Which of the following indicates a condition where a horse develops inflammation in their hooves?

The condition characterized by inflammation in a horse's hooves is known as founder, or laminitis. This serious and potentially debilitating condition occurs when the laminae, the sensitive tissues that attach the hoof wall to the coffin bone, become inflamed. Founder typically results from a variety of factors, including overfeeding, metabolic issues, or excessive weight bearing on the hooves.

When a horse experiences founder, it may exhibit symptoms such as pain, reluctance to move, a shifting stance, and increased digital pulses. In severe cases, it can lead to the coffin bone sinking or rotating within the hoof, causing significant discomfort and long-term complications.

While other conditions mentioned, like thrush and navicular syndrome, involve the hooves, they do not specifically pertain to inflammation of the hoof structures in the same way founder does. Thrush is primarily a bacterial infection affecting the hoof's frog, and navicular syndrome involves issues related to the navicular bone and surrounding structures, leading to lameness, but not direct inflammation of the hoof itself. Curb refers to a condition involving thickening of the plantar ligament, primarily affecting the hock, and is not related to the hooves. Therefore, founder distinctly identifies the condition involving inflammation in