With chronic laminitis, weight is displaced toward which area of the hoof?

• A. Toe
• B. Heel
• C. Wall
• D. Sole

Answer: (B)

With chronic laminitis, the laminae are damaged enough that the distal phalanx (the coffin bone) sinks and rotates within the hoof capsule. This changes how weight is carried across the sole: the coffin bone tilts and the weight-bearing axis shifts toward the back of the foot, so the heels take the majority of the load. The frog and digital cushion lose some shock-absorbing function, leaving the heel region as the main contact point with the ground. That combination makes the heels the area that bears weight in chronic laminitis.