Equine metabolic syndrome is an increasingly common endocrine condition in horses and ponies that causes chronic pain through laminitis and requires careful management for welfare.
Equine metabolic syndrome causes chronic suffering through its primary complication, laminitis. Laminitis — inflammation and disruption of the sensitive laminae within the hoof — is acutely painful and can become a chronic, debilitating condition. Many horses and ponies with poorly managed EMS cycle through repeated laminitis episodes that progressively damage hoof structure and quality of life. The condition is preventable and manageable with appropriate dietary control, but many owners underestimate the severity of dietary restriction required or the risks of brief access to rich pasture. Veterinary, farriery, and nutritional support together provide the best outcomes, but welfare failures remain common due to insufficient owner understanding and resource access.