LGL - Safe to turn out (muzzled) or not?

[muff747]

sorry for length of this;- Does anyone know if there is a danger of damaging the laminae when they have low grade laminitis?
My gelding is still tender footed despite controlled diet and soaking haylage for the past three weeks. I have been confining him to a smallish bare (completely bare) track next to others - he's seperated so he eats the soaked hay, the others have dry. I feel bad because he doesn't get any contact with the others so I have adapted his muzzle so he cannot get any grass and I have turned him out in the field with the others for a few hours.
I'm just concerned about the possibility that he may be doing damage to his feet by moving about too much, although he isn't one to be galloping about normally. On the other hand I was concerned that he wasn't moving about enough and his hind fetlocks were starting to swell up!

 

[cptrayes]

As long as he is only footie and not outright lame, I've never had a problem turning them out. In fact by mistake once, a long time ago, I turned a full blown lame one out and he ran around (lame!) but it didn't damage him either. I think you'll be fine.

 

[muff747]

Thanks CPTrayes. did you get my PM?

 

[Rose Folly]

I think you'll be OK. My mare had full blown laminitis in the winter. She was in a yard with shelter, but after she had jumped out (over a 4'6" gate) twice, onto concrete to be with her companions in the field which surrounds my stabling, I decided I'd have to let her take her chance. She went out (unmuzzled in her case as it was winter and the vet reckoned it was frozen grass from the very bad weather that had caused the laminitis, not actually over-eating). When the spring grass came along I kept her in 6 hours a day and the rest of the time out, muzzled. She returned to full soundness and is currentlyon the same regime, an elegant shape and, DV, laminitis-free.

This is only one experience, but it certainly worked for her.