Research Articles: Equine Diet and Nutrition

Would you drink sour milk or eat stale bread? No, because product freshness is vital to the taste, safety and effectiveness of products consumed, not only for our families and ourselves, but for our horses as well. There are several ways to ensure freshness in the products we feed our equine friends.

The natural tendency is to over-feed the thin horse that has been neglected, especially if the horse is a Rescue and Rehab. It is important to note that these horses often have medical issues along with inadequate nutrition. The most common medical problems include intestinal parasitism and poor dental health, exasperating the inadequate nutrition stemming from poor quality and low quantity feedstuffs.

Since Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy involves the deposition of a non-bioavailable form of glycogen into the muscle tissue, the best diet is one that minimizes glycogen formation. If the horse needs a calorie source in addition to the cellulose provided by pasture hay to maintain body condition score a good source of calories would be vegetable oil or sugar beet pulp.

To understand how to feed and to manage equine nutrition, we must understand the digestive system of the horse and how the horse differs from other animals.

Laminitis and colic are often the result of undigested starch entering the caecum of the horse where it is broken down and fermented by microbes. It is this fermentation process along with alterations in the gut flora that produces the toxins that enter the bloodstream and damage the sensitive blood vessels within the hoof.

Over-supplementing Nutrients

Excessive supplementation of any nutrient, even if the nutrient is not toxic, requires metabolic and organ functions in order to eliminate the nutrient from the body. This is a waste of valuable resources whether in the form of enzyme activity, energy, or organ usage such as the kidneys.

Cushing's Disease

Cushing’s disease is caused by a tumor of the pituitary gland. The resulting metabolic disturbances stem from excessive levels of a hormone secreted by the tumor, which in turn leads to high blood cortisol levels and the development of insulin resistance. These horses typically have high blood sugar (glucose) levels and will benefit from low carbohydrate dietary management.

There are so many supplements in the market. Unfortunately, it is easy for a manufacturer to enter the hoof supplement market with little or no credentials. That is why the following factors should be considered to choose a reputable nutrition supplement: 

Winter is Coming! Is Your Horse Prepared?

Days are becoming shorter, nights are becoming colder, leaves are blanketing the ground, and Christmas decorations are showing up in your local super market. The signs that winter is coming are here, and as we begin removing our sweaters from storage, we should also be preparing our horses for the upcoming wintry weather. Especially for elderly horses or horses that struggle maintaining their weight. Proper nutrition is the key to a healthy weight.

 Causes, Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment 

What is insulin resistance?

‘Insulin resistance’ is the accepted term for increased blood glucose in combination with normal to increased levels of blood insulin.