Sled-runner hooves was how my grandfather drew attention to horses and ponies with founder. From an early age, it was common to see a foundered horse with severely overgrown hooves around where I grew up in Southwest Iowa. Most were backyard horses that ate grass in small lots. Occasionally, one would get into a grain bin, overeat and then founder. Seeing these animals struggle to move was burned into my memory.
That’s why I read this sponsored content from Vettec Hoof Care with interest. I learned quite a bit and smiled at how new technologies can now be used to correct and improve this ugly condition. We still need hoof trimmers, but now modern approaches can help these pained animals.
Source: Western Horseman, December 8, 2015 via newsletter.
When a horse experiences a bout of laminitis, whether from injury, overfeeding or metabolic issues, inflammation of the lamina occurs. The anatomy of the hoof is such that the insensitive lamina is attached to the hoof wall and the sensitive lamina is attached to the coffin bone. In the event of hoof trauma, the inflammation and reduction of blood flow can cause partial or total separation of the lamina, allowing the coffin bone to rotate downward. Laminitis can show up as subtle lameness in the front feet, external bruising in the sole or white line disease. This experience is comparable to pulling off your fingernail in an accident.