What do farriers/hoof professionals know about equine endocrine diseases? Researchers at Auburn University conducted a survey to answer that question. They also wanted to know if farriers/hoof professionals work with veterinarians on laminitis cases caused by endocrine diseases.

Alfredo Sanchez-Londoño, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Large Animal), created a web-based survey and got 179 responses. He presented the results of his research at the 5th Global Equine Endocrine Society (GEES) meeting in 2023. Survey distribution was worldwide. That was done through farrier associations, farrier magazines, and social media.

Of the 179 participants who completed the survey about equine endocrine diseases, 141 were familiar with the term PPID (which stands for pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction). Respondents who were not familiar with the term PPID were asked if they had heard of the term equine Cushing’s disease, which is another name for PPID.  All 37 of them were familiar with that term.

A total of 167 of 179 were familiar with the term EMS (which stands for equine metabolic syndrome). Of the 12 that were not familiar with the term EMS, all recognized the term “easy keeper.”

Foot maintenance is critical in managing horses affected by PPID or EMS. Farriers were asked about owner compliance with those issues. Owner compliance was considered “good” for 72 respondents and “average” by 57. 

When asked about the most common clinical signs for PPID, respondents recognized abnormal haircoat, cresty neck, and abnormal hoof rings. The most common clinical signs recognized for EMS were obesity, cresty neck, and abnormal hoof rings.

Equine Endocrine Partnership of Vets and Farriers

Do farriers/hoof professionals work in conjunction with a veterinarian when managing a horse with laminitis? Seventy-eight of 179 respondents said they definitely would.

The respondents said the three main things a veterinarian could provide for managing horses with laminitis were X-rays, pain management, and a collaborative approach to shoeing.

Farriers/hoof professionals said their most common ways of handling laminitic horses’ feet were trimming, frog support with a pad, and other types of hoof support.

Those professionals said it would be helpful to have nutrition advice from the veterinarian.

Most farriers/hoof professionals said they recheck laminitis horses every four weeks.

Final Words

The foot care professionals said there needs to be more research and education for everyone involved with managing horses affected by endocrine diseases. There is a need for veterinarians to have diet/nutrition and management discussions with owners of these affected horses.

Farriers/hoof professionals said owner compliance for managing horses with PPID or EMS is good initially, “but then they go backward.” Sanchez-Londoño said more vets should be working together with farriers on these endocrine disease cases. 

Editor’s note: You can access the full Proceedings of the 5th GEES Symposium here.

Further Reading

  • Kimberly S. Brown
    Kimberly S. Brown is an award-winning writer and publisher. She is the Editorial Director for My Senior Horse. Brown spent 10 years at Equine Network, parent company of My Senior Horse. Prior to that she worked for three years in equine nutrition after she retired from nearly 30 years working at The Blood-Horse. Brown spent the last 15 years of her time at that organization creating and developing The Horse and TheHorse.com.
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