METATONIC *Organic herbal blend for horses - EMS-steadying, insulin-balancing, metabolism-supporting

Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) has been widely recognised since the mid-2000s, often linked to obesity, fat deposits, and chronic laminitis. However, research shows that even non-obese horses can develop insulin resistance (IR), making careful dietary management essential.

Sensitive horses struggle with carbohydrate-rich diets, especially from lush grass loaded with natural sugars. These sugars, if unmanaged, can trigger a cascade of metabolic issues- from inflammation to insulin resistance and even laminitis.

MetaTonic provides targeted nutritional support to help manage these challenges naturally and effectively.

For the latest EMS insights, see our A-Z Equine Condition/EMS/IR page in the Info Centre above.

Choose MetaTonic when your horse is:

✔ Prone to EMS or insulin sensitivity
✔ Footy or uncomfortable on grass
✔ Showing fat pads
✔ Triggered by spring or autumn grass changes
✔ Needing daily, steady, long-term metabolic support

MetaTonic is your foundation blend- the nutritional daily support fed each day to help steady metabolism, support glucose–insulin balance, and keep laminitis risks lower.

NB. Not for acute laminitis episodes

Start once your horse is comfortably mobile and stable post-crisis.

Why MetaTonic helps EMS horses feel more stable

EMS isn’t “one thing.” It’s a combination of:

• carbohydrate sensitivity
• metabolic miscommunication
• tired liver pathways
• hindgut disruption
• shifts in circulation
• inflammatory strain
• seasonal triggers
• stress hormones
• weight patterns that won’t budge

MetaTonic supports the whole metabolic picture with botanicals traditionally used to help:

• healthy glucose–insulin patterns
• hoof comfort through better nutrient delivery
• natural liver and lymphatic clearance
• grass-related metabolic sensitivity
• the gut–liver axis (the true heart of EMS stability

In short? A calmer metabolic system = a more comfortable, steadier horse.

Which blend - MetaTonic or MetaCOMBO?

Each supports a different layer of metabolic health:

→ MetaTonic

Everyday metabolic stability | Hoof comfort | Sugar sensitivity
Best for EMS/IR horses needing daily support to stay steady.

→ MetaCOMBO

Broader metabolic wobble | Footiness + crestiness + sugar spikes
Best when multiple metabolic red flags appear together, i.e. firm crest / leptin resistance.

Each herb is chosen for its traditional role in supporting metabolic steadiness, liver and lymphatic function, and the gut–liver axis that underpins EMS.

MetaTonic is a nutritional food supplement and not veterinary medicine. For more on this, see Dr Kellon's article - Nutrition is not 'Alternative' Therapy .

Composition Glossary

1. Berberis vulgaris (Barberry) - Traditionally used to support metabolic harmony, especially during sugar sensitivity. Helps maintain a healthy gut–liver axis - essential for steadier glucose handling.
2. Galium aparine (Cleavers) - Supports lymphatic flow and natural fluid balance. Often used for easing internal “back-up” during metabolic strain.
3. Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel) - A gentle, soothing carminative botanical supporting digestion and comfort - helpful when EMS affects gut motility, bloat, or tension.
4. Galega officinalis (Goat’s Rue)
   - Historically valued for supporting healthy glucose handling and metabolic steadiness. Grown biodynamically for us.
5. Crataegus oxyacanthoides (Hawthorn) - Supports healthy peripheral nutrient delivery - especially valuable for hoof comfort in metabolic horses.
6. Silybum marianum (Milk Thistle) - Renowned for gentle liver nourishment, supporting natural detox pathways and metabolic resilience.
7. Urtica dioica (Nettle) - Rich in natural plant minerals that support circulation, metabolism, and lymphatic clearance.
8. Tabebuia impetiginosa (Lapacho/Pau d’Arco) - Traditionally used to maintain a healthy internal microbial terrain - important when gut balance influences metabolic stability.
9. Smilax ornata (Sarsaparilla) - A harmonising botanical valued for supporting toxin clearance and helping maintain a comfortable internal environment, especially in crest-prone horses.
10. Rosa canina (Rosehips) - Antioxidant-rich fruit supporting connective tissue integrity and helping buffer metabolic stress, particularly in the peripheral tissues.

Feed Guide

🌿Organic Dried Herb Blend

Human grade and produced to ecological standards. See our Quality page for Organic Certification Documents.

• Feed 5g/100kg bodyweight per day, i.e. 25g for a 500kg horse.
• 1 level 75ml scoop = 12g

💧Organic Tincture Blend

Energetic Architecture explains how the herbs in MetaTonic have been structured to support metabolic steadiness, glucose balance, and whole-system resilience in a balanced way.

EMS isn’t a single issue - it’s a pattern of metabolic miscommunication. Glucose handling becomes erratic, liver pathways can feel sluggish, the gut–liver axis loses rhythm, and circulation to peripheral tissues - especially the hooves - becomes compromised.

MetaTonic is designed to bring the system back into a steadier rhythm by supporting the key systems that regulate metabolic balance day to day.

The blend covers stabilising glucose–insulin signalling, and liver and lymphatic clearance, while maintaining gut balance, circulation, and tissue comfort.

Think of it as the functional blueprint behind the blend — supporting communication between systems so metabolism becomes calmer, more predictable, and easier to manage.

Functional intent

MetaTonic is designed for daily metabolic stability in horses prone to EMS, insulin sensitivity, and grass-related flare-ups.

The blend works across four interconnected pathways:

Glucose regulation → hepatic support → lymphatic clearance → peripheral circulation

This creates a balanced internal environment where sugar handling, tissue comfort, and metabolic rhythm remains stabilised.

Functional Categories – Metabolic Support in Action

1. Glucose–Insulin Regulation - Galega officinalis & Berberis vulgaris
   Supporting the body’s ability to handle dietary sugars and maintain metabolic steadiness.
2. Gut–Liver Axis Support - Berberis vulgaris, Tabebuia impetiginosa, & Foeniculum vulgare
   Supporting the metabolic “command centre” where digestion, microbial balance, and liver processing intersect.
3. Hepatic Processing & Metabolic Resilience - Silybum marianum & Urtica dioica
   Supporting liver function to help the body manage metabolic load and maintain internal balance.
4. Lymphatic Movement & Fluid Balance - Galium aperine & Urtica dioica
   Helping prevent internal “back-up” and supporting the movement of metabolic by-products.
5. Peripheral Circulation & Hoof Support - Crataegus oxyacanthoides & Rosa canina
   Supporting blood flow to distal tissues, particularly important for hoof comfort and metabolic horses.
6. Oxidative Buffering & Tissue Resilience - Rosa canina
   Supporting connective tissue, vascular integrity, and helping buffer oxidative stress associated with metabolic imbalance.
7. Supporting connective tissue, vascular integrity, and helping buffer oxidative stress associated with metabolic imbalance. Rosa canina (Rosehip)
8. Metabolic Debris Management - Smilax ornata
   Supporting the processing and clearing of inflammatory by-products associated with metabolic strain.

Advisories

• Feed alongside a low-NSC, fibre-based diet with 24/7 access to meadow hay.
• Daily movement supports healthy glucose use.
• Monitor crest tension, pulses, water intake, and body condition.
• Consider pairing with Acetyl L-Carnitine (crest/fat pads) or DuoBute (comfort) during flare-ups.

Contraindications

• Not suitable for pregnant or nursing mares due to hormonally active and cleansing botanicals (e.g., Galega, Smilax, Berberis, Lapacho).
• Caution with metabolic medications or steroid drugs — seek veterinary guidance.
• Not for use during acute laminitis. Introduce during recovery once stable and comfortably mobile.
• Not suitable for horses with significant liver compromise unless supervised.

Veterinary Reference / Formulary Extract