The owner: Fran Smith The horse: Chunk, a 15.2hh maxi cob The problem: Chunk has had laminitis in the past

Fran has been restricting Chunk’s grazing to a small paddock for eight hours a day since the start of April and she rides six days a week. She tried a grazing muzzle last year, but Chunk always managed to take it off. What else can she do?

New research shows that strip grazing can be useful for restricting weight gain so Fran could consider installing a fencing system to give Chunk access to a limited amount of fresh grass each day, rather than the whole field. It would also help if she turned Chunk out at night — when the grass may contain less fructan (the storage form of sugar) — instead of during the day.

When the grass is at its most lush, Fran may need to take Chunk off the pasture altogether and feed her a suitable shortchopped fibre instead, preferably one that has been approved by The Laminitis Trust.

New recipe SPILLERS™ HAPPY HOOF™ now has an even lower starch and sugar content, making it a safer choice for good doers, horses prone to laminitis and those in light work. It contains a full blend of vitamins and minerals, plus 15mg of biotin per 3kg serving, which is proven to support hoof health. Approved by

The Laminitis Trust, it can be fed on its own, alongside a balancer to extend eating time, or as a hay replacer.

For those worried about molasses, it is also available as SPILLERS™ HAPPY HOOF™ Molasses Free. Both can be used as partial or total hay replacers and are approved by The Laminitis Trust.