'Footiness'

pistolpete

pistolpete

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Hi, my horse has never (touches wood) had laminitis, but...
When the spring grass comes through, can they feel footy even in shoes??
Makes sense that the sugar affects the sensitive structure of the feet but
wondered if this is common?
 
Yes, very common ime. It is basically laminitis, or possibly soleitis (inflammation of the solar corium), with the same causes. There are various degrees of laminitis before you get to clinical laminitis with rotation, etc.
 
Agree with the above post and if they are feeling it even in shoes, that's a more footy footiness than a barefoot hoof equivalent as the shoe masks very mild footiness, so I would def take action whether diet or grass access etc.
 
Yes definitely.
I know of at least 4 shod horses who show varying degrees of footiness at this time of year.
 
Having a horse with chronic laminitis, I now view any footiness as laminitis. I would be especially worried if she had shoes on (she is barefoot). Have you checked for pulses?

Looking back all the signs were there for many years. She would go footy in the summer and I put it down to strain from the deep going in the school. Then it would pass. She was fully shod back then. I wish I had thought about the possibility of laminitis back then. She may not be having all the trouble she is now if I had.
 
My ISH mare wears shoes was definitely footy a few weeks back, I put her in a muzzle and restricted grazing for a couple of weeks and she was back to normal, she seems to be managing now with restricted grazing during the day and free grazing at night. Our grass tends to flush and go over quite quickly where she lives
 
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