As we head into Autumn, we all notice the season is changing – shorter days, cooler evenings, wetter ground and changes in our horses – their winter coat is coming through, seasonal attitude changes and some have reactions to the change in weather. Our pastures also react to the seasonal change, with sunny warm days and chilly nights it causes the grass to become ‘stressed’. A bit more detail – the cooler temperatures at night limit the grasses growth, which means an increased amount of sugar is stored in the grasses stem, which is then consumed by our horses, which can have an effect on your horse if they are sensitive to sugar and pasture changes.
Spotting the signs of laminitis early is key
If your horse is experiencing a bout of laminitis, then spotting the symptoms early provides your horse with the best chance of recovery. Early signs can be very subtle, so knowing and reading your horse can help you to spot any changes in their behaviour or stance. Laminitis is thought to only appear at certain times of the year, but realistically it can pop up at any time of the year, depending on the weather and grass growth phase.
Some important signs to notice…
Key signs:
- Hot hooves
- A strong / pounding digital pulse (test when at rest)
- Changes in the horses gait e.g. a shorter stride or imbalance
- In extreme cases a refusal to stand still or move
- Obvious sign of discomfort when walking on hard, uneven or stoney ground
- Lameness
- An abnormal stance
- Some signs that could be mistaken as colic – Signs of pain: increases respiration rates, sweating, temperature or an increased pulse.
- Discomfort to turn or cross their hind limbs
- Weight shifting when standing still
How many did you know?
Hoof temperature
This isn’t the most reliable indicator as daily temperatures and the horses activity levels could cause the hooves to be warmer than usual. It is therefore important to think about external factors and notice if the hooves are hot for an extended period of time and during rest on a cool day. It is also important to check all hooves, if only a single hoof is hot, then it could be a sign of abscess or injury.
Check for a digital pulse… what’s this I hear you say…
A horses arteries go down the side of the horses leg and into the hoof, as the heart beats you can feel a pulse in certain areas of the leg. When your horse is fit and healthy a beat can be difficult to feel, but when your horse is having a reaction or has an injury you can feel the beat of the heart with a gentle hold. The stronger the beat of the pulse the more of a reaction your horse is having.
From this image you can see some of the ‘easiest’ places to locate your horses pulse and remember if can be difficult to feel a pulse if your horse is healthy. Locate the right spot and use a light grip to feel for the pulse, use your fingers rather than your thumb (as your thumb has a pulse), if you use too much pressure you could limit the pulse.
Are they standing differently?
Another reminder to take note of how your horse normally stands when at rest. A severe case of laminitis is usually shown like the picture to the right, however the horses stance will depend on how many hooves are affected and the severity of the condition. It is also important to note that if all four hooves are affected you horse may be standing normally as they could be having problems on all feet and need to stay centered to limit discomfort.
Swift action is needed if you suspect laminitis
If your horse is experiencing the above symptoms, then you should be thinking laminitis might be the cause. Depending on the severity of the symptoms you might wish to stable you horse, or remove them from any grass pasture. If symptoms are very bad and you stable your horse, you should get the vet out to check their symptoms and they will be able to provide painkillers, do the required tests and help you to create a step by step plan for their recovery.
Diet is key for a horse that is susceptible to laminitis
A low sugar, low starch, high fibre diet, which includes a balanced diet with all the vitamins and nutrients that are essential for the bodily function and key for horses prone to or suffering from laminitis. Unfortunately, a lot of people see laminitis they remove the horses access to forage, which can lead to gut ulcers and psychological issues for your horse. Horses are grazing animals that constantly roam across different habitats and munch on grass, roots, hedgerow or branches, their bodies continuously create saliva and are designed to have a trickle of food going through their system, without this the buildup in their system can produce painful ulcers. Providing your horse with constant access to food at pasture on in their stable, can reduce the risk of ulcers. If your horse is a good doer then this can cause a whole range of issues for the owner. You may wish to look into a different type of forage with low sugar value, oat straw for example, is low in sugar and can help fill them up.
Look out for balancers and forage that is laminitis society approved, these will have low sugar, low starch qualities and are more suitable for your horse. Soaking your horses hay can reduce sugar content, however if you soak it for too long you can cause bacteria to grow and if you soak it for too short a time, it won’t be removing the sugar levels. There are a lot of different views on soaking levels between 1 and 12 hours. Another route you could take is to get your horse’s forage analysed for nutritional content and see how it compares to other types of hay, straw or grass.