A cross-sectional study in England examined the accuracy of owners reporting laminitis in their horses and ponies. The objective was to determine the percentage of owner-reported cases of laminitis that were later confirmed by a veterinarian and to compare the owner’s observations of potential risk factors to the veterinarian’s observations.

Researchers in Canada used cadaver limbs to study the effects of hoof angles and loading patterns on joint surface contact areas in the fetlock. Eight limbs from Standardbred horses that died for reasons unrelated to this study were fitted into a mechanical pendulum device to simulate hoof strike at a trot. Strips of pressure-sensitive film were placed across the joint surfaces inside the fetlock to measure contact areas, and the limb was loaded while simulating flat, toe-first and heel-first landings.

A trial was conducted with 75 Thoroughbred foals in central Kentucky to evaluate the effects of a preventive regimen of polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG, Adequan) injections starting at 8 weeks of age.