FOUNDER OR LAMINITIS

Laminitis or founder can be attributed to anything which upsets the vascular or blood pressure balance within the feet. Excessive work, lack of work,deblitating disease,upset of the digestive system ( overfeeding or grass founder), extreme stress, Unequal weight bearing( due to lamesness in an opposing leg)and improper shoeing are ALL common causes of this vascular congestion. This upset to the horse´s circulatory system IN TURN causes the blood pressure to increase in the feet to such a degree that the horse´s natural body function proves inadequate. This congestion of blood flow causes pain(in part) by pressurizing the sensitive laminae which (in part) causes the horse NOT to walk or move in a normal manner ( frog pressure pumps the blood back up the leg vs. gravity). THEN this increase in blood pressure cannot escape because it is encapsulated in the (virtually) rigid horny structure of the foot and damage in the form of an internal "explosion of the foot" is caused to the sensitive internal laminea structure that holds the healthy foot in place inside the external hoof.