There is an epidemic rising within our equine population, similar to what is happening with our human populace, obesity. Better quality nutritional products and pasture management over the years have made it easier for horses to get fat and stay that way. Also, many horses get little to no exercise on a daily basis. Overweight horses are prone to many disorders including organ failure, intolerance to exercise, higher oxygen requirements, problem pregnancies, developmental orthopedic disease and laminitis. It is also speculated that a horse or pony that has been hefty for most of its life will be predisposed to developing Cushings Disease as a geriatric, where a tumor or enlargement on the pituitary gland causes a dysfunctional metabolism.
Fat horses of all ages can become insulin resistant, meaning when any amount of starch or sugar (soluble carbohydrates) is consumed, the horse will not be responsive to the effects of insulin; the hormone responsible for storing the starch and sugar in the cells. As the body’s cells become less and less sensitive to insulin, the body responds simply by producing more and more insulin. These higher levels serve to regulate blood glucose for a while, but eventually the body’s cells fail to respond even to these increasing levels of insulin, and eventually lead to total failure of the insulin-producing cells.
This condition is similar to Diabetes, one of the most common problems for humans that are chronically overweight, but for a long time it was thought the problem did not exist in the equine world. That view point may be changing as the veterinary and research communities identify more and more horses that seem to be suffering from various stages of insulin resistance, the early stages of what will eventually lead to a condition similar to that seen in humans: Adult-Onset or Type II Diabetes.
So what do we do to prevent our horses from becoming insulin resistant? More exercise is first on the list. Insulin resistance is reduced by exercise and any amount or increase will be useful. Fine tune your feeding program by being more conscious of the forages and pastures fed to your horses. If you have a horse you suspect is or could become insulin resistant, select forages that have been analyzed and are known to contain low levels of sugar. Look for forages with lower calorie levels. This type of forage is actually better for the insulin resistant horse because they can eat more of it without gaining too much weight. They don’t require super high quality forages. You can always add in protein, vitamins and minerals with a supplement if need be.
Same for pasture – don’t let the horse graze unrestricted on pasture, especially during bright sunlight when the plants are photosynthesizing. This is when the sugar content in the leaves and stems are the highest (the plant uses the sugar for energy while trying to grow). Limit grazing time to overnight or employ the use of a grazing muzzle ( a muzzle with a small hole through which the horse can bite off small amounts of grass) or a dry lot. This is preferable to subjecting the horse to a stall on a continuous basis.
It is imperative that the insulin resistant or prone horse be fed low sugar and starch concentrates and supplements. Many new and innovative products are now available that contain more fiber and fat as their main source of energy. However, products selected for the insulin resistant horse should contain as little fat as possible. These horses already have impaired fat metabolism due to the high levels of insulin they secrete, insulin suppresses fat metabolism and supports fat deposition. Stick to products like Triple Crown Lite or Safe Starch Forage which supply protein, vitamins and minerals along with high levels of fiber, low levels of soluble carbohydrates and fewer calories per pound.
With careful management and product selection, insulin resistant horses can live long healthy lives. The key is to feed these horses less starch, sugar, calories and fat supplement for protein vitamins and minerals, and increase exercise.
This article was provided by Triple Crown Nutrition. For more information on feeding horses with metabolic issues you can contact Triple Crown Nutrition at 800-451-9916 or
www.triplecrownfeed.com.