Founder In Horses - What You Should Know

Founder in horses is not the same thing as laminitis in horses. Many people use these terms interchangeably, but it is not correct. While they are certainly related, they are not the same thing. It is important to understand the difference between the two.

Founder is caused by laminitis. It does not matter what type of laminitis the horse has (concussion, metabolic), the horse can still founder. Laminitis is when the sensitive laminae tissue in the horses feet become inflammed, due to different reasons. The laminae tissue are responsible for holding the coffin bone to the hoof wall. This tissue will begin to die because there is no blood flow to the capillaries that supply blood to the tissue. The hoof can feel very hot because there is still blood flow to the hoof. In fact, the blood flow to the foot can be increased as a result of the bodies defence system. But the blood supply will bypass the capillaries to the laminae tissue because of the inflammation.

In founder, the horse's coffin bone within the foot is no longer held up by the laminae tissue because it is compromised by laminitis. The bone can then rotate since it is not being held in place. Founder is the rotation of the coffin bone. Founder in horses is severe and needs to be dealt with right away or the coffin bone can actually sink down into the foot and penetrate the sole of the hoof, breaking through.

Great care should be taken to avoid laminitis at all costs. If your horse does not get laminitis, it cannot founder. A horse owner needs to educate themselves on every aspect of laminitis and founder. If an owner knows what to look out for, what to avoid, and practices smart horse keeping, they might never have to see a case of laminitis, and worse, a case of founder. If the horse does contract laminitis, there are steps to take to avoid it becoming chronic laminitis, which can eventually lead to founder. A horse can founder quite quickly if an attack of laminitis is acute and is not treated immediately. It is imperative to know what to do if it happens to your horse.

Founder is one of the top killers of horses, and unfortunately, most times it is the owner having to make the decision to put the horse down. Founder is that bad. At best the horse might be pasture sound with lots of teamwork between the owner, vet and farrier. But it does not have to be like that. Founder can be avoided. We just need to educate ourselves.