Barefoot & Possible Laminitis Question

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xStephx

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Hi all,

I've just taken my boys front shoes off (hinds have always been bare) as he's had to be retired. However he has had them off before when he was previously retired and every summer we had laminitis symptoms which after at least 24hrs in the box had gone. The first time this happened I got the vet who told me it was laminitis, after a night in the box he was sound but followed advice and kept him in for 5 days. This happened every summer without shoes. When shoes went back on this never happened again. I've spoken to my farrier about it who didn't do his feet last time he was barefoot and he says it couldn't be laminitis.

He was a bit overweight for him but not obese by any means. I am now obviously concerned that now his shoes are off this will happen again and I'm just wondering if it really was laminitis as I've never known a horse look so crippled and after 24hrs look absolutely fine. To me it was classic laminitis symptoms, lying down a lot, raised pulses and looked crippled. But how can the symptoms disappear so quickly? I've never known any horse recover like that.

So my question is, is it really laminitis? and was it caused by the grass or concussion from playing around a lot (which he does) on hard ground? As I've now got two different opinions from both vet and farrier. Any other barefooters with any advice?

I'm now keeping both my boys diets as low in sugar and starch as possible. Fred is spot on weight wise at the minute so I don't really want him to get much fatter given the time of year that's coming.
 
It was probably low grade laminitis. I know that some people don't believe in it, but I have found that you get an earlier warning with unshod horses.
 
If a vet diagnosed laminitis then it was laminitis and along with the symptoms you describe it definitely sounds like it. Not sure exactly how shoeing can sometimes act as a pain reliever but they appear to be able to, so the shoes may have been masking the symptoms.

I would do lots of research about hooves and diet and you may have to look carefully at grazing management and try other diet changes.

ps. Laminitis is laminitis and there are often many subtle signs things are not right long before a horse is in severe pain.
 
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When retired you will need a weight control plan for him don't ever let him get fat it's a nightmare trying to reduce the weight of retired horses.
If the vet said it was laminitis take his word for it and don't set much store in what a farrier who has never saw the horse at the time said .
If he's prone to be fat you will need to manage 24/7 grazing very carefully tracks systems are great .
Varied routine so if he's on limited rations it's at least interesting when Fattys resting he gets sometime in the school , sometime in the track , some time in the stable . And then sometime with his mates every few days in a bare paddock .
Walking in hand might help as well as long as you walk briskly .
For the horse you describe I would be keeping in during the day in the danger season .
There's a laminitis app if you have an iPhone it tells you when the risk is highest that might be a worthwhile thing if you have a iPhone /pad.
 
Sounds like LGL to me, too. Henry never got the classical stance and was also sound after 24 hrs of pen rest. Turned out to have EMS. I would manage your horse as laminitis prone and you won't go far wrong. Check pulses daily and for any puffiness around the coronet band or just above the fetlock (with my pony, his hinds go puffy first). At the first sign of puffiness you either need to restrict grazing (muzzle/soaked hay/both!) or bring him in. Be particularly vigilant on sunny, showery days. I'd disregard what the farrier said, too. The reason you're seeing this without shoes is that LGL is often masked by shoeing, but this means that you're always closer to the critical point of full blown laminitis, blissfully unaware! Henry was actually shod when he was diagnosed - I was just lucky to be in the right place at the right time and saw him walking 'drunk'.
 
Thanks for all the replies and advice. I always thought it was laminitis and that was my gut feeling but my Farrier has a way of making you think what he says is right! I did ask once why he had bruising in his hoof wall and I did see bruising on the white line whilst being shod so dis wwonder if shoes were covering up the pain.

So diet wise I'm thinking something like hi-fi molasses free and not a lot of it in summer. We've just taken part in a dengie weight clinic and she advised Alfa A molasses free but I did not think to tell her his past with laminitis. The bag says it's approved by the laminitis trust but I always thought Alfa A was bad for barefoot and laminitis? Maybe this he can have in winter to keep his weight? I will definitely restrict grazing if needed. We've just moved to a new yard and have a new paddock but my boys share and they have already eaten off a lot of what was there which wasn't a massive amount. So will keep an eye on it. My other boy needs weight but again want to avoid high sugar and starch as his feet are so flat and thin and I don't think sugar will help with this! Especially as he feels pretty much everything anyway.
 
Alfa A molasses free is fine for BF horses who are working but alfalfa in quite high energy and it's coated with oil ( alfalfa does not agree with some horses though ).
I would not be feeding hi if lite molasses free to your horse if he gains weight either as it's got oil added as well.
I use honeychop plain chopped straw for good doers.
 
Hi Fi molasses free has the lowest sugar content together with spillers lite balancer is a very good feed for laminitics, hay not haylage (unless a medical reason) and no turn out on frosty grass, as has been said, v careful management coming inot spring/summer/second flush of grass. See the laminitis site for more info.
 
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