Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), commonly called equine Cushing's disease, affects older horses and ponies. With appropriate diagnosis and long-term management, quality of life can be maintained.
PPID imposes a significant welfare burden primarily through its association with laminitis, one of the most intensely painful conditions affecting horses. The characteristic long coat of PPID horses is not merely cosmetic: failure to thermoregulate properly causes heat stress in warmer months. Muscle wasting reduces physical capacity and can progress to weakness that impairs mobility and basic care of body condition. The key welfare intervention is early diagnosis before laminitis develops: treating horses with borderline PPID before clinical signs are severe prevents the most damaging welfare consequences. Long-term daily medication is very effective at controlling the disease, and most treated horses maintain good quality of life for years. Owner commitment to ongoing monitoring and veterinary partnership is essential.