Inspired by an article by Meg Sitarik featured in the Colorado SAM Spring 2018 Newsletter
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Every spring, as the grass turns green, the incidence of colic, laminitis, and founder in horses increases. BUT WHY?

Meg Sitarik, a Boulder County Extension Volunteer, wrote an article in the Spring 2018 Colorado Small Acreage Management Newsletter all about gas colic and nutritional laminitis.  Meg explains that gas colic and nutritional laminitis relate to a horse's digestive system and how different types of foodstuffs are digested. 

Horses are hindgut fermenters, meaning that much of their digestion happens in the latter portion of their digestive tract (the cecum and colon).  This is because the microbes responsible for digesting low-quality forages are located in the hindgut.  However, easily digested grains and grass shoots are digested in foregut (the stomach and small intestine). 

When horses overindulge on grains and young grasses, the foregut runs out of space and food is forced prematurely into the hindgut.  Because the hindgut is not used to digesting grains and green grass, the microbes in the hindgut go haywire and reproduce like crazy.  They also produce a lot of gas and acid.  Some of the good gut flora end up dying as a result of the change in pH.  Ultimately, endotoxins are released into the bloodstream and flow to the tissues of the hoof called the laminae.  These tissues are prone to inflammation, causing laminitis.  If left untreated or the laminitis becomes a chronic condition, it can turn into "founder".  Over time, chronic inflammation can cause the laminar tissues to break down and a complete destruction of the hoof structure may result. 

Actions you can do to reduce the incidence of gas colic and nutritional laminitis include:

~ Change you horse's diet slowly
~ Introduce your horse to fresh pastures in the spring SLOWLY
~ Keep up on regular farrier visits to ensure hoof health
~Make sure your horses maintain a healthy body weight and body condition score

References:

Gas Colic and Nuritional Laminitis by  Meg Sitarik. Colorado Small Acreage Management Spring 2018 Newsletter.
Understanding the Relationship Between Colic, Laminitis and Founder. Rainier Equine Hoof Recovery Center.
Founder (Laminitis) in Horses. Agriculture Victoria.