[lazybee]

Hello, I have an Icelandic mare who's got some pedal bone rotation due to total neglect from a previous owner. She had been sound for a couple of years but this year she has been foot sore and standing in the laminitic stance, obviously in pain.She has had a trim and is on frog supports which are helping a bit. She comes in every night on a deep bed but, won't stay in in the day time because she gets too stressed and sweated up at being cooped up. I suppose I'm just waiting to see how it goes at the moment. I'll get another x-ray in week or two to see if the rotation is worse. What I really need is a prognosis from anyone else that's had the same thing with any their horses. As a prognosis seems to be a grey area with most articles I've seen on the internet. I'm not prepared to put her through months of suffering, but will do all I possibly can.

[Hardfeather]

Unfortunately, laminitics are better kept off grass during the day and put out at night. The fructan concentrations in grass during the day in the growing season are what cause laminitis. There can be other causes, as I have described  before on this forum, but where we are talking about grass, fructans are the enemy.

Strictly speaking, as long as the rotation has not been so severe as to cause the pedal bone to penetrate the sole, there is hope for your mare. However, once rotation has taken place, very stringent management and proper care of the foot by a competent, attentive farrier, possibly in conjuction with regular veterinary assessment is very important for a good prognosis. Left to chance, with anything other than a proactive management regime, there is always the chance of a recurrent problem.

[lazybee]

Thanks for the reply AengusOg, I didn't mention she is on a starvation paddock (and not overweight)during the day plus it hasn't rained here (Western France) for weeks. Luckily we have a farrier who seems to know what he's talking about. I just don't know anyone that dealt with this problem before. I have had other laminitics in the past and found the best prevention and cure to be work work and more work. Unfortunately we inherited this problem.

[Hardfeather]

I didn't mention she is on a starvation paddock (and not overweight)during the day plus it hasn't rained here (Western France) for weeks.

That's when the grass is at its most dangerous, ie. short and perpetually in the growing stages. Sometimes laminitics are better on older grass which has gone to seed.

It's good that she is not overweight, though. 

[lazybee]

Oh yes don't worry I know that grass concentrates all the fructose and starch in the shoots, but the grass she is on brown and crispy (nothing to eat). When the grass was green she was in the sand school with a fine mesh hay net. This horse was flat footed when we got her and has had  thick leather pads between hoof and shoe. The Vet seems to think the new bout of lameness could be work related. We always try to keep all the horses as fit as we can. They go out most days. Also I agree that with the native types the rougher grass and sedge type grass is a better diet as it's closer to what they have evolved to eat naturally in say Iceland, Shetland or the moors etc I am lucky to have a few acres of this type of grazing on a river flood plane I put them on it in the summer as it stays green with a fairly low nutritional value.  It's hard knowing what's best for this one though. Hopefully the next x-ray will see if anything is happening.

[wellies]

Hi,  I have a horse who is prone to laminitis and because he gets so little nutrients through his restricted diet I feed him formula 4 feet. This is a broad nutritional supplement created in association with the laminitis trust and Robert Eustace (one of the most prominent researchers in this field). I'm not sure if you will be able to get it where you are but you can buy direct from equi life. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who's horses are on a restricted ration. They also sell some excellent frog supports which are really easy to fit. If frog supports are fitted incorrectly they can make the rotation worse  The prognosis for the soundness of your horse will generally be related to the degree of rotation and therefore seperation from the laminae and associated tearing and stretching of the structures. A horse which has minor rotation can generally be stabalised successfully through shoeing and correct trimming.

Gosh, sorry to have written such a long reply. I really hope your neddy gets better soon