LAMINITIS is the second biggest killer of horses after colic and is also one of the earliest recorded equine pathologies. Xenophon the Greek philosopher wrote On Horsemanship over 2,300 years ago and wrote about a disease called barley surfeit (excess) - the symptoms included the horse doubled up, cannot move its legs and refuses to move.

It is said the “horse hangs in its hooves” because there are a series of tightly knit sensitive and insensitive leaf-like projections called laminae. The sensitive laminae originate on the outer surface of the pedal bone, while the insensitive laminae are attached on the inner surface of the hoof capsule. They form an intricate bond and cover a large surface area.