Eurodressage Cover Story

Laminitis: Always Think In Terms of Prevention

Prevention is of the utmost importance. In order to prevent, first and foremost it is your responsibility as a horse owner to educate yourself about the care and management of your horse. You must learn everything you can about your horse in order to be able to recognize early on the subtle changes in your horse's way of going, as well as in his attitude and demeanor. Whether you are a first time owner or someone who has owned many horses, be proactive in your horse's care and management. If at all possible, be present when the vet sees your horse (even for routine visits). Be there when the farrier works on your horse and take this opportunity to ask questions This will assist you in knowing every aspect of your horse and in picking up small idiosyncrasies that you may not have noticed had you not been there for shoeings and vet exams.

Occasionally when I see new horses in my practice, I recognize signs that at one time, the horse has experienced a mild case of laminitis of which the owner was not aware. These are subtle signs that the experienced farrier or veterinarian should be able to detect. The reason for this is that there are many grades of laminitis and in some instances, very mild cases of it can go undetected by the owner.

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