Insulin Resistance: How to diagnose and deal with this common disorder
This article first appeared in EQUUS magazine. How a common but little-known condition similar to Type II diabetes triggered a painful and frustrating episode of laminitis. Some years ago, when my then 7-Year-old Morgan gelding foundered for no apparent reason, I was determined to find out what had caused the painful and frightening episode that left him unrideable for nearly a year. In the course of my research, I was surprised to discover that a common but at the time little-known condition called insulin resistance (IR), which is similar to Type II diabetes, had triggered his laminitis. I also learned that my horse had been exhibiting the classic signs of IR for some time, and had I recognized those signs, the whole devastating experience could likely have been avoided. This horse is obviously obese, with a cresty neck and fat pads around the tail head that indicate insulin resistance. This horse should NOT be on grass. Thinking back, it was clear that Gryphon, alth...