Aging metabolic horses need more individualized nutrition plans

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The Horse this month published a practical update on feeding and managing aging horses with insulin dysregulation, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, or both, highlighting how senior-care needs can complicate standard metabolic management. The article centers on guidance from Erica Macon of Texas A&M and Tania Sundra of Avon Ridge Equine Veterinary Services: keep nonstructural carbohydrates low, base the diet on forage, split feed into smaller meals, and individualize plans because insulin responses can vary from horse to horse. It also points veterinarians toward current medication considerations, including pergolide for PPID and selective, off-label use of SGLT-2 inhibitors for some insulin-dysregulated horses. (thehorse.com)

Why it matters: For equine practitioners, the piece is a reminder that older metabolic horses often need management for more than endocrine disease alone. Osteoarthritis can limit exercise, dental disease can undermine forage intake, and treatment choices can affect metabolic stability. The Horse notes newer evidence that phenylbutazone did not increase insulin secretion in insulin-dysregulated horses, while intra-articular corticosteroids still warrant caution in laminitis-prone patients; a 2025 study on betamethasone found systemic endocrine effects after joint injection. Separate coverage on EOTRH reinforces the nutrition challenge in this age group, especially because the condition has been associated with PPID and equine metabolic syndrome, and may require temporary or longer-term shifts to soaked, easier-to-chew feeds. (thehorse.com)

What to watch: Expect more discussion around individualized NSC targets, broader use of insulin testing to tailor diets, and closer scrutiny of joint-medication choices in older horses with both laminitis risk and arthritis. (thehorse.com)