Article: Founder is a complex condition and weakens the support for the bones inside the hoof, so making sure the hoof strikes evenly is essential to prevent further damage.  Much like a broken fingernail, full repair does not happen until the damaged part of the hoof has fully grown out which takes 6-12 months. During this time, the angles of force on the hoof changes (because of the lack of support from the laminae) and the hoof grows unevenly. Therefore, trimming the hoof to maintain a good upright posture is critical both in the short term (to relieve pressure) and long term (for a smooth gait). Left untrimmed, the eventual result is an Aladdin's slipper type hoof with a long slopping toe and short heels, which will predispose your horse to lameness. You must ensure careful trimming and shortening of the toe every 2-4 weeks. Ask your farrier to give your horse corrective hoof trimming and realignment trimming. Corrective hoof trimming will restore proper hoof form and function. Corrective trimming will allow the hooves to be healthy again. Realignment trimming trims back the toe so that it is in line with the coffin bone. Realigning trimming pushes the coffin bone back into the correct position. The process of a new hoof capsule totally growing out to replace the old one takes up to a year. You must leave your horse on laminitis trimmings long term. This will prevent the laminitis from coming back. The trimmings will reverse laminitis. Ideally, a horse with founder has his shoes removed.  This spares the horse the weight and concussion of its shoes hitting the ground with each step. Removal also allows the hoof wall to expand with the inflammation, rather than being constricted. However, it is important to make sure that the sole is concave in relation to the ground, so that the sole stays raised above the ground. If the sole has dropped, then shoes (or pads) are necessary to prevent the horse wearing through the sole and exposing its foot bone. If the horn of the hoof wall is brittle and crumbly, then it is likely to chip away and cause more pain.  In addition, a poor quality hoof wall is more frequently associated with a dropped sole (the sole loses its concave arch and sits in contact with the ground). In these circumstances, orthopedic horse shoes may be necessary to keep the hoof wall intact, lift the sole, and keep the angle of the toe bones as close to their normal anatomical position as possible. Some common types of shoes are:  Reversed shoes. The feet are trimmed to reduce the length of the toe (to prevent the hoof being tipped backwards) and a regular shoe is put on back-to-front. The aim is to raise the heel and drop the toe to help realign the toe bones with the hoof wall. Egg bar shoes. Instead of having an open back like a traditional horseshoe, egg bar shoes form a complete oval. Again, the idea is to provide support to the heel by raising it slightly and taking pressure off the back of the foot. Heart bar shoes. These are a complete shoe, lacking the traditional gap, but have a "V" shaped metal insert (hence the "heart") that covers the frog. This helps to protect the painful part of the foot from contact with the ground and raises the heel to help restore the correct alignment of the pedal bone with the floor. Helping the horse feel comfortable enough to move around will aid his recovery. One way to do this is to attach pads to the bottom of his hooves to provide cushioning for the painful sole.  There are many different commercial varieties of pads available, of which Styrofoam pads are one example that can adapt to the shape of the individual hoof. These are 2-inch deep pads of special foam. They come in three hoof sizes, small, medium, and large. They are attached to the bottom of clean hooves and kept in place with gaffer tape and bandages. The horse's weight crushes and molds the pads, providing cushioning where it is most needed. After two days, the pads will have compressed to a half-inch of thickness, at which point a new layer should be added for extra comfort. This is often enough to enable the horse to walk at a slow pace, which increases the blood flow to the hoof and aids recovery. Pads should be changed when they become totally compressed and may be needed every 2 weeks, depending on the severity of the disease. Once the initial pain has subsided, the pads can be removed and the hoof trimmed as discussed below. Wild horses recover by keeping moving with the herd, which promotes blood circulation in the hoof and helps remove toxins.  You can turn horses with mild laminitis out onto soft pasture with other animals to encourage them to keep moving. The pasture must not contain lush rich grass as this can further inflame laminitis, so if suitable land is not available the horse should be stabled on soft bedding and taken for short walks every 3- 4 hours. When walking a horse with laminitis, take it at a gentle pace and walk in straight lines, avoiding lunging or tight corners. This is because the support for the bone inside the hoof is weak and any undue force could sheer the tendon completely. The best surface to walk on is firm ground with a slight give, such as packed dirt. Avoid surfaces such as sand, that shift and press into the sole. If suitable ground is not available, you can bring your horse out on pavement with the horse wearing pads. Sterile abscesses can develop inside the hoof as a result of white blood cells brought in to reduce inflammation.  However, the resulting pressure build up needs to be relieved. You can use poultices with Animalintex, or soak the hoof in a bucket of warm water with a cup of cider vinegar to help soften the horn and allow the discharge to find a route out, thus relieving the pressure. For some animals there is a link between diet and episodes of laminitis.  During recovery, keep a close eye on your horse's diet. Simple sugars increase the level of insulin, which in some horses triggers laminitis. It helps to maintain a diet low in simple sugars. Foods that fit this description are mature grasses and hay made from mature flowering grasses. If you are feeding your horse hay, soaking it for a couple of hours before feeding can leech out some sugars and make it moist so there is less risk of impaction colic. Avoid feeding your horse grains and lush grass. If it ever gets to a point where your horse can't stand up, or if the coffin bone drops through the sole of the hoof, you may need to put your horse down.

What is a summary?
Trim your horse's hooves to relieve pressure on the lamina. Remove the horse's shoes to reduce inflammation. Use orthopedic horse shoes to protect the hoof. Attach pads to support and cushion the sole. Allow your horse to exercise to promote blood circulation. Relieve abscesses to promote healing and reduce pain. Feed your horse a diet low in simple sugars to reduce inflammation.