​Understanding the Difference between Laminitis and Founder

In the horse world, Laminitis and Founder are often used interchangeably, but they actually mean different things.

Let's break it down:

Laminitis = Inflammation of the Lamina

Laminitis happens when the sensitive lamina around the coffin bone gets inflamed. This includes the sensitive lamina on the front and sides of the coffin bone, as well as the solar corium on the bottom of the coffin bone.

Founder = Coffin Bone Rotation

Founder occurs when the coffin bone rotates or sinks within the hoof capsule. It can be a small or big rotation, but either way, it's considered foundered. Think of it like being pregnant – you either are or you aren't. Once that hoof wall connection is gone, it has to be regrown from the top down, a long process of about 8 -12 months.

It's important to know that a horse can have laminitis without getting founder, and a horse can get founder without experiencing laminitis. While they often go together, it's not a strict rule. Some horses with laminitis progress to founder, but not always. Founder can also happen on it's own, over time due to too long in between trims or improper trimming - this is called mechanical founder. These horses might not show laminitis signs but may seem sore, stiff, or unsound.
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The great news is most cases of laminitis or founder can be healed. It's a challenging journey, but with a knowledgeable trimmer or farrier, along with some changes to the horse's diet and living conditions, recovery is possible!

Understanding Founder and Hoof Healing

Founder is a serious condition involving the rotation and potential sinking of the coffin bone within the hoof capsule. It can range from a slight rotation to a severe scenario where the coffin bone penetrates the sole and emerges at the bottom of the hoof. Although the goal is to avoid such extremes, the reality is that founder is a common issue observed in trimming practices.

In a foundered hoof, the wall at the coronary band initially displays a healthy angle, even if only for a short distance. As it descends, there is a sudden change in angle, and the wall flares forward. Skilled trimmers and farriers can identify founder, but the degree of rotation requires diagnosis through X-rays by a veterinarian.

Sometimes, a hoof wall may flare but not be foundered, this is characterized by a less abrupt angle change and often involves multiple deviations in angle. A flare is simply a stretching of the lamina, while founder is actual disconnection of the lamina.

While prompt veterinary attention is crucial during a laminitic event, X-rays are equally important for foundered horses. Collaborating closely with your farrier/trimmer is essential to determine the rotation severity and trim the hoof correctly for pain relief and healthy growth.

Though serious, founder is often treatable. A knowledgeable trimmer/farrier is vital, understanding the hoof condition and trimming to alleviate rotation, fostering the growth of a healthy, well-connected hoof wall from the coronary band down. Rehabilitation duration varies, spanning 8-12 months depending on severity and individual hoof growth rates.

The key to a successful rehabilitation is maintaining a short toe and reducing leverage on the fragile new growth, preventing excess length that could leverage the lamina apart. A short trimming schedule, typically every 2-4 weeks based on severity, is crucial. I routinely employ this approach in rehabilitating foundered horses, and I often use glue on shoes to provide comfort and soundness during the rehabilitation process.

Understanding Laminitis: A Comprehensive Insight into its Impact on Horses

Laminitis is a complex condition characterized by inflammation of the sensitive lamina enveloping the coffin bone. This intricate structure involves the sensitive lamina along the front and sides of the coffin bone, as well as the solar corium beneath the bone.

The sensitive lamina is a vascular layer covering the coffin bone, equipped with nerves and a blood supply. It intricately intertwines with the insensitive lamina, positioned on the inner side of the hoof wall. Unlike its counterpart, the insensitive lamina lacks a blood supply and nerves, yet its semi-rigid structure provides essential support. The interlocking connection of the sensitive and insensitive lamina acts like Velcro, crucial for maintaining the proper position of the coffin bone within the hoof.

When a horse experiences laminitis, the sensitive lamina becomes swollen and inflamed. This inflammation is profoundly painful as there is limited room for expansion between the interlocked insensitive lamina. The severity of laminitis varies; a horse with mild laminitis may exhibit sensitivity when walking on hard surfaces, while severe cases may result in a distinct rocked-back stance as the horse seeks relief from inflamed lamina pressure.

Swiftly reducing inflammation and relieving hoof wall pressure through trimming by a knowledgeable trimmer or farrier can often prevent the progression to founder. If left unaddressed in severe cases, the persistent pressure may lead to lamina separation, allowing the coffin bone to rotate and sink within the hoof capsule. It's crucial to emphasize that this progression is not an overnight occurrence but develops gradually, underscoring the urgency of prompt intervention to alleviate inflammation.

Laminitis can be triggered by many factors, with carbohydrate overload from lush grass or sudden grain intake being the most common. Other triggers include hormonal imbalances, stress, metabolic issues, systemic conditions, and even improper trimming or repeated concussions on hard surfaces. If you suspect your horse has laminitis, call your vet ASAP, if left untreated it can lead to serious complications.

Unraveling Acute Founder: Debunking the Myth

In our recent posts about Laminitis and Founder, we've explored the differences and subtleties of these equine hoof conditions. Now, let's delve into the intriguing but incorrect concept of "Acute Founder."

Acute Founder, often described as a rapid event - akin to an overnight occurrence, is commonly known (incorrectly) in equestrian circles. However, it's essential to clarify – this phenomenon does not truly exist.

In the equestrian world, it's not uncommon for horses to undergo gradual, unnoticed founder over an extended period - this is called mechanical founder. Despite regular hoof inspections, the lack of comprehensive knowledge sometimes leads horse owners, farriers, trimmers, and even veterinarians to overlook the subtle signs of founder. This knowledge gap can be disconcerting, underscoring the need for ongoing education within the professional community.

Now, how does this tie in with a scenario where a horse seemingly acutely founders after a grain binge? Let's break it down.

In my experience, I've encountered horses where, on the initial visit, I identified signs of founder in their hooves. Surprisingly, these horses were actively performing daily exercises and work, exhibiting no overt signs of soreness or discomfort. Often times the horse owner doesn't understand how anything could be wrong, and chooses to disregard this information.

However, dismissing this situation with an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality is a perilous choice. The consequences of neglecting this metaphorical "ticking time bomb" are substantial.

The horse continues its routine, seemingly unaffected, until a day of grain indulgence/hormonal imbalance or some other laminitis trigger, rendering the horse acutely laminitic and unable to walk. When the vet is called, the horse owner, citing the horse's soundness the day before, leads to a common misdiagnosis - Acute Founder. The assumption is that founder occurred overnight due to the laminitis event, when, in reality, it had been quietly progressing for an extended period of time.

Similar situations arise, such as a horse progressing well until it develops tenderness in a front hoof. When the vet is consulted, the assumption is that the founder occurred recently.
These occurrences, are not rare, and they underscore the importance of understanding the timeline of founder development. While laminitis can, in some cases, lead to founder, the crucial fact is that founder does not transpire overnight. For the lamina to lose its connection and the bone to initiate rotation away from the hoof wall, a gradual process unfolds. As the lamina separate, the cells secrete a liquid form of keratin, creating a lamellar wedge that progressively enlarges over time to fill the growing void between the coffin bone and the hoof wall. As the hoof wall continues to grow, the wedge pushes the wall forward creating the extreme flare we typically associate with foundered hooves.
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In summary, the notion of a horse acutely foundering overnight is a myth. Founder is a gradual buildup, while laminitis, if promptly addressed, does not necessarily culminate in founder. Continuing to deepen our understanding of these intricate hoof conditions is key to promoting the well-being of our equine friends.

I have been trimming for about 15 years now, and my trim has definitely evolved and changed along the way. There are many cases where I don’t trim from the top - if the hoof doesn’t warrant it, but there are a lot of cases that I do trim from the top, and a lot of it, as I specialize in founder rehab. I learned a long time ago, that the best trimmers and farriers (and bodyworkers and trainers and coaches and horsemen), don’t subscribe to a specific method, but stay flexible to adapt to each horse, each hoof, and each moment as needed. I live by the philosophy to never say never or always when it comes to horses, because we are constantly learning and evolving and changing things up.

A lot of the argument I get about trimming from the top is that it thins the hoof wall. And yes, I agree that it does that. In fact, thinning the hoof wall is actually part of what I’m aiming for. Not because I want to weaken the hoof or take away protection, but a thinner wall wears faster, and won’t apply as much leverage if it’s wearing as the wall grows down. And that leverage is another reason I rasp from the top. Every 1/2 inch of length is equal to 50lbs of pressure per square inch, and when a long toe applies pressure on the wall it can lead to flare and lamellar detachment. 

The biggest thing that I think people need to realize also, is that when we thin the hoof wall by rasping, there is stretched white line or lamellar wedge underneath it, which actually acts as an insulator to the wall, so we are in fact thinning the original wall, but the same amount of protection remains. 

So to me, there is no debate to be had. I will rasp from the top when flare is present, to reduce leverage on the lamina and the new growth that is coming in. If a hoof has no flare or leverage, then it doesn’t require rasping from the top. 

I would be absolutely thrilled to have someone show me a case study of a foundered horse that had a lamellar wedge, that was trimmed without ever having the wall rasped from the top, that was successfully rehabbed to have complete lamellar reconnection. Rasping from the top is hard work, and if I could find a way to rehab these horses without doing it, I’d love to save the energy. But the bottom line for me is that I’m in this business to fix horses, and this technique works well for me when used appropriately. 

Aspen arrived here on Feb 14 2023. She is a 6 year old Quarter Horse that was purchased by a previous client.

Aspen was professionally trained and started and the client bought her as a confidence builder. As it turned out, shortly after purchasing her Aspen started bucking quite dramatically when saddled. She was sent to a trainer who suspected the issues were pain related, and then the vet was called. The vet took radiographs of her back and legs and the diagnosis he came up with was boney growths on the suspensory branch attachment points likely caused by Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD), an ultrasound was not done to confirm as he thought the radiographs were conclusive enough. 

When she arrived she was not lame, and had no visible swellings, but her owner did express she had some hind end lameness issues previously with the right hind being the worst.

While I definitely don't disbelieve the vet's diagnosis, I also see a few issues that could be contributing to her condition as well as causing their own problems. I also think that you could x-ray many sound horses and find boney changes and suspensory issues that are underlying that may not be an immediate concern.

My first concern with Aspen's hooves are the long toe and weak caudal hoof. I would like to see a shorter toe, a more tightly connected hoof wall and and more vertical heel. Her heels are under run and likely creating negative plantar angles on the hinds. Her frogs and digital cushions are also not as robust as they could be. 

From a behavioral standpoint I have only worked with Aspen twice as of this writing. The first time was to trim her, and she was quite anxious and stiff to work with. We did some groundwork and I took my time releasing when she was cooperative and trying to get as much done as I could. Below are the pics from that trim. It is not the perfect trim I would like, but it's the one we were able to get done though her anxiety. Since the trim I have worked with her again and she was much calmer, though does show a lot of anxiety through her stiff, fast movement and restrictions through her rib cage. I am excited to get to know her as she settles in here and see what unfolds for her. So far she seems sound and fairly physically capable, though a bit unbalanced and anxious. The video below the pics was shot on February 24 2023 as she ran the track system to catch up with the herd.