Having a horse founder is every horse owner's nightmare. This term refers to inflammation in the digestive system which can spread to the feet, causing damage and deformation of bones, tendons, and tissues in the hoof. This is one cause of navicular disease, but there are other factors that can result in this serious problem.
'Founder' is an inflammation of the digestive tract stemming from too much rich feed. An animal allowed unlimited access to lush grass can founder, as can one which gets into the feed room and eats a large amount of grain. In these cases, the reaction may be swift, with the horse showing discomfort within hours.
Horses allowed to get too fat are also at risk. Overweight animals are prone to foundering. Excess weight also puts undue, constant stress on the feet, especially the front ones which naturally bear most of the animal's weight.
Although ponies are more susceptible than horses to grass founder, all equines are at risk. Maintaining a proper weight is important, since keeping a horse in a dry lot makes everyone miserable and can result in other problems, like anemia or vices like cribbing. Regular exercise is helpful in keeping weight under control and improving the circulation to the feet.
Horses also may develop navicular problems from working on hard ground, jumping more than their feet can stand, or being poorly shod. Warmbloods make talented sport horses, being athletic enough for show jumping and eventing and sensible enough to handle the stress of competition. However, many people have found it hard to keep these heavy horses sound season after season.
Veterinarians also say that navicular problems can be caused by too much standing, as when a horse is confined to a stall. It is best to turn horses out into fields and paddocks where they can move around at will. Race and show horses which are under heavy work and spend the rest of the time in a stall are particularly at risk.
Improper shoeing or trimming can contribute to unsoundness. If the foot is not properly balanced, with the weight spread evenly from toe to heel, the bones of the foot may shift out of position over time. Long toes and heels allowed to slope too far under the foot are less than ideal, and this configuration puts strain on the tendon that passes over the navicular bone and connects to another bone called the coffin bone. If the coffin bone is pulled out of alignment, lameness will result.
Lush grass is a danger to all horses and ponies and should be limited. Feed rooms must be securely closed to keep greedy horses out. Exercise programs should be designed with the animal's age and conformation in mind, and riding done over firm but yielding ground. Owners who want their horses to stay sound should learn how to make sure their farrier is doing a good job.
'Founder' is an inflammation of the digestive tract stemming from too much rich feed. An animal allowed unlimited access to lush grass can founder, as can one which gets into the feed room and eats a large amount of grain. In these cases, the reaction may be swift, with the horse showing discomfort within hours.
Horses allowed to get too fat are also at risk. Overweight animals are prone to foundering. Excess weight also puts undue, constant stress on the feet, especially the front ones which naturally bear most of the animal's weight.
Although ponies are more susceptible than horses to grass founder, all equines are at risk. Maintaining a proper weight is important, since keeping a horse in a dry lot makes everyone miserable and can result in other problems, like anemia or vices like cribbing. Regular exercise is helpful in keeping weight under control and improving the circulation to the feet.
Horses also may develop navicular problems from working on hard ground, jumping more than their feet can stand, or being poorly shod. Warmbloods make talented sport horses, being athletic enough for show jumping and eventing and sensible enough to handle the stress of competition. However, many people have found it hard to keep these heavy horses sound season after season.
Veterinarians also say that navicular problems can be caused by too much standing, as when a horse is confined to a stall. It is best to turn horses out into fields and paddocks where they can move around at will. Race and show horses which are under heavy work and spend the rest of the time in a stall are particularly at risk.
Improper shoeing or trimming can contribute to unsoundness. If the foot is not properly balanced, with the weight spread evenly from toe to heel, the bones of the foot may shift out of position over time. Long toes and heels allowed to slope too far under the foot are less than ideal, and this configuration puts strain on the tendon that passes over the navicular bone and connects to another bone called the coffin bone. If the coffin bone is pulled out of alignment, lameness will result.
Lush grass is a danger to all horses and ponies and should be limited. Feed rooms must be securely closed to keep greedy horses out. Exercise programs should be designed with the animal's age and conformation in mind, and riding done over firm but yielding ground. Owners who want their horses to stay sound should learn how to make sure their farrier is doing a good job.
