Founder is a serious condition that can have debilitating consequences if not quickly treated. The term "founder" refers to a condition where the coffin bone inside your horse’s hoof moves down inside the hoof capsule. Spring grasses put horses at a particularly high risk of founder, but founder is a condition that can really occur at any time. Do you know what to do if your horse founders?

Immediately Contact a Vet

The faster that you seek treatment for your horse, the better a chance he will have at recovery. Common signs of founder in your horse include heat in his hooves, a digital pulse, lameness and a reluctance to walk, and a pained stance in which your horse stretches himself out and holds more weight on his hind legs. If you notice these or other symptoms in your horse, call your vet immediately to begin treatment. It’s also important to note whether you know the possible cause of the founder – did your horse get into a grain bin, or has he been turned out on lush pasture recently?

Stand Your Horse in Ice Water

While you’re waiting for the vet to arrive, it’s important to start therapeutic care for your horse. Icing your horse’s hooves is the first step you should take in treating the condition. Immerse all four of your horse’s hooves in ice water. It is best to stand your horse in buckets so that the water travels up to the mid point of his cannon bone. Ice water helps to reduce swelling and slow blood flow, minimizing the damage that is done to the hooves.

Cushion the Hoof

Provide plenty of cushion for your horse’s hooves while waiting for the vet to arrive. Do not walk your horse over hard surfaces. Instead, stand him on a soft surface in his stall and put generous bedding down. Some horse owners recommend placing foam blocks under the affected hooves to further cushion the hooves.

Remove All Food

Don't let your horse eat anything until you are given the okay from your vet. Remove all food from your horse's stall. It’s also important that you don't administer medication unless advised to do so by your vet. Large doses of pain medication can mask the severity of your horse's pain, making it more difficult for your vet to make an accurate assessment of your horse’s condition. Hopefully you will never have to deal with a case of founder, but if you do, knowing the proper actions to take can lead to a better prognosis for your horse.

Original Source: What to Do If Your Horse Is Foundering