Some people wonder, "Is obesity a disease?" The answer is it could be. Consider: In early March 2010, researchers at Emory University found that increased appetite and insulin resistance could be transferred from one mouse to another via intestinal bacteria, strengthening the case that intestinal bacteria–germs–can contribute to obesity and metabolic disease.

As the obesity/disease theory pertains to horses, Amanda A. Adams, PhD, of the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center, says, "Obesity is a condition that is now described as a mild but chronic inflammatory state and thus is a key risk factor for developing a myriad of health conditions.

Let's take a closer look at how obesity feeds some common equine maladies