A LEADING equine charity has released three hard-hitting leaflets in a bid to stamp out the myths about laminitis.

So much information surrounds the condition – that affects the sensitive laminae in a horse’s feet and which has always been presumed to be caused by horses and ponies eating too much rich spring grass.

In fact, contrary to popular opinion, the charity believes that about 90 per cent of laminitis cases are actually caused by one of two underlying conditions – and now the Redwings education team has produced a new set of laminitis leaflets to try to dispel the myths surrounding this often-misunderstood and painful disease.

Most cases of laminitis are actually caused by an alreadypresent condition – either Equine Cushing’s Disease or Equine Metabolic Syndrome – and spring grass is simply one trigger for laminitis in horses that already have one of these conditions.

While Equine Cushing’s Disease is sadly neither preventable nor curable, affected horses can be carefully managed to prevent episodes of laminitis.

However, good weight management can help to prevent Equine Metabolic Syndrome as it is directly linked with obesity.

Redwings Vet Roxane Kirton said: “The pain of laminitis has been likened to ripping off your toenail. It must always be treated as an emergency and any episodes that are not treated properly can lead to permanent changes in the hoof.

“Laminitis itself is shrouded in myths and confusion – ‘Walk it off’; ‘Feel for a pulse’; ‘Are the feet hot?’; ‘It only affects small fat native ponies’; ‘Just a few days in a stable will fix it’.

“It’s time to bust the myths.

None of these things are foolproof ways of detecting the disease and in fact some of these ‘treatments’ could actually cause more damage to your horse’s feet in the long term.

“Research is ongoing but recent research suggests most cases of laminitis are a sign of either Equine Cushing’s Disease or Equine Metabolic Syndrome.

We have produced a set of free leaflets to help horse owners understand these two conditions, as well as what to do if laminitis strikes and how to spot its often-subtle symptoms.

Contact us for your free copy of the set today.”

For a free copy of the laminitis pack from Redwings Horse Sanctuary, sponsored by Petplan Equine, e-mail the Redwings Welfare team on welfare@red wings.co.uk or call 01508 481008.