Clinical Research Abstracts of the British Equine Veterinary Association Congress 2015.

Summary

# Editorial Summary Andalusian horses display a notable predisposition to equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), characterised by regional and generalised adiposity coupled with increased laminitis risk, yet prior to this work no epidemiological data existed to quantify the breed's disease burden or underlying insulin dysregulation profiles. The research team investigated the prevalence and pathophysiological mechanisms of EMS phenotype in Andalusians, with particular emphasis on insulin metabolism as the primary driver of metabolic dysfunction. Understanding breed-specific metabolic vulnerabilities has significant implications for practitioners working with Andalusians, enabling more targeted screening protocols and early intervention strategies before clinical signs manifest. Given that insulin dysregulation underpins the cascade of adiposity, glucose intolerance, and laminitis susceptibility characteristic of EMS, establishing baseline epidemiological data in this breed supports evidence-based management recommendations around nutrition, exercise prescription, and metabolic monitoring. For farriers and veterinarians managing Andalusian cases, these findings reinforce the importance of proactive metabolic assessment and condition scoring in a breed where seemingly minor weight gain may represent a substantial shift toward EMS presentation.

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Key Findings

• •Andalusian horses are proposed as a breed predisposed to equine metabolic syndrome phenotype
• •Andalusian horses exhibit tendency toward regional and generalised adiposity and laminitis
• •Insulin dysregulation represents the main pathophysiological cause for EMS features
• •No epidemiological studies on EMS prevalence in Andalusian horses currently exist

Conditions Studied