Robinsons Blog

It is well known that springtime brings with it the threat of laminitis, there’s lots of information available on this disease along with supplements, and gadgets to help limit the risk of your horse suffering from it. As an owner of a horse who suffers from this condition myself, it is a subject close to my heart. My aim with this blog is to explain laminitis in a simple easy to understand way, whilst giving you links to investigate further.

Laminitis is a disease of the digital laminae of the hoof (foot of an ungulate). It is commonly thought of as a disease of small, fat ponies who have access to too much rich spring grass, and not enough exercise. This is not the case, it is a serious condition that can affect any equine (or cattle) at any time of year. My own horse is a lean thoroughbred cross, who at 19 contracted laminitis for the first time whilst in medium work on sparse grazing.

Knowing what triggers laminitis can help you to prevent the onset or deal with the early stages effectively. Although it is not known for certain what causes laminitis, there are common situations which seem to bring laminitis on in some horses; prolonged hard work on unsuitable surfaces, some corticosteroid drugs given to susceptible horses and most commonly overeating. Trying to prevent any of these triggers will help to keep laminitis at bay.

Knowing your horse and what is ‘normal’ for him is your biggest tool in helping to prevent and catch laminitis at its earliest stage. If your horse seems to be not quite himself, unwilling to walk or turn in his usual way, showing slight colicky signs or just generally uncomfortable on his feet he could be experiencing early signs of laminitis. These indicators will all usually present themselves before you notice the typical ‘laminitis stance’, heat in the feet or change to the digital pulse.

If you even suspect laminitis act immediately as delay can seriously hinder your horse’s recovery. If possible stable your horse on a deep bed of shavings, but don’t force him to walk. Allow him to lie down if he wants to as this will alleviate the pressure on your horse’s feet. Seek veterinary advice as soon as possible, laminitis should be considered as much an emergency as colic to prevent the condition worsening.

Preventing laminitis by careful management of your horse and his environment is vital. Slowly introduce him to the spring grass, starting with just an hour at first and gradually extending the time. Try strip grazing if you have a large field as this will limit the amount of grass your horse has access to. Make sure you also adjust your horse’s hard feed to allow for the extra nutrition they are getting from their grazing, many horses won’t need any more than grass at this time of year. If you do feel that he needs his diet supplementing be careful to choose a low starch, high fibre diet which is appropriate for his level of work. 

The Laminitis Trust provides detailed information on the disease, look out for their Approval Mark on your horse’s feed bags. By being vigilant and with correct management your horse should stay healthy and happy throughout the summer months. Act quickly if your horse starts to show signs of weight gain by restricting his grazing or fitting a grazing mask. If you are at all worried about your horse’s health or you suspect the onset of laminitis ring your vet straight away. Laminitis is a serious disease which can cause long term damage to your horse’s feet. Careful management of your horse’s welfare will help to ensure that your horse stays safe and sound throughout the year.

Now summer is approaching we start to think about hacking out for longer and further, even visiting places further afield for a change of scene. There’s nothing better than tacking up your horse and going for a relaxing hack with friends, or even just out on your own. The happy chat on horseback, or exhilarating gallop makes you fall in love with riding and horses again, and forget all about the chores waiting for you back at the stables.

Load your horse up and go for a day out with friends somewhere further afield when you have the time. Living in the Northwest means I have loads of places to choose from, the Lake District has some fantastic places to hack whether you have your own horse or want to visit a trekking centre.  There’s also the Yorkshires Dales and plenty of beaches to choose from. Wherever you live there’s sure to be somewhere that you can visit that has great off road riding.

You can still have fun hacking in your local area, bridleways are a great place to ride but are often not maintained as well as they should be and aren’t well documented. Many ancient bridleways are becoming lost, riders everywhere can help to keep these rights of way, contact your local Bridleways Agency to find out how. Remember that bridleways often cross private land so be responsible when using them by ensuring gates are securely closed again if you’ve had to open them to ride through. Keep to the bridleway and avoid soft land so your horses hooves don’t cut the surface up. Always make sure you ride slowly through land that has livestock in and stop if they appear disturbed and start to run.

If you are keen to ride out but don’t have anyone to accompany you why not try asking for a riding buddy on horse forums, there may well be other riders locally who have the same problem. Its always more fun and safer to ride with someone else.

Wherever you are riding it is highly likely that you will have to encounter a certain amount of road work at some point. Always make sure that you and your horse wear reflective high visibility clothing so you are easily seen by other road users. Take a look at this photo taken in daylight when you’d normally think there’s no need for reflective gear. How long does it take you to see the second horse and rider?Finally, refresh your knowledge of the highway code, paying particular attention to any parts relating to horses. Riding two abreast is fine but you should only do so when the road conditions make it safe. Ensure you know all hand signals and use them appropriately, if you can’t take a hand off the rein to thank drivers, try to at least smile in acknowledgement.

Happy hacking always comes as a result of riding responsibly and making sure you stay safe in the saddle!

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