Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is an increasingly common condition linked to diet and management that predisposes horses to painful laminitis and requires active welfare management.
EMS-associated laminitis causes severe, often chronic pain and can progress to rotation or sinking of the pedal bone — a catastrophic injury requiring euthanasia. The link between overfeeding and laminitis is well established, meaning much EMS-related suffering is iatrogenic (human-caused). Owners who feed inappropriate diets often do so out of love, not understanding that visible weight gain in these breeds represents a serious welfare risk rather than a sign of health.