The Challenge

Whilst laminitis (the inflammation of the equine body resulting in the weakinening of the sensitive tissue in a horse's hooves) is shockingly common – 1 in 10 horses^* – the opinions on what can be done to prevent it ranges from person to person.

I decided to create an animated video of bitesize information which would efficiently demonstrate the facts in a memorable and fun way. The challenge is sending information to the general equine public via social media which offers information but is careful on its approach due to the varying thoughts on treatments. The audience will range in ages and backgrounds across the globe, but all have one thing in common: they want to do the right thing by their horses.

* 'New equine research reveals laminitis is as common as colic and is a year-round threat'

Artwork Style

Since these characters have to deliver facts that may be difficult to navigate, I wanted their appearance to be fun, round, soft and innocent. I also wanted them to be eye-catching, memorable, and appeal to a wide range of ages.

Using basic shapes, I developed the characters seen here. The simplicity of their appearance – both in build and limited colour palette – reflects with that of the messaging that they will be delivering to our audience.

Storyboard

The storyboard was crucial for planning how best to animate each message and keep the flow from one topic to another.

Please note that because health and management of horses is always evolving, this is the new storyboard for 2025 where I intend to update the existing tips with new and improved messaging. Watch this space for the revised video.

Social Media

With each of the messages illustrated, it made it very easy to convert those into static images for social media use.

The brightly coloured and simple imagery made them not only eye-catching, but scroll-stopping, with people sharing them amongst many online Facebook groups.

I welcomed and encouraged feedback from members of these groups which resulted in some great comments and open discussions which would fuel the next topic of Stable Neighbours campaigns.