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

EMS management rarely works through quick fixes.

These horses tend to do best with consistency – steady forage, steady movement, steady nutrition, and support that helps the metabolic system remain calm and resilient over time.

For many owners, the challenge isn’t just the big flare-ups - it’s the constant low-level management:
crest changes, grass sensitivity, footiness, weight shifts, seasonal triggers, and the feeling that the system can tip out of balance very quickly.

That’s where MetaTonic fits in, because EMS isn’t “one thing.” It’s a combination of:

• carbohydrate sensitivity
• hindgut and liver imbalance
• inflammatory strain
• seasonal triggers
• circulation changes
• stubborn weight and crest patterns

MetaTonic is designed as a daily metabolic foundation blend – supporting the gut–liver axis, glucose handling, circulation, and internal metabolic rhythm, so the horse becomes steadier and easier to maintain long-term.

Rather than reacting once things spiral, the aim is to support the system before it gets there.

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 support glucose–insulin balance, and help maintain day-to-day metabolic steadiness.

**NB. Not for acute laminitis episodes - start only when your horse is comfortably mobile and stable post-crisis.

Why MetaTonic helps EMS horses feel more stable

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

• steady glucose–insulin regulation
• 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.

How MetaTonic fits into your horse’s support plan

MetaTonic is designed as your daily anchor for horses prone to EMS or insulin sensitivity – supporting metabolic rhythm so you’re not constantly reacting to flare-ups.

For many horses, MetaTonic becomes the baseline support that everything else builds around. From there, support can be adapted depending on what you’re seeing:

Layering support (as needed)

• Acetyl L-Carnitine – where crestiness/fat pads are more resistant, i.e. leptin resistance/the permanently hungry horse
• DuoBute – for comfort during periods of footiness or inflammation

If you're feeding MetaTonic alongside our DuoBute and Acetyl L-Carnitine , combine all three with our MetaCOMBO:

• MetaCOMBO – MetaCOMBO combines all three into one comprehensive blend, with a 5% saving over the individual products.

Looking deeper

At the same time, it’s important to recognise when metabolic patterns are part of a deeper, whole-system picture.

If EMS sits alongside recurring issues such as gut instability, skin reactivity, or sensitivity to environmental change, this may point to a broader metabolic imbalance.

• KPUCOMBO – for horses showing recurring, interconnected patterns linked to the KPU spectrum

In these cases, supporting the gut–liver pathway helps reduce the underlying pressure that drives ongoing metabolic instability.

Foundation support

For best results, ensure your horse’s core nutrition is covered with a high-quality, forage-based mineral foundation . A well-supported system responds more consistently to targeted blends.

In short

Use MetaTonic as your daily foundation – step up to MetaCOMBO during more reactive phases – and if patterns keep returning or widening, it’s time to look deeper at the bigger picture.

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, used for easing internal congestion 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 - supporting glucose balance, liver and lymphatic function, gut stability, circulation, and tissue comfort together.

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 remain 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.
• Horses with significant liver compromise should be supported under veterinary guidance.

Veterinary reference / formulary extract