I've heard of people heading off a possible episode of founder by tying a horse in a really cold creek for several days. I guess it's kinda like putting ice on something to bring down the swelling coz it's the swelling that causes the damage. I don't know if some kind of anti inflamatory drug to reduce the swelling would work or not. Beaker would know more about that.
HMMM. Cold a vasoconstricter though. I would have thought heat. So it's the swelling that gets them. I thought it was circulatory. Do they make cold packs for hoofs?
Putting a horse in cold water will bring down the swelling, but the cold cold water could also kill other healthy tissue as well. So heading it off at the pass like that is a myth. I'm not really sure what drugs can be administered, as I've never delt with an episode of founder before.