How to Feed an Insulin-Resistant Horse

Insulin hormone is produced in the horse's pancreas to regulate the metabolism of glucose in the body. Insulin-resistant horses need more insulin than normal to facilitate this because their body cells do not allow normal glucose uptake, thus limiting energy availability. Blood glucose concentrations in the horse's body become elevated after a meal high in starches or sugars. Over extended periods of time, this can affect limb circulation, leading to hoof diseases (laminitis) and lameness. Overweight older horses can be insulin resistant, as can "easy keepers"--animals with slower metabolisms that maintain their weight despite heavy exercise. Mares with Cushing's disease (a pituitary dysfunction) are prone to insulin resistance, as are ponies and horses with a history of laminitis. Veterinarians can easily diagnose insulin resistance with a blood test after the ingestion of a high-starch, high-sugar meal.

Things You'll Need

  • Low-starch/low-sugar grass hay
  • Beet pulp, no-molasses variety
  • Mineral and vitamin supplements
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove all wheat hay, oats, corn, barley, rice bran and any concentrated feed with molasses from your horse's food regimen. Discard any supplements with added fat and oil.

    • 2

      Feed your horse a low-starch/low-sugar grass hay at the rate of 2 percent of his ideal weight per day. For example, a 1,200 pound horse would receive 24 pounds of hay a day. Soak the hay in water for 30 minutes to an hour before feeding to remove any excess sugars.

    • 3

      Supplement the hay with no-molasses beet pulp that has been soaked in water for at least an hour before feeding to remove extra sugars and starch. Feed 1 pound of pulp per every thousand pounds of your horse's weight once a day in the morning.

    • 4

      Restrict your horse's access to high pasture grass to prevent the development of laminitis due to new pasture's high sugar content.

    • 5

      Add mineral supplements to your horse's feed of the iron, copper, manganese, zinc, chromium and magnesium normally supplied by the pasture grass he is no longer eating. Also include the vitamin E, selenium, iodine, salt and flax not usually contained in hay. Check with your veterinarian for the amounts of each supplement recommended.