Dr. Judith L. Mulholland

Equine athletes have lower immunity caused by the demands of training and stress. There is often a lot of grain, protein and sugar in the diet. Confinement for up to 23 hours per day reduces normal circulation in the limbs. Manure from some race horses is loose, sour smelling, and fermented. Stress, racing, respiratory diseases, transportation and bad shoeing all contribute to mild laminitis, which is put down to chronic "race horseitis".

The feet have a stronger than average pulse, with bruising and widening of the white line at the toe - soreness increases after a race. When spelled, the feet develop severe rings caused by radical changes of diet, exercise and environment ,creating distorted hoof angles and shoeing problems later on. A race horse may not have severe laminitis; it could be in a state of chronic laminitic crisis - teetering on the edge. Some horses have allergies to certain grains e.g., barley lumps. Therefore, change feeds carefully.

REDUCE LAMINITIC SYMPTOMS AND SHOEING PROBLEMS BY MAKING PROGRESSIVE CHANGES IN DIET BEFORE SENDING HORSES IN OR OUT OF TRAINING.