It means having to deal with no warning signs and an animal in obvious pain, so it’s no wonder that horse owners never want to hear the word “founder” associated with their horse. It’s an ailment that forces owners to pull out all the stops for the safety of the horse and possibly to save the equine’s life.

A recent case I worked on is a 6-year-old Paso Fino. The mare foundered just after returning from a national show, which left its owner at a loss for answers.

The owner worked with several farriers who tried backward shoes and heart bars. Neither did the trick and the horse’s condition worsened with these treatments. While desperately searching for a way to alleviate the pain, the horse’s owner, who lives in Florida, found my Web site (www.pegasus forge.com) and made a plea for help. 

Founder Basics

When a horse is suffering from founder, its coffin bone is no longer suspended from the hoof wall by the laminae. The coffin bone must bear the weight of the horse while trying to find support. As this occurs, the coffin bone rotates and drops until it finds the support it needs, which could be the ground or somewhere in between.

FOUNDER IS A REAL PAIN. This 6-year-old Paso Fino was suffering from a severe case of founder.

This causes the horse to suffer through…