Weight Management Bundle

A supplement alone can't fix EMS, and no honest vet will tell you otherwise. What works is a total plan: the right diet, weight loss, regular movement and follow-up by your vet. A targeted supplement can be a valuable part of that plan, giving your horse's metabolism, liver and hooves extra nutritional support while you work on the bigger picture. That's exactly how we designed Steady & Stable: as one piece of the plan, not a shortcut.

Sources: Durham AE et al. ECEIM consensus statement on equine metabolic syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 2019;33(2):335-349.

Weight loss, the right hay and regular movement. Vets advise hay under 10% sugar and starch, fed at about 1.5% of body weight, and soaked in cold water for an hour if it hasn't been tested. In one study, obese horses on a hay diet that also walked five days a week became more insulin sensitive than those that only dieted. And when you restrict hay or grazing, your horse can miss out on vitamins and minerals. That's why vets recommend a low-sugar ration balancer, such as ESTE Balancer, which is low in sugar and starch and made to complete forage-based diets.

Sources: Equine Endocrinology Group. Recommendations for the diagnosis and management of EMS and insulin dysregulation, 2024. Bamford NJ et al. J Vet Intern Med 2019;33(1):280-286.

Yes. Steady & Stable was developed for metabolically sensitive horses, including those prone to laminitis, and contains no added sugars. Give it alongside a ration that stays low in sugar and starch overall. Every horse is different, though: if you have any doubts, for example because your horse is laminitic right now or on medication, talk to your vet first.

Sources: Equine Endocrinology Group. Recommendations for the diagnosis and management of EMS and insulin dysregulation, 2024.

Warning signs include a cresty neck, fat pads, being a very good doer, or past laminitis, though a slim horse can still be affected. Only a blood test gives you an answer. Your vet will usually do an oral sugar test, which measures insulin after a small dose of syrup. It matters, because ponies with higher insulin were far more likely to develop laminitis. Horses over 10 are often tested for PPID (Cushing's) too.

Sources: Equine Endocrinology Group. Recommendations for the diagnosis and management of EMS and insulin dysregulation, 2024. Knowles EJ et al. Equine Vet J 2023;55(1):12-23.