What to Feed a Foundered Horse

Causes of Founder

• Grazing on lush, verdant, springtime pastures, when new grass has its highest concentrations of carbohydrate or fructan (a sugar found in grass and hay), can cause an onset of laminitis. Obesity, overloading on grain, ingestion of lawn grass clippings, drinking too much water when overheated, and Cushing's disease can cause founder. A mare retaining the afterbirth, hard or fast work, standing too long on a hard surface, stress and stress colic can also lead to laminitis.

Feeding

• Feeding a horse with laminitis can seem to consist solely of restrictions, all of which are important. Starch and sugar in the feed should be monitored; both have been associated with laminitis. Cereal and high-sugar products like molasses should be replaced with fiber and oil-based feed. Look for ingredients like ̶0;unmolested̶1; sugar beet, alfalfa, neat oil and chaffs. You may have to restrict or prohibit grazing during full sun and the spring grass-growing season. Grazing can be restricted with the use of a grazing muzzle. Another idea is to feed hay in the morning before a horse is turned out to pasture. It may be necessary, in certain growing conditions, to pull horses off pastures and put them on dry lots. Some grasses have more fructan than others. If your pasture has high-fructan grass, you may want to consider re-seeding to provide relief for your horse

What Else You Can Do

• Other things you can do to help your horse manage this painfully debilitating condition include having your horse̵7;s hooves trimmed on a regular schedule by a certified farrier. Keep your horse at a healthy weight; by monitoring your horse̵7;s weight, you can discern whether your horse needs to be put on a weight-loss plan to ward off obesity. Overeating and obesity are the most common high-risk situations that lead to laminitis, according to the Laminitis Trust.

  Stick to the basics of feeding. That means feed little and feed often. Don̵7;t go longer than four hours without feed or forage. Introduce new foods or supplements slowly over the course of at least two weeks. Latch or lock feed bins to prevent break-ins and overeating. Your vet may suggest soaking your horse's hay to reduce the amount of fructan, says Dr. Janet Han, DVM.

Symptoms

• A horse suffering from founder in the two front legs may stand in the "founder stance" with its hind legs way up under its body and bearing as much weight as possible. The front feet will be placed forward to distribute weight to the heels. Because of the intense level of pain the horse experiences, a foundering horse is reluctant to walk. If all four feet are affected, the horse may just lie down and prefer to stay there.