others may have some leg swelling up to the fetlock, while others may have a bounding digital pulse and a hoof that’s hot to the touch.

Horse owners that have seen abscesses before may feel comfortable identifying one and starting treatment on their own. If this is your first time with a hoof abscess, or you feel there may be other complicating issues, it’s a good idea to call your veterinarian for help.

If lameness is accompanied by a visible injury, such as a penetrating wound, or is part of a chronic hoof disease, radiographs may be necessary to assess any internal hoof damage.

Treating Hoof Abscesses

For uncomplicated hoof abscesses, treatment starts with releasing the pressure and granting the horse instant pain relief. This is done by draining the abscess. If your horse is an extremely painful condition, sometimes a local nerve block and/or sedation may be required for safe treatment of the wound. For this, you’ll need a veterinarian.

Using a hoof knife, your veterinarian will clean and trim back the horse’s sole, which gives the ability to see any dark spots or tracts. These are usually indicative of where the abscess is. Hoof testers can also help narrow the location of the abscess.

The hoof knife is then used to carefully pare deeper until the pocket of infection is hit. Once opened, the abscess drains, although it’s usually anticlimactic. A draining abscess may only be a tiny wet spot or area of dark fluid that trickles down. However, the horse may visibly show his relief.

If left alone, an abscess will eventually rupture on its own. However, there are a few downsides to this wait-and-see approach. First, it prolongs pain for the horse. Secondly, if an abscess is not treated, it tends to move up to the coronary band or out the heel bulbs.

Manually draining the abscess with the hoof knife through the sole allows gravity to help with the process; a coronary band abscess (also called a “gravel”) may prematurely close, leaving some infection behind to cause a problem later.

Once drained, your horse now has an open wound in his sole. While it’s important to protect this wound from further infection, it’s also a handy window to allow for continual drainage. Therefore, packing the sole with a poultice and wrapping the hoof with a bandage for protection can ensure the abscess completely drains.

Depending on depth and location, sometimes an abscess can’t be located or easily drained. In such cases, repeated soaking of the hoof in an Epsom salt bath will help soften the hoof and draw the infection closer to the sole for easier drainage. A shallow feed tub makes for an ideal foot soak. Alternatively, there are special soaking boots made specifically for horses, or some owners make “soak bags” out of sturdy plastic IV bags.

Stalling a horse for 24 hours with a soak bag is usually enough time to soften the hoof so that on recheck with a hoof knife, the abscess is more easily drained. Occasionally, you might get lucky and the abscess drains itself overnight. This is often noticeable the next day since the horse is much more comfortable.

How to Prevent Abscesses

The natural expansion and contraction of a horse’s feet in response to external moisture are impossible to control, so to an extent, hoof abscesses could be considered impossible to prevent. However, a few rules of thumb can help decrease their likelihood.

Regular year-round hoof maintenance is the best place to start. Balanced hooves keep weight distributed evenly, and trimmed feet are less likely to crack and allow bacteria inside.

Providing your horse with the best of nutrition also helps keep hooves healthy, as does daily hoof cleaning and maintaining excellent stall and paddock hygiene. Removing soiled bedding and fixing chronically wet or boggy areas help hooves stay clean and dry so you’ll spend less time obsessing over abscesses and more time enjoying your horse.

Using a Poultice Supplies Needed: Iodine, soft and disposable packing material (gauze pads, diaper, etc.), ichthammol or other poultice material, Vetrap, duct tape, scissors Steps: 1. First, thoroughly clean the sole with iodine. 2. Any soft, disposable and clean material will work as packing. One common method is to use a stack of 4×4 medical gauze pads. Other options include a disposable diaper or sanitary pad. 3. Slather a glob of ichthammol or other common poultice on the packing material and place it directly over the draining abscess. 4. Use a stretchy bandage like Vetrap around the entire hoof to keep the gauze or diaper in place. Be careful not to tighten it above the hoof hairline where it could restrict circulation. 5. Next, slightly overlap strips of duct tape to make a square just larger than the bottom of the hoof. reinforce with strips laid at 90 degrees to these. Stick the square to the bottom of the hoof and wrap the edges around to adhere to the Vetrap on the hoof wall. Wind tape once or twice around the top of the square where it meets the hoof wall to hold in place. 6. Keep your horse stalled or in a small, dry paddock for a few days. 7. Change the wrap once a day, replacing the poultice and using new tape. Scissors makes cutting into the bandage for removal much easier than peeling it apart with your fingers. As a general rule, horse’s hoof abscesses tend to fully drain within three days or so, and often sooner. However, anticipate the entire healing time to take seven to 10 days, but this will depend on the depth of the abscess and the size of the drainage hole.

Key Takeaway

In this article, you’ll find common causes of hoof abscesses, methods for treating them, and tips on how to prevent abscesses, all of which are essential for hoof care and maintaining a clean environment.

This article on treating a horse’s hoof abscess appeared in the January 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post How to Manage and Treat a Hoof Abscess appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

“Dr. Chad Davis recommended that we use the Pro-Stride APS device to support CR’s joints, given the high level of work and impact that he sustains for training as well as competition,” shares Colleen Rutledge, whose horse Covert Rights – called CR – is a retired 5-star eventer. The 2006 gelding now competes in PSG dressage. CR has been on other treatments in the past but has now been on Pro-Stride APS for three years. “As most horse sports are a game of millimeters and seconds, anything that we can do to maximize comfort and minimize damage is always welcome. CR has always been very demonstrative when he doesn’t feel his best, and the Pro-Stride APS device helps him maintain his comfort.”

What is Pro-Stride APS and How Does it Help Horses with Joint Pain?

Pro-Stride APS – autologous protein solution – is a device that produces an all-natural concentrated injectable solution that uses your horse’s blood to help counteract the effects of osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal injuries. “The Pro-Stride device utilizes a combination of concentrated anti-inflammatory proteins, white blood cells and growth factors from platelets derived from the horse’s own blood,” explains Dr. Holly Helbig. “It works primarily by blocking interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) from binding to the cartilage surface. These are two major pro-inflammatory proteins that lead to degeneration of the joints.”

Your veterinarian can administer Pro-Stride APS stall-side in about 20-30 minutes. They will draw your horse’s blood and run it through a centrifuge in a two-step process. This creates a concentrated cell solution that contains your horse’s own anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors. When injected back into your horse, it helps to reduce inflammation and pain. “Not only does this therapy address inflammation, but it also promotes healing of the joint space,” explains Helbig. “Biological therapies continue to gain the attention of veterinarians and horse owners for corticosteroid-free management of osteoarthritis.”

In a 2014 study published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research, client-owned horses who were evaluated for lameness and then treated with Pro-Stride APS showed significant improvement in lameness grade up to a year later, and in some cases longer, after just one injection.¹

How long effects last will vary from horse to horse, depending on many factors including type of injury or condition being treated. Helbig explains that after one treatment, your veterinarian will assess your horse’s response and create a plan from there. In her experience, Helbig says, “We evaluate the horse’s response to see if the Pro-Stride device improved lameness approximately 4-6 weeks post injection.”

An Alternative Treatment to Steroids for Horses with Joint Pain

While corticosteroids are the norm for treating osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal injuries, Pro-Stride APS may be a better alternative. Steroids are known for being fairly fast-acting, reducing pain quickly, but does not address the healing process like Pro-Stried does. Additionally, there are potential negative side effects to repeated and long-term use. “High doses of corticosteroids as well as repeated use has more recently been associated with degradation of articular cartilage, leading to potential further damage to a horse’s joints,” explains Helbig. This means that the treatment you are using may eventually make the problem you are trying to solve worse.

While all injections have a small risk of complication including localized pain, swelling or infection at the injection site, Pro-Stride APS will not degenerate the joint further like steroids. “The Pro-Stride APS device has safety and efficacy studies showing a strong safety profile and efficacy up to 12 months post-injection,” she adds.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – NSAIDS – are also common systemic treatment for pain in horses with osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal injuries. However, NSAIDS have negative side effects from prolonged use as well, including papillary necrosis, equine gastric ulcer syndrome and right dorsal colitis, according to “Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Associated Toxicities in Horses” published in 2022.

With Pro-Strides APS, you may be able to ditch the NSAIDS too. “It depends on the condition that we’re treating or managing,” explains Dr. Chad Davis, when asked about stopping NSAIDS with regenerative therapy like Pro-Stride APS. “In our practice, it’s uncommon to keep horses on chronic NSAID therapy or treatment. Rather, we would look to medical devices like Pro-Stride APS to allow for a more comprehensive response and better outcome than using NSAID therapy alone. Our thought process when using orthobiologic devices and therapies is to condition and train the injured location and associated cells to be less inflammatory in response to an injury or disease, and more reparative and regenerative in nature. Inflammation control is key, but how you address inflammation is the science behind the treatments and therapies.”

Can I Compete with Pro-Strides APS on Board My Horse?

A big question with any treatment we use on our horses is whether it’s legal for competition. So can you use Pro-Stride APS before a competition? “There are no drugs, medicines or additives in a Pro-Stride device since it’s a byproduct of the horse’s own blood,” answers Helbig. “Speak with your veterinarian to ensure that your horse is fit for competition, and if lame, has an appropriate diagnosis and plan to ensure timing of the injection. Most equine organizations have a minimum number of days between injection and competition times. Check with your veterinarian or governing body for appropriate rules and regulations.”

“As for using the Pro-Stride APS device before a big event, the short answer is yes,” adds Davis. “The extended answer is to ensure you have enough recovery time after the therapy to achieve the maximal responses. We see many orthobiologic therapies and devices, not only as point-of-care medicine but also as preventive medicine. Preventive medicine ensures optimal performance and predictable outcomes and is a focus at our practice with the Virginia Equine Rehabilitation and Performance Center.”

We all want to keep our horses happy, healthy and pain-free. Pro-Stride APS uses your horse’s amazing power of self-healing to ease discomfort and possibly regenerate the joints. Learn more about Pro-Stride APS at the Zoetis website and ask your vet if it may be right for your horse.

¹ Bertone AL, Ishihara A, Zekas LJ, et al. Evaluation of a single intra-articular injection of autologous protein solution for treatment of osteoarthritis in horses. Am J Vet Res. 2014;75(2):141-151. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.75.2.141.

This article is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Manage Your Horse’s Joint Pain with Pro-Stride APS, a Non-steroidal Treatment for Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Injuries appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Soaking the hoof several times a day will eventually cause an abscess to erupt and drain. However, some vets now advise against frequent soaking as it may weaken the hoof wall. Some horse owners instead choose to apply drawing agents, such as ichthamol or Epsom salts, directly to the hoof under a bandage.

The goal in the treatment of a horse’s hoof abscess is to draw out the infection and keep the area clean to prevent reinfection while the hoof heals. Once you have confirmed the diagnosis with your vet, follow the steps below to put your horse on the road to recovery.

For treatment of a horse’s hoof abscess, you will need a flexible bucket or tub, Epsom salts and poultice pads or iodine. Bandaging materials include sheet cotton or a diaper, elastic bandage and duct tape.

Step 1:  Mix Epsom salts in a bucket of warm water.  Use enough salts to reach the point of saturation, where no more will dissolve.

Step 2:  Submerge the entire hoof up to the coronary band and soak for 10 minutes.  This will help draw out the infection and will encourage the abscess to erupt if it has not already been opened and drained.

Step 3:  Soak a poultice pad in hot water.

Place the pad over the sole of the hoof.

If you do not have any poultice pads, you can make a poultice with Epsom salts and iodine.

Pack the paste into the hoof so it covers the entire sole.

Step 4:  Wrap the hoof in a diaper or sheet cotton.  Secure the diaper by tightly wrapping it with elastic bandage. Cover the entire bandage with duct tape for durability. If your horse will be turned out or is prone to destroying bandages, you may want to use a hoof boot.   Click here for step-by-step instructions on bandaging a hoof.

Your horse may be sound in as little as a couple of days.  Once the abscess has drained, keeping the hoof protected from dirt and debris is the best way to avoid complications or reinfection.  And of course, always consult your vet to help you decide the best course of action. 

Further Reading on Treatment of Hoof Abscesses in Horses

◆ Hoof Abscesses and Puncture Wounds
◆ How to Manage and Treat a Hoof Abscess
◆ Causes of Equine Lameness: Foot Abscess

This article about treatment of hoof abscesses first appeared in Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Picture this: a lush, green field with a horse peacefully grazing. This image is almost every horse owner’s ideal vision of their horse at his happiest. But danger can lurk for some horses if you look a little deeper.

Certain horses and ponies are prone to grass founder (laminitis), particularly in the spring when grasses are high in sugar. Most horse owners would rather prevent laminitis than deal with it after it happens, so the best course of action is to recognize the red flags—times to be more vigilant—and know what to do next.

High-Risk Horses

Horses most at risk for laminitis are those with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and Cushing’s disease (also called pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, or PPID).

Horses and ponies with EMS often have telltale symptoms, including a tendency toward obesity, insulin resistance and recurrent laminitis. Abnormal fat deposits along the crest of the neck, tailhead and above the eyes are typical, even when the horse is at a normal weight. The condition most often occurs in ponies and other breeds that evolved under harsh conditions and tend to be easy keepers.

Horses with PPID may have symptoms similar to EMS, such as patchy fat deposits and insulin resistance, but PPID usually begins to appear in older horses (over age 15). They may also start to lose topline muscling and develop a thick haircoat that sheds out later than normal, or eventually not at all.

If you suspect your horse has either of these conditions, schedule a vet visit for blood tests that will help confirm a diagnosis. If your horse has a metabolic disease, consider it a huge warning flag that he is at high risk for pasture-associated laminitis.

The Carbohydrate Connection to Founder in Horses

Laminitis can be caused by grazing on pasture that is too high in non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs). These include fructan, sugar and starch. Structural carbohydrates are the fibrous parts of the cell wall that give the plant rigidity; these are digested differently from NSCs.

You may have heard that fructan is the singular evil element in grass that causes horses to founder. However, more recent research has shown that pasture-induced laminitis cannot be attributed solely to fructan. There is no fructan in warm-season grasses, yet horses can still founder on them. Since the same environmental conditions that create high fructan concentrations also increase sugar and starch levels, it’s best to just limit all NSCs.

Conditions that Spell Trouble

In order to prevent laminitis in high-risk horses, you’ll need to start thinking about weather and grass-growing conditions. When the sun is shining brightly but other conditions limit the growth of the plant, NSC concentration in pasture plants will increase.

Here is a list of the danger signs to look for:

Temperature

“If it’s below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the enzymes that help the plant grow don’t function anymore,” says Kathryn Watts, an internationally respected consultant and researcher specializing in pasture grass and horses and ponies prone to laminitis. She is based in Colorado and maintains a website at safergrass.org. “However, photosynthesis [which creates sugar] happens as long as the sun is shining, provided that the plant is not frozen solid.”

Concentrations of NSCs can double or even triple if these conditions (sunny and below 40 degrees) continue for several weeks. Since this commonly happens during spring and fall in many parts of the country, these seasons are often associated with grass founder in horses.

TIP: A useful tool that you can find at any hardware store is a min-max thermometer. Put it on the back porch and check it every morning. If it’s been below 40 degrees that night, start paying careful attention to any high-risk horses. After a few nights below 40, any horse that’s had laminitis in the past or has the body type that says “founder waiting to happen” should probably be removed from pasture entirely and fed hay that’s tested for low sugar content (see “Testing Sugar Content,” below).

Lack of Fertilizer

“Another thing that can limit plant growth is lack of fertilizer—usually nitrogen,” says Watts. “The plant might have enough sugar, but if it doesn’t have enough nitrogen to put that sugar to work and grow, the sugar starts piling up. I use the analogy of an assembly line: If the plant does not have all of the elements it needs to grow, the line shuts down and the other raw materials pile up.”

Since a lack of nitrogen can limit grass growth, it’s important to have the right fertilization schedule for your region. “Approach your extension agent or fertilizer dealer and tell them you’re looking for a moderate fertility level, not maximum production,” Watts advises.

Drought

Drought is another form of stress that will result in sugars piling up within the plant. “For example, in Texas, founder season happens when it’s very sunny and very hot,” says Watts. Drought may also cause fructan in cool-season grasses to turn to sugar, increasing chances of metabolically driven laminitis.

Mature Grass

When managing pastures, it’s important to mow or top the grass before seed heads appear. “Sugars and starch are very concentrated in the developing seed heads,” says Watts. “Many horses selectively graze them off; it’s like horse candy.”

Weeds

Most pastures are filled with weeds that horses are more than happy to consume.

“Some of the weeds in your pasture have the potential to contain more sugar than the grass,” says Watts. “The ones that I have tested personally that are really high in NSCs include dandelion, plantain and thistle.”

You can treat pastures with an herbicide to kill broadleaf weeds such as dandelions, which are particularly palatable to horses. Often this is enough to decrease the incidence of founder.

A thick, healthy stand of grass is the best defense against invasion of weeds and clover. While proper fertilization can decrease sugar concentration per mouthful of grass, there may now be more sugar per acre. When grass is more plentiful in previously overgrazed pastures, you may need to start limiting intake with a muzzle or decreased time at pasture.

It’s important to note that weeds may grow around dry lots where horses and ponies are housed to keep them off pasture. If those weeds are within reach of desperate flapping lips of horses, the risk of founder is still there. You may very well save your horse from foundering just by running a weed-whacker around the dry lot.

“Safe” Grazing

Regardless of what season the calendar says it is, keep an eye out for dangerous grazing conditions all year long.

“The worst places for laminitis are those where the grass stays green all winter long, like in Great Britain and the Pacific Northwest,” says Watts. “Their grass doesn’t ever really die. When the temperature is below 40 degrees, any green grass creates a problem for high-risk horses, regardless of what month it is.

“Here in Colorado, by December the grass is completely brown,” she continues. “If the weather has been dry, the grass can still be high in sugars.” Sugars may be leached out eventually by rain and melting snow, except in the case of grasses with a waxy coating, such as fescue. Fescue is commonly found in Kentucky and the Southern states, so keep in mind that it may be holding on to sugar longer if you are planning to put your horse on it in the winter or during a summer drought.

“People assume that dead grass has no nutritional value if it’s brown,” adds Watts. “But sugar is not green. The chlorophyll and protein may be gone, but the sugar isn’t necessarily gone. Don’t assume that brown grass is safe.”

Testing Sugar Content

If you’re unsure about your grass or hay’s sugar content, the best thing to do is get it tested. “Grab a few handfuls of brown grass and send it to Equi-Analytical Laboratories [the equine division of Dairy One Cooperative Inc.] and have it analyzed,” says Watts. This is only accurate if the grass is completely dead. (If the grass is green, you would have to flash freeze it and send it overnight on dry ice, which is very expensive.) If it’s dead, you can treat it like hay.

Average grass hay is around 12 percent non-structural carbohydrates on a dry matter basis but can range up to 30 percent. For high-risk horses, grass or hay should be less than 11 percent. This varies by individual horse and how much exercise he’s getting. As you test more hay and compare how your horse does on each batch, you will learn what he can handle without gaining weight or getting sore feet. There is no “one size fits all” recipe.

If your high-risk horse has been pulled off pasture, it’s important to test your hay for sugar content. “Any kind of hay can be high or low in sugar,” says Watts. “It’s not about species; it’s about growing conditions.”

For a list of other National Forage Testing Association certified labs, visit www.foragetesting.org.

Managing the High-Risk Horse

If you have a high-risk horse with a cresty neck, one of the best things to keep an eye on is his neck. “When the sugars get high in the grass, you can palpate his neck and feel a difference,” says Watts. “I call it ‘the Neckometer.’ When you put him in the dry lot, within a couple of days you should feel his neck getting softer. If you do something wrong, his neck will get hard very quickly.”

If the weather is conducive to making high-sugar grass, horses with more mild risk factors may still be able to stay on pasture with a grazing muzzle on. “But if you put the grazing muzzle on and his neck is still getting bigger, then it’s time to put him in the dry lot and leave him there,” advises Watts. However, she emphasizes that the only way you can really assess your horse’s risk level is to get his insulin levels tested.

Early Signs of Laminitis

Another tool Watts recommends to carefully monitor high-risk horses is a daily brisk trot on firm footing. Since the metabolic form of laminitis comes on very slowly, it’s possible to look for these subtle signs and get ahead of the problem.

“If you have a horse that normally has a nice, big trot and suddenly he just shuffles along stiff-legged or refuses to trot at all, that’s the horse that you bring back to your dry lot,” says Watts. “Feel his feet to see if there’s excess heat or an obvious pulse. These horses will often respond to being withdrawn from pasture very quickly.”

Keep the horse off of pasture until weather conditions have changed completely in a way that will lower the concentration of sugar in the grass. For any case of acute laminitis, contact your vet immediately.

Since metabolic laminitis is a relatively new area of research, make sure your vet is up to date on the condition and knows how to treat it.

“Endocrinology is a veterinary specialty,” says Watts. “The same goes for farriers. The farrier you loved when your horse was healthy may not have the skills to help him once he’s foundered.”

Exercise is Key

Many of the horses that struggle with grass founder are not exercised at all, or only very lightly.

“Except for a few rare cases of very hard-to-control insulin resistance, if you exercise the horse hard enough (to a sweat) three times a week, you can fudge a lot more on the diet,” says Watts. “It’s about balancing the amount of exercise with the amount of NSCs in the diet.”

Horses that are prone to insulin resistance should not carry excess weight. Watts recommends horses be kept fit, even with a slight hint of ribs showing. But the horse should also carry good overall muscle tone from an active fitness program—whether it’s riding, driving or longeing.

If you have a high-risk metabolic horse and you want to maximize his grazing time, you’ll need to be prepared to carefully evaluate him and the weather conditions every day. At the first sign of foot soreness or the crest thickening/hardening, move him to a dry lot and feed him low-sugar hay, or soak his hay for a couple of hours in plenty of fresh water to remove excess sugars. When your horse and the grass conditions improve, he can go back out again. However, it may not be until the season is over. Be prepared for a time-consuming challenge.

Further Reading
◆ Treatment and Recovery of Founder in Horses
◆ Feed to Prevent Founder
◆ An Overview of Laminitis

This article about grass founder in horses originally appeared in the April 2013 issue of Horse Illustrated. Click here to subscribe!

The post Preventing Grass Founder appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Plenty has been written about the prevention, causes, and treatment of founder, but less information is available on whether or not afflicted horses will “successfully” recover. The answer, despite the availability of clinical exams to guide prognosis, is not as straightforward as it may seem. Here, two leading experts in their fields, as well as the owner of two horses stricken with founder, weigh in.

Diet & Equine Metabolic Syndrome

Raul Bras, DVM, CJF, APF, a shareholder and practicing veterinarian at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Wellington, Fla., has extensive experience treating horses experiencing laminitis and founder. He says that diet and its relationship to equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is likely the most common contributing factor.

“A very high percentage of laminitis and foundering of horses is due to equine metabolic syndrome,” he explains. And changing the diet, once EMS has been identified as the cause, can be one factor that contributes to whether or not your horse will recover.

“If the owner is not willing to put the horse on a weight loss plan, there is nothing you can do to the foot that is going to fix it or stop it,” says Travis Burns, M.S., CJF, TE, EE, FWCF, and associate professor of practice and chief of farrier services at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Va.

Since it is very easy to slip back into old habits and patterns, you should continue to diligently manage your horse’s diet going forward after receiving such a diagnosis.

“You have to keep the horse at an appropriate body condition score and have his metabolic profile within normal limits, or you are just fighting an uphill battle,” Burns adds.

Identifying Problems Early

While most horse owners are vigilant about having their veterinarians out to administer yearly vaccinations and dental exams, fewer have diagnostic tests, such as annual X-rays and barn-side insulin testing completed. This is particularly important with horses and ponies that are genetically or otherwise predisposed, in order to seek out possible problems before they arise.

Regarding insulin testing, Bras initially likes to test as much as possible to achieve a baseline.

“You have four seasons of the year. If you [test] in the winter, spring, summer, and fall, you can see how [insulin levels] fluctuate,” he says. Once the baseline has been noted, your vet can monitor for increases to it on an annual basis and make changes to the horse’s diet well before he experiences laminitis or founder.

Knowing if your horse is predisposed to a condition such as EMS goes well beyond making dietary changes. It can also help guide you in avoiding over-supplementation and in the treatment of other medical conditions your horse may develop.

For example, in some instances treating with steroids can trigger the development of laminitis. Bras advises that rather than helping, both over-supplementation and over-medicating can make laminitis and founder more difficult to treat.

Using a Venogram

Venograms, a type of contrast radiograph study, play a critical role in assessment, as early identification is a top contributing factor as to whether or not your horse will make a successful recovery.

“It all comes down to blood supply,” says Bras. “That’s why I am a proponent of the venogram.”

He likens venograms to weather reports because they give you time to prepare and potentially even prevent problems before they arise. By knowing that the blood supply to the foot has been compromised before a problem has already presented itself, you can take a proactive rather than a reactive approach to certain elements (such as farrier and dietary modifications) of your management plan.

Corrective shoeing, for example, can work to counteract mechanical failure, while dietary changes can address weight and metabolic issues before problems occur.

Aggressive Treatment

Should your horse experience laminitis or founder, immediate, bold treatment can play a key contributing factor in whether or not your horse will recover. Bras advises avoiding a “wait and see” approach. Instead, he recommends assessing the damage and determining how much blood supply is present, and using that knowledge to make decisions as to how to proceed.

While it may seem logical to think that a horse who experiences a high degree of rotation will be unlikely to recover, Bras explains that this may not be the case.

“You might have a horse that has equine metabolic syndrome and has an acute foundering that doesn’t rotate much or another with a lot of rotation,” he says. “Even if you have a lot of rotation, if you have identified it right away, there’s a strong chance you can save a horse.” He emphasizes that each case is individual.

Emergency Treatment

Should a horse experience laminitis but rotation has not yet occurred, Bras recommends the application of the NANRIC Ultimate cuff shoe as long as the bone alignment matches the shoe.

“That shoe gives the horse 18 to 20 degrees heel elevation,” he says. “The heel elevation helps to optimize the blood supply to the hoof, thereby increasing the chances for a successful outcome.”

Because it doesn’t have to be glued or nailed on, any veterinarian, farrier, or owner (under veterinary supervision) can apply it simply by wrapping it on to secure it to the hoof.

Monitoring sole depth, degree of rotation, and the amount of blood supply during this process are all factors that will guide your veterinarian in directing treatment options, including making the call in extreme cases as to whether or not the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) should be severed to relieve tension and prevent rotation of the coffin bone.

Signs Indicating Outcome

According to Burns, marked improvement in the horse’s comfort, the return of vascular perfusion and growth of the horse’s foot—specifically in terms of sole depth—are all signs that your horse may make a recovery and return to his previous level of performance, or at least a modified version of it.

As a referral farrier making recommendations to help achieve successful outcomes for farriers in the field, Burns recognizes the need to work within principles rather than methods. Understanding that varying methods can all reach the same goal, he says that the first and foremost guiding principle he would like to achieve is recruiting the frog and sole into load-bearing.

This can be accomplished by any number of methods preferred by the horse owner’s farrier, including pads, heart-bar shoes and clogs, all aimed at meeting the needs of both the horse and the owner’s management situation. No matter the method, Burns likes to see a shoe that relieves tension on the laminae when the horse is moving even when he is turning.

Burns also recommends principles to realign the hoof capsule around the distal phalanx (P3 or coffin bone).

“If a horse can’t or won’t show growth, particularly under the tip of P3 or sole depth region, that is a bad sign,” he says.

As treatment progresses, Burns recommends lowering the heel to an appropriate palmar angle for the individual horse without causing increased tension on the DDFT, which results in increased tension on the laminae.

Finally, he advises dressing the hoof wall back to match the dorsal surface of the coffin bone. He says that if the bone stays healthy, you’ve got a much better prognosis for a return to athletic performance.

In the end, both Bras and Burns recommend the combined efforts of a veterinarian/farrier team.

“It’s not a good idea to think that your farrier can handle it on their own,” says Burns.

This article about treatment and recovery of founder appeared in the April 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Don’t let the optimistic array of new research findings, therapeutic products, and expert opinions deter you from the basics of helping your horse avoid or survive the disease that has broken so many owners’ hearts.

What you have seen of this too-common disease has probably shocked you. You’ve watched owners soaking and bandaging and gingerly hand-walking their stiff-legged, laminitic horses. You’ve seen hooves crusted with growth rings, scarred by abscesses, and shod with pricey designer horseshoes or boots.

Every horse is at risk of laminitis. It’s a disease with different forms, multiple causes, varying severity, and an impact like no other. Some horses recover to gallop again, some spend months on stall rest, and others live with low-grade chronic lameness, helped by a special diet, conscientious hoof trimming and medication for the rest of their lives.

For advice, we turned to a respected source on the subject. The Animal Health Foundation (AHF) funds laminitis research all over the world. The charity’s founder, Donald Walsh, DVM, is optimistic about how horse owners can prevent and manage the disease.

What is Laminitis?

Most people think laminitis is a horse foot disease, but it is more than that. The AHF defines laminitis as the breakdown of the internal supporting structures (“laminae”) between the outer hoof wall and the coffin bone inside the hoof. This breakdown can also damage the delicate circulation in the horse’s foot and cause great pain.

Laminitis commonly affects horses’ feet when hormone production is disrupted, but it is also caused by retained placentas in mares after foaling, or when an injured horse bears weight excessively on its good foot. Body-wide inflammation, such as a complication after surgery, severe diarrhea, or diseases like Potomac horse fever are other pathways. Horses may also develop laminitis when exposed to stable bedding made from black walnut trees.

The most classic laminitis is direct carbohydrate overload, caused when a horse gorges on grain. He may not look sick, but his feet can be damaged by a situation that could have been prevented.

Laminitis research focuses on any one of these causes of the disease. Researchers look at aged horses at risk for the hormonal disease pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, or Cushing’s disease), which alters pituitary hormones. They also research how efficiently horses regulate the hormone insulin, how they handle stress, or how seasonal or gender-related hormones affect them.

The most familiar form of laminitis is the sore-footed aftermath of grazing on rich spring grass. Many of these horses have what is called equine metabolic syndrome, rooted in insulin dysregulation, and frequently are overweight with obvious cresty necks or fatty areas around the tail base, sheath and shoulders.

Signs of Laminitis in Horses

Laminitic horses are usually lame in both front feet and sometimes in all four feet. Laminitic horses take shorter, more tentative steps than usual, and will toss their heads when turning at the end of a walkway. They may stand with their hind feet tucked forward under their bellies, and their front feet strutted out in front.

But laminitis caused by hormonal problems may have been sending you warning signals for months by gradually altering the shape of the horse’s feet. Hoof wall ridges are common, but the Animal Health Foundation suggests that it is farriers who see it first; they will remark that the sole is flattening out or bruised, and that the white line around the border of the sole is stretching and flecked with hemorrhage even if the horse isn’t noticeably lame.

The Mechanics of Laminitis

When the inner lamina tissue are damaged by laminitis, the bone partially detaches from the hoof wall. If you’ve ever torn one of your fingernails loose, you know how much damaged lamina hurt. Now imagine bearing your weight on that ripped nail: That’s how a horse feels when standing on laminitic hooves.

Sometimes the lamina are mildly damaged; other times the damage is focused on a portion of the foot. Commonly, the toe region is the worst affected. In severe cases, the bone becomes unstable inside the foot.

According to AHF, founder is the painful, crippling result of a foot’s bond damaged by laminitis. When a horse founders, the unstable coffin bone rotates or even sinks, putting pressure on the sole of the foot, sometimes even puncturing it.

Veterinarians take X-rays to evaluate the rotation factor, and also may take a venogram to get a picture of how badly the circulation is damaged.

What can you do to reduce your horse’s risk of laminitis or founder, and what makes a laminitis emergency? Click here to continue reading about treating laminitis.

This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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