Beware late-season laminitis

MEET THE EXPERT

LUCY GRIEVE is an ambulatory vet at Rossdales in Newmarket. She works with all types of horses, from happy hackers through to amateur sports horses and elite racehorses. Her main areas of interest are lameness, diagnostic imaging and poor performance, and she is passionate about maximising the welfare of the horse at all times. Lucy is senior vice president of the British Equine Veterinary Association.

WITH TEMPERATURES DROPPING and the nights drawing in, it is tempting to think that the risk of laminitis has passed, and porky ponies who have been kept off grass all summer can now be turned back out. However, September to November is actually a high-risk time.

Lots of little factors can accumulate in autumn and increase a horses’ risk of developing this painful condition. As the weather changes in September and October, the perfect mix of warm soil and a sudden onset of autumn rain