Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is a cluster of metabolic disturbances in horses and ponies leading to obesity, insulin dysregulation, and recurrent laminitis — a severely painful hoof condition.
EMS causes suffering primarily through its predisposition to laminitis, one of the most painful conditions affecting horses. Horses with chronic laminitis may spend months or years in pain, often managed on deep bedding to reduce hoof pressure. The condition is frequently caused or worsened by well-meaning but uninformed management — lush pasture access, excess concentrate feeding, and insufficient exercise create the metabolic conditions for recurrent episodes. Prevention through weight management, restricted grazing, appropriate hay soaking, and regular exercise is far more effective than treating established laminitis. Once EMS is diagnosed, strict lifelong dietary management is required — even one rich grass grazing event can trigger a laminitis episode in susceptible animals.