Can a Horse with Laminitis Eat Corn Meal?

As a horse owner, you probably know that colic is ranked as the No. 1 killer of horses, but did you know that laminitis is ranked as No. 2 cause of death in horses? Feeds such as corn or corn meal can be detrimental to a horse with laminitis.

  1. Laminitis Causes

    • Laminitis is a swelling of the horses laminae in the hoof that can cause the horse severe pain and lameness. This condition in horses can have many different causes such as feed, lush pasture, illness or stress. Overfeeding a horse a diet high in carbohydrates, sugar and starch, such as corn or corn meal, can make laminitis worse.

      For horses that have laminitis caused by illness, feeding is not as big of a factor as it is for the horse that has laminitis caused by feeding issues. Close attention should still be paid to the amount of sugar and carbohydrates that are fed to any horse with a history of laminitis.

    Feeding the Laminitic Horse

    • Horses that have laminitis should be kept on strict diets with close attention to limiting carbohydrates, sugar and starch. Corn and corn meal are both very high in carbohydrates and starch, therefore, they are not a good diet choice for a horse with laminitis.

    Modly Corn Disease

    • Moldy corn disease can have hazardous effects on all livestock, but horses are especially sensitive to this toxin. This toxin is a fungus called Fusarium moniliforme. This fungus can be found in corn that is grown during moist and humid conditions, or corn that is stressed by flooding or drought before harvesting. This mold can be deadly to any horse, but especially a horse with a history of laminitis.

    Prevention/Solution

    • The Horse.com website states that horses prone to laminitis do best being fed complete feeds that are low in sugar, starch and carbohydrates, or hay/forage-only diet supplemented with oil or beet pulp.