What Does Founder Mean With Regards To A Horse?

The word founder originated from Latin and is taken from the word fundus. This word was adapted by Vulgar Latin as funderāre (from fundus or funder meaning 'botom'). Later, the Old French modified it as 'fondrer'. The Middle English adapted it as founden. Foundren means 'to sink to the ground'. In relation to horse, founder is considered to be an affliction. When a horse foundered, he is said to be afflicted with a disease called laminitis.

In Laminitis, the sensitive laminae of a horse's hoof get affected. There is inflammation of the laminae. Laminitis generally means 'inflammation of laminae'. But, inflammation is not the main mechanism of the disease. This condition of Laminitis is also called founder. There are types of Laminitis depending on the area of the affliction. Thus, it can be mechanical founder or systemic founder, unilateral founder (one foot affected), and bilateral founder (two feet affected). Laminitis or founder disease can also affect all the feet of a horse.

Have eaten to much and gone lame