Even horses at a healthy weight can have EMS. | Adobe StockQ:My horse has equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) but maintains a normal body condition score. Can horses have metabolic problems without being overweight?A: Yes! Horses with healthy body conditions can have metabolic issues such as EMS, just as some overweight horses can remain healthy. However, overweight horses more commonly have metabolic problems. A large body of evidence shows that adipose (fat) tissue can produce hormones and other chemical signals (known as adipocytokines) that can affect insulin signaling, resulting in insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, referred to as insulin dysregulation (ID). Even pockets of fat along the neck or tailhead area that might be present on a leaner horse could be problematic. Of course, horses with more adipose tissue produce more adipocytokines and are more likely to have ID. However, ID and EMS can also be influenced by the diet, particularly those high in starch and sugar (nonstructural carbohydrates or NSCs), or the horses genetics.Why Monitoring Your Horses Insulin MattersRegardless of the cause of EMS or your horses body condition score, work closely with your veterinarian to monitor your horses insulin concentrations because hyperinsulinemia-associated laminitis (HAL) accounts for up to 90% of laminitis cases. (Laminitis is a painful condition involving inflammation and damage to the tissues that suspend the coffin bone within the hoof.) Regularly checking your horses insulin concentrations can help determine how high that risk is.Testing Horses for Insulin DysregulationBasal blood samples, taken at rest, ideally after a horse has only had hay for the previous six hours, are a common screening tool. However, your veterinarian might also suggest a dynamic test, such as an oral sugar test, to see how high your horses insulin levels get after a dose of glucose. It can also be particularly helpful to test the blood about 60-90 minutes after feeding your horses regular meal, or in the late afternoon if on pasture (because grass this time of day typically has the highest sugar content). This shows postprandial (after eating) insulin concentrations and would represent your horses real world risk for HAL.Diet and Exercise for EMS HorsesManaging horses with EMS typically involves addressing diet and exercise. Reducing your horses calorie intake to facilitate weight loss (if overweight) and limiting NSC content to less than 10% of the total diet is important. This might require limiting or avoiding pasture access. Exerciseeven low-intensity exercise such as walking, pole work, and hillscan contribute to better glucose metabolism (though exercise is not recommended in the acutely laminitic horse). If these methods do not fully control your horses insulin concentrations, your veterinarian might turn to medications to support diet and exercise changes.Take-Home MessageThough rare, horses with normal body condition scores might develop EMS, and insulin monitoring is an important part of EMS management and laminitis prevention. Staying proactive with routine testing for your metabolic horse and working closely with your veterinarian can help you catch problems early and manage them more effectively. Claim your promo code for products in Equithrive's Easy Keeper collection: MetaCare, Metabarol, Vitamin E or Hoof. Name(Required) First Last Email(Required) By clicking submit I consent to Equine NetworksPrivacy Policy and Terms of Serviceand I represent that I am over 16 years old.CAPTCHA