Laminitis can be a very painful, even life-threatening condition for some ponies. Once diagnosed, further testing may be recommended to check for underlying conditions that predispose the pony to getting laminitis; these include equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and Cushing’s disease. Sometimes other factors such as pregnancy, obesity and poor dietary management are identified as contributory factors.  

Why is feeding so important in managing laminitis?

The management of laminitis depends in part on the severity and the underlying cause. Normally treatment requires a combination of pain-relieving medication, providing a comfortable bed, remedial shoeing or trimming, when appropriate, and changing the pony’s diet. The key is to minimise access to grass and other feed rich in carbohydrates (such as grain and concentrates). Predisposing factors must also be properly treated. 

Many ponies will have obesity or suffer from EMS, the management of both conditions relies largely on obtaining and maintaining a healthy weight and correct body condition score (BCS). To achieve this, proper dietary management alongside appropriate exercise (if the pony is able), are necessary. Furthermore, correct feeding of all ponies affected by laminitis is absolutely essential. This provides the nutrition they need without overloading on foods that can cause flare-ups.  

What should a laminitic pony eat?

So, we’ve mentioned above about avoiding grain and offering reduced carbohydrate feeds, but what does this mean practically? Well, to start with, off limits are sugary treats, feeds containing molasses, oats and other cereals, as well as grass (at least initially).

It can feel overwhelming looking for an appropriate diet for your laminitic pony, given all the variations of horse feeds on the market! If you’re at all unsure, your best bet is to contact your vet for a chat, they’ll be able to give you the best advice for your pony’s individual needs. 

The ideal diet is largely forage, so hay or a hay replacer, with a balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement as needed. Hay may be soaked to further reduce its sugar content, but I recommend only for up to one hour. You can get your forage analysed for its sugar content, as well as to check for other nutrients. 

Ideally the starch and sugar content of your hay should be less than 10% but, where this isn’t feasible, soaking is a reasonable alternative. Balancers should be carefully checked to ensure they are no sugar or low sugar, some overweight ponies may get everything they need just from adding chaff alone but, again, it’s essential to read the labels and ingredient list.

The content of any balancers, chaff and additional feeds should be checked. Ensure they are low in sugar and provide the essential protein, minerals and vitamins needed that hay alone may lack.

How much is the right amount?

Generally, the recommended daily feeding level of forage would be 1.5-2% bodyweight (in Kilograms). This does, however, depend upon the current weight and BCS of the pony. If weight loss or weight gain is desired, then the amount would be tailored towards the lower or higher end of this range, respectively.

The daily intake of forage should be provided at regular intervals throughout the day, especially if the pony is stabled. This helps to prevent boredom and the potential stress-related complications this could cause, including gastric ulceration.

Hopefully, the pony will recover from any acute episode of laminitis. From there, it will require long term management with careful attention to a low starch diet, limited or no access to grazing, and weight control. As the pony recovers from an acute episode, changes in weight, or even returns to activity, his diet may require some further alteration to keep him healthy. Be sure to keep in touch with your vets so they can help you adapt his diet and changing needs.   

Once again, feeding a laminitic pony can be a delicate matter. Care and attention to detail are essential to provide him with exactly what he needs, in the quantity he needs it, to keep him at a healthy weight and well-nourished, yet without tipping the scale and provoking a relapse or delaying his recovery. 

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