↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier →

EQUINE CUSHINGS AND INSULIN RESISTANCE
TEMPE, AZ · EIN 453859561 · Form 990EZ · FY2021 · NTEE B99 · Education · Small ($100K-$1M) · ecirhorse.com
revenue
$176K
expenses
$37K
net assets
$299K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

THE CHARACTER OF AFFAIRS OF THE CORPORATION WILL BE: RAISE MONEY TO FUND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON EQUINE METABOLIC DISORDERS AND ADVANCE THE KNOWLEDGE OF HORSE OWNERS, EQUINE CAREGIVERS, AND PROFESSIONALS RELATING TO SUCH DISEASES BY DISSEMINATING THE FINDINGS OF THAT RESEARCH AND OTHER RELATED STUDIES THROUGH PUBLIC DISCUSSION GROUPS, FORUMS, LECTURES, AND OTHER SIMILAR PROGRAMS, AND BY DISTRIBUTING PRINTED MEDIA. THIS WILL BE DONE WITH THE GOAL OF IMPROVING THE WELFARE OF EQUINES AFFECTED BY METABOLIC DISORDERS. Please refer back to Part III of the main form 990-EZ to see the total dollars spent on Research and Education given.

profile · synthesized from sources

Nonprofit organization focused on improving the health of horses with Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID, or Equine Cushing's Disease) and Insulin Resistance (IR). Provides evidence-based treatment protocols, particularly around pergolide therapy and ACTH monitoring, to prevent laminitis. Offers guidance on drug formulations, dosing, side effect management, and alternative therapies based on member experiences and clinical research.

named programs · 4 · from sources

what they call their work

ACTH Monitoring Protocol
Recommends seasonal and symptom-based ACTH blood testing to guide treatment, especially during the high-risk period from August to December
Alternative Therapies Evaluation
Assesses non-pharmaceutical treatments like Chaste Tree Berry (Vitex agnus-castus) and homeopathy, concluding they are not substitutes for pergolide
DDT+E Protocol
Integrative approach combining Diagnosis, Diet, Trim, and Exercise to manage IR and PPID in horses
Pergolide Therapy Guidance
Provides detailed protocols on the use of pergolide for PPID, including dosing, tapering, formulation options, storage, and side effect management
activities · 3 groups

what they do

  • Equine Metabolic Disorder Research 12 activities
    • Conduct Equine Health Research
      Conducts research on equine health, including documenting laminitis cases, observing PPID development, testing pergolide potency, and studying the effects of Vitex and Chaste Tree Berry on horses with PPID and laminitis. The organization also funds research investigations with awards up to $50,000.
    • Conduct Equine Health Research
      Conducts research on equine health conditions like PPID and EMS/IR, including field trials, testing of medications, and epidemiological studies using internet data, to advance understanding and treatment.
    • Conduct Equine Health Research
      Conducts and funds research investigations into equine health conditions like PPID and EMS/IR, including field trials on treatments like Vitex and pergolide, and studies on laminitis development, utilizing the internet as an epidemiological tool.
    • Conduct and publish original research on equine metabolic disorders
      Conducts independent research including field trials (e.g., Vitex extract and encapsulated pergolide studies), longitudinal case documentation, and epidemiological analysis to advance understanding of PPID and EMS/IR in horses.
    • Conducting and Funding Equine Health Research
      The organization conducts field trials and studies on equine health conditions like PPID and EMS/IR, utilizing a large field-trial database and the internet as an epidemiological tool. It also funds external research investigations with awards up to $50,000.
    • Conducting and Funding Equine Health Research
      The organization conducts field trials and studies on equine health issues, particularly Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) and Equine Metabolic Syndrome/Insulin Resistance (EMS/IR), and funds external research investigations with awards up to $50,000.
    • Fund Equine Health Research
      Funds research investigations with awards up to $50,000 for projects limited to one year, supporting external research efforts in equine health.
    • Fund external research investigations
      Provides research grants of up to $50,000 for one-year projects focused on equine metabolic disorders, supporting external scientific inquiry into PPID and EMS/IR.
    • Maintain Equine Health Field-Trial Database
      Maintains the world's largest field-trial database for Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) and Equine Metabolic Syndrome/Insulin Resistance (EMS/IR) to support research and understanding of these conditions.
    • Maintain Equine Health Field-Trial Database
      Maintains the world's largest field-trial database for Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) and Equine Metabolic Syndrome/Insulin Resistance (EMS/IR) to support research and understanding of these conditions.
    • Maintain Equine Health Field-Trial Databases
      Maintains the world's largest field-trial database for Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) and Equine Metabolic Syndrome/Insulin Resistance (EMS/IR) to track and analyze equine health data.
    • Maintain field-trial database for PPID and EMS/IR
      Operates the world's largest field-trial database for Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) and Equine Metabolic Syndrome/Insulin Resistance (EMS/IR), supporting long-term observational studies and treatment tracking.
  • Equine Metabolic Health Webinars and Conference Materials 11 activities
    • Disseminate conference proceedings and research materials
      Makes conference proceedings from multiple years (e.g., 2015, 2017, 2021, 2025) available as free downloadable PDFs, including presentations by key experts such as Dr. Kellon and Dr. Gustafson.
    • Host Educational Webinars
      Offers live webinars and recorded access on various equine health topics, such as "How Does Insulin Cause Laminitis?", "NSC or HC – Why does it Matter?", "PPID and the Seasonal Rise", and "Winter Laminitis".
    • Host Educational Webinars
      Offers live and recorded webinars on various equine health topics, such as insulin's role in laminitis, NSC vs. HC, PPID and seasonal rise, and winter laminitis, presented by experts like Dr. Kellon and Dr. Gustafson.
    • Host Educational Webinars
      Offers live and recorded webinars on various equine health topics, including "How Does Insulin Cause Laminitis?", "NSC or HC – Why does it Matter?", "PPID and the Seasonal Rise", and "Winter Laminitis", presented by experts like Dr. Kellon and Dr. Gustafson.
    • Host educational webinars on equine metabolic health
      Offers live and recorded webinars on topics such as insulin-related laminitis, PPID seasonal rise, NSC vs HC dietary concerns, and winter laminitis, presented by veterinary experts including Dr. Kellon and Dr. Gustafson.
    • Provide Conference Proceedings
      Provides downloadable PDF files and sells MP3 recordings of conference proceedings from various years (e.g., 2015, 2017, 2021, 2025), featuring presentations by experts on equine health topics.
    • Provide Conference Proceedings
      Provides free downloadable PDF files of conference proceedings from various years (e.g., 2015, 2017, 2021, 2025), including presentations by experts like Kellon and Gustafson, and sells MP3 recordings of conference sessions.
    • Providing Educational Webinars and Conference Proceedings
      The organization offers live webinars and recorded access to educational topics presented by experts, and provides free downloadable PDF files and MP3 recordings of conference proceedings from various years, including 2015, 2017, 2021, and 2025.
    • Providing Educational Webinars and Conference Proceedings
      The organization offers live webinars and recorded access to educational topics presented by experts, and provides free downloadable PDF files and MP3 recordings of conference proceedings from various years, including 2015, 2017, 2021, and 2025.
    • Publish Conference Proceedings
      Provides free downloadable PDF files and sells MP3 recordings of conference proceedings from various years (e.g., 2015, 2017, 2021, 2025) featuring presentations by experts on equine health topics.
    • Sell recorded conference materials
      Offers MP3 recordings of conference sessions for purchase, providing accessible educational content on equine metabolic disorders.
  • Uncategorized 7 activities
    • Act as information clearinghouse for equine metabolic disorders
      Serves as a centralized resource for clinical and epidemiological data on PPID and EMS/IR, aggregating and sharing findings from field trials, member observations, and published research.
    • Disseminate Equine Health Information
      Acts as a clearinghouse for clinical and epidemiological information related to equine health, providing information on the latest research, diagnosis, treatment, and dietary recommendations for horses with PPID and EMS/IR to thousands of international members through its website, outreach groups, and social media.
    • Disseminate Equine Health Information
      Acts as a clearinghouse for clinical and epidemiological information related to equine health, providing information on the latest research, diagnosis, treatment, and dietary recommendations for horses with PPID and EMS/IR to thousands of international members through its website, social media, and outreach groups.
    • Disseminate Equine Health Information
      Acts as a clearinghouse for clinical and epidemiological information related to equine health, providing information on the latest research, diagnosis, treatment, and dietary recommendations for horses with PPID and EMS/IR to thousands of international members through its website, outreach groups, and social media.
    • Disseminating Equine Health Information
      The organization acts as a clearinghouse for clinical and epidemiological information related to equine health, providing information on the latest research, diagnosis, and treatment, including dietary recommendations, for horses with PPID and EMS/IR to thousands of international members through its website, outreach groups, and social media.
    • Disseminating Equine Health Information
      The organization acts as a clearinghouse for clinical and epidemiological information related to equine health, providing information on the latest research, diagnosis, and treatment, including dietary recommendations, for horses with PPID and EMS/IR to thousands of international members through its website, outreach groups, and social media.
    • Provide comprehensive clinical guidance for horse caregivers
      Delivers up-to-date, practical information on diagnosis, medication, diet, trim, and exercise (DDT+E) for horses with PPID and EMS/IR through its website, outreach group, and social media, serving thousands of international members.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$176K
Contributions & grants$47K27%
Program service revenue$128K73%
Investment income$1300%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$37K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$299K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$299K
1 years on record · 2021–2021
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

board members · 3
  • CINDY MCGINLEY — Director
  • FRAN METZGER — Director
  • KATHLEEN GUSTAFSON — Director
relationships · 20

who they work with

  • Auburn Labs Partner — Manufacturer of APF (Advanced Protection Formula), an adaptogen with a good track record in the ECIR group for managing pergolide side effects.
  • BET Labs Partner — Pharmacy in Lexington, KY that provides an injectable, sustained-release form of Cabergoline for PPID treatment.
  • Carol Layton, B.Sc, M.Ed Partner — Presented on minerals and hoof health at the 2017 conference.
  • E-junkie Partner — Provides shopping cart services for purchasing conference recordings.
  • Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD Partner — Conducted the first field trial of Chaste Tree Berry in PPID horses and offers the Equine Cushing's & Insulin Resistance Course from which information on this page was adapted.
  • Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD Partner — Information on the page is adapted from her Equine Cushing's & Insulin Resistance Course.
  • Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD Partner — Information on the website is adapted from the Equine Cushing's & Insulin Resistance Course offered by Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD.
  • Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD Partner — Presented on tiered management, endocrinopathic laminitis, acute care, and inflammation in EMS at the 2017 conference.
  • Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD Partner — Source of adapted educational content on PPID and insulin resistance.
  • Equine Cushing's and Insulin Resistance Outreach Group Partner — The ecirhorse.org website is complementary to this group.
  • FDA Government — Received research from a manufacturer for drug approval.
  • International Veterinary Information Service (IVIS) Partner — Makes conference proceedings available on their platform.
  • Jaini Clougher, BVSc, BSc Partner — Presented a historical review of diagnosis and treatment of PPID and EMS at the 2017 conference.
  • Kathleen Gustafson, PhD Partner — Presented on informed dietary decision making and the benefit of forage analysis at the 2017 conference.
  • Laminitis Trust Partner — A trial with Vitus agnus-castus was done in the UK under its auspices.
  • Lavinia Fiscaletti, BS Partner — Presented on the importance of proper hoof trim in rehabilitation at the 2017 conference.
  • Lisa Lancaster, DVM, PhD Partner — Presented on multimodal treatment for chronic foot pain in horses at the 2017 conference.
  • New Bolton Center Partner — Conducted a study that compared Chaste Tree Berry to pergolide for PPID treatment.
  • Robert A. Eustace, FRCVS Partner — Conducted a trial with Vitus agnus-castus in the UK under the auspices of the Laminitis Trust.
  • Robert M. Bowker, VMD, PhD Partner — Presented on understanding laminitis, the vascular cushion of the frog, the coffin bone, and the impact of nerves during laminitis at the 2017 conference.