Founder begins when anatomical changes take place in the hoof. Because of the nature of the hoof capsule (a rigid vault containing a rigid bone) anatomical changes within it cause significant physiological changes as well. Founder afflicts hooves along a spectrum ranging from mild to severe. Mild founder is often initially sub clinical. However, by definition all founder cases will eventually present clinical evidence of founder. It should be appreciated that even mild sub clinical founder poses a long term threat to athletic capacity.

A rarely considered therapeutic option for the laminitic horse threatening to founder is prophylactic use of the Chapman Procedure. Certainly prophylactic use of the Chapman Procedure is considered only after all other options are exhausted. It is not necessary to wait until founder establishes itself to treat the foundering hoof. Preemptive therapy can minimize the amount and duration of pain associated with the founder process. In fact it can bypass the foundering process.