Horses who require large amounts of concentrates must be fed carefully. One option is to break up the large meals into smaller portions fed throughout the day, so the horse never needs to digest too much at once.

at-risk horses. Sugar levels of pasture grasses tend to fluctuate throughout the year, with peaks in the spring and fall. Sending grass samples off for laboratory analysis is the best way to be certain of the nutrient levels in your pastures. Your veterinarian can help you interpret the results and make turnout recommendations based on your horse’s individual needs.

Some horses may need to wear grazing muzzles or be kept off of pasture only at certain times of the year. Others might need to have their grazing restricted throughout the season. For those who are especially vulnerable to laminitis, the only safe form of turnout may be in a dry lot yearround (although efforts need to be made to provide them

with exercise).

• Control obesity. If your at-risk horse is overweight, taking off the extra pounds will both improve his insulin sensitivity and reduce his susceptibility to laminitis. Reducing the sugars in a horse’s diet will help with weight control, but you’ll also want to talk to your veterinarian about a safe exercise regimen, especially if your horse is older or arthritic or has already experienced bouts of laminitis.

3. AVOID DIETARY

EXTREMES

Even a normal horse is vulnerable to laminitis under certain conditions. Another well-documented form of laminitis is associated with systemic inflammation, caused when bacteria and/or their toxins get into the bloodstream am and spread throughout the horse’ss body. This form of laminitis is often acute, sudden and excruciatingly painful; separation and displacement of the coffin bone is common and usually catastrophic. .

Systemic inflammation can developl after a localized infection in any organ, but it often begins in the intestine after acute digestive distress. The best known triggers for gastrointestinal laminitis can be avoided:

• Avoid starch overloads. When any horse eats more starch or sugars all at once than he can digest in his stomach, the excess nutrients pass into the intestine and

MODERATION: A grazing muzzle allows a horse to enjoy the benefits of turnout without eating

too much grass. hindgut, where they ferment and produce byproducts that trigger inflammation in the gut wall and ultimately can lead to laminitis. This can happen in the classic “breaking into the feed bin” scenario, but horses who are fed large grain meals to keep up their weight are also vulnerable.

Horses who require large amounts of concentrates must be fed carefully. One option is to break up the large meals into smaller portions fed throughout the day, so the horse never needs to digest too much at once. Feeding hay first may also slow down the horse’s consumption of grain and help to keep the starches in his stomach longer. Alternatively, if your horse needs a high-energy feed, look for one