Laminitis is one of the most serious and painful conditions affecting horses and ponies, causing severe foot pain, long-term disability, and, in some cases, euthanasia. While high insulin levels are known to increase risk, they cannot reliably predict which individual animals will go on to develop laminitis, leaving a critical gap in prevention and early intervention.
Growing evidence points to the gut microbiome—the complex community of bacteria in the digestive system—as a potential missing link. Influenced by diet, stress, medication and management, changes in the microbiome may play an important role in metabolic health and laminitis development. This project draws on unprecedented microbiome data and a unique biobank of pony samples to explore whether microbial “fingerprints” can provide earlier, more accurate insight into laminitis risk and support better-targeted prevention strategies.
The team behind the science
This multidisciplinary project brings together leading experts in equine health, microbiomes, nutrition, and data science:
- Dr Laura Peachey – Bristol Vet School (Principal Investigator — Equine Microbiomes)
- Dr Pat Harris – Waltham / Mars (Equine Nutrition & Microbiomes)
- Dr Pippa Morrison – Scotland’s Rural College (Equine Microbiomes)
- Dr Kate Allen – Bristol Vet School (Equine Medicine)
- Dr Andrew Dowsey – Bristol Vet School (Data Science)
- Imogen Comyn – Bristol Vet School (Equine Medicine)
Together, they are uniquely positioned to tackle a problem that spans biology, clinical medicine, and computational analysis.
What the project entails
This PhD study aims to improve understanding and early detection of laminitis by identifying reliable microbial markers linked to disease risk. Using an existing large-scale meta-analysis of equine microbiome data, the project will first identify and account for technical variation to ensure robust, comparable results. With this refined dataset, advanced statistical and machine-learning approaches will be used to pinpoint microbial patterns that distinguish horses and ponies with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and laminitis from healthy controls. These potential biomarkers will then be tested in a large prospective study of over 200 ponies, helping to assess their diagnostic value and support earlier, more targeted intervention.
Why this project matters
This project matters because it addresses a critical gap in our ability to predict and prevent laminitis before irreversible damage occurs. With donor support, the research will identify microbiome-based markers that could detect laminitis risk earlier than current tests, improve understanding of how gut health, diet, and metabolic disease interact, and lay the groundwork for new diagnostic tools and treatments for vets. By overcoming the limitations of previous small and inconsistent studies, this work will provide robust, reliable evidence that could transform how laminitis is managed and also strengthen microbiome research across species—extending its impact well beyond equine health.
