The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in collaboration with the Laminitis Consortium, the UK's leading laminitis research body, has been awarded a grant of £134,425 (roughly $220,730) by the Laminitis Trust, to investigate the effects of exercise on horses and ponies that are predisposed to pasture-associated laminitis.

The WALTHAM–initiated International Laminitis Research Consortium comprises world-leading equine veterinary, nutrition, and research experts interested in collaborating on the important topic of laminitis. It includes Nicola Menzies-Gow, MA, VetMB, Dipl. ECEIM, Cert EM (internal medicine), PhD, MRCVS, a lecturer in equine medicine, and Professor Jonathan Elliott, MA, Vet MB, PhD, MRCVS, Dipl. ECVPT, of the RVC; Pat Harris of the WALTHAM Equine Studies Group; and Clare Barfoot, RNutr, of Mars Horsecare UK Ltd.

Perhaps the most important issues in laminitis clinical research, especially for those who own or look after affected animals, is the question of why some individuals seem to be predisposed to recurrent bouts of this potentially devastating condition and, also, how their susceptibility to future episodes can be reduced. This project aims to evaluate both aspects, with the aim of identifying potentially beneficial management procedures.

Menzies-Gow, lead investigator for the recently awarded grant, explains, "This project will in part investigate whether exercise can reduce the level of chronic inflammation in laminitis-prone animals, which may then prove to be a simple and practical way of reducing the risk of future bouts of disease in susceptible animals