Laminitis

Laminitis, a horse-centred approach describes in depth the current mainstream thinking on laminitis and suggests ways of reframing our understanding of this challenging condition. New thinking based on putting the horse at the centre of the problem is presented, allowing a better understanding of the biomechanics of laminitis.

The book suggests ways in which damaged feet can recover, and also helps the reader to understand the pathological processes within the horse as a whole that lead to laminitis occurring, starting with an understanding of the horse's innate ability to heal itself and working towards interventions that create an environment that is conducive to healing. The book also explores the concept that laminitis, rather than being a disease in its own right, is merely a symptom of a range of underlying health problems that affect the whole horse.

94 colour photographs, 30 diagrams and charts

About the Author

Richard Vialls originally trained as a physicist and an electronic engineer and worked for a number of years in the silicon chip industry. His scientific curiosity got the better of him in 2002 after one of his horses went lame and neither vets nor farriers could offer a solution. After training in equine podiatry with a US-based farrier, he began working professionally as an equine podiatrist in 2005. His practice is heavily biased towards remedial cases, with a particular emphasis on laminitis.

He is a founder member of the Equine Podiatry Association and has been heavily involved in furthering standards and regulation within the UK equine podiatry profession. He co-founded the Diploma in Equine Podiatry course and has research interests in the clinical presentation of low-grade laminitis, the biomechanics of rotational laminitis and the links between nutrition, digestion and metabolic disease in horses.