If your horse is overweight or has been diagnosed with a metabolic condition such as Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) or insulin resistance (IR), there are a number of things you, as a horse guardian, can do to help stabilize or even reverse the condition.
First on that list should be implementing dietary changes. Focus on feeding a low-sugar, forage based diet and ensure that your horse’s vitamin and mineral needs are met. Secondly, increasing your horse’s exercise to encourage weight loss (and improved blood flow) is always helpful. This can be done by using a track system, giving your horse a friend or two to move about the pasture with, or simply riding or longe lining your horse on a more regular basis.
There are also several supplements/herbs you can add to your horse’s diet to help improve insulin sensitivity. You might be surprised to learn that one such herb is cinnamon.
This well known spice is not only a great addition to flavorful desserts and dishes, but also a healing herb, especially when it comes to metabolic conditions. In fact, cinnamon has been used medicinally for centuries in Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. 
Cinnamon comes from several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum, found in the tropical and subtropical regions of North America, Central America, South America, Asia, Oceania, and Australia. The herb gets its distinct aroma and taste from the essential oil, cinnamaldehyde, and it’s also thought that cinnamaldehyde is responsible for many of cinnamon’s health benefits.
Cinnamon has the ability to help cells recognize and respond to insulin, the hormone created by the pancreas that controls the amount of glucose circulating in the bloodstream. Studies have shown that the methylhydroxy chalcone polymer (MHCP) found in cinnamon makes cells more responsive to insulin by activating the enzyme that causes insulin to bind to cells. At the same time, it inhibits the enzyme that blocks this process.
Aside from improving insulin response, cinnamon has several other health benefits for horses, including:
- Antioxidant properties: Specialized molecules that protect against degenerative processes caused by free radicals such as arthritis, neurodegenerative and autoimmune disorders, as well as cancer;
- Anti-inflammatory effects: Because cinnamon is high in anti-oxidants, it is helpful in reducing inflammation and may be beneficial for any type of inflammatory disease; and
- Antimicrobial activity: In the age before antibiotics, cinnamon was used to help fight off infections and recent studies have shown that cinnamon extracts, essential oils, and their components contain antibacterial properties that work against bacteria responsible for infectious diseases.
There are two main types of cinnamon: Ceylon and Cassia and each has its own distinct color, taste, and smell. Ceylon cinnamon is often referred to as the “true” cinnamon and is grown primarily in Sri Lanka.
The Holistic Horse offers Organic Ceylon Cinnamon for use with overweight or metabolic horses. We also have several other herbal supplements beneficial for metabolic horses, including Organic Chasteberry Powder, Su-Per® Mag-pro Powder, and Osoleen Support for Glucose Metabolism. Another great product is our Organic Icelandic Kelp. It contains iodine which is necessary for thyroid hormones that regulate metabolism.