Over 18 months, three warmbloods at the same Kentucky barn had bouts with laminitis — one survived

Laminitis can sneak up on some horse owners, particularly those who are novices or aren’t proactive in preventing laminitis. This is no run-of-the-mill barn, though. They take laminitis seriously.

“This owner donates money to the Kentucky Research Foundation,” explains Stuart Muir, a resident farrier at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. “They test her grass. She has nutritionists. There is nothing these horses want for.”

The surviving mare is the subject of a 5-year case study that Muir details with American Farriers Journal Assistant Editor Maclaren Krueger titled, “Consistent, Adaptable Strategy is Key in Managing Chronic Laminitis.” 

It’s a textbook example of the rollercoaster ride that laminitis cases often represent for the horse owner, veterinarian and farrier. When Muir presented the case study at the 2024 International Hoof-Care Summit, the authenticity of the highs and lows, twists and turns was important.

“I have a 6-year-old daughter, and to get full marks in school, she has to show her work,” says Muir while presenting the Burney Chapman Lecture, sponsored by Life Data Labs. “It’s easy to sensationalize our work as farriers. I could show you the first slide or the most tragic slide and then the finished slide and you’d think, ‘Well, Stuart’s the best farrier in the world.’ It’s the work and progress through these stages that give any credibility to how we get through these cases.”

Client Participation

An involved…