What Do You Feed A Diabetic Horse?

Affected horses will get along best on a ration with low starch content and good-quality fermentable fiber. Free-choice grazing and grass hay can be supplemented with molasses-free beet pulp, and vegetable oil can be added to the diet unless the horse’s triglyceride level is elevated.

What is the best feed for insulin-resistant horses?

Select hay with a low level of soluble carbohydrates for the IR horse. Small grain hays such as oat and ryegrass have much greater sugar content than other grass hays like timothy and orchard grass.

How do you take care of a horse with diabetes?

They include:

1. Reduce sugars in the horse’s diet. “If we have horses who have a higher insulin concentration, we know that keeping them on a low-sugar diet does not stimulate insulin release as much,” says Frank.
2. Feed frequent small meals.
3. Restrict grazing.
4. Don’t let the horse become fat.

How do I lower my horse’s blood sugar?

Feeding low glycemic index feeds, like plain beet pulp and warm-season grasses, will also help to lower blood glucose and insulin. Increasing the amount of exercise your horse gets is also very important in maintaining a healthy horse.

How much hay should an insulin-resistant horse eat?

Your horse, if not getting any fresh grass, will need 2% of its body weight in hay daily. A normal 1,000 pound horse needs 20 pounds of hay daily. In most insulin-resistant horses, we’re trying to reduce weight, so feed less hay (1.8% or 18 pounds of hay).

Is alfalfa OK for insulin-resistant horses?

A: Alfalfa can be an excellent addition to most horses’ diets, even for those that are insulin resistant (IR). I often recommend feeding it because it boosts the overall protein quality of a grass-hay diet and, in general, enhances the horse’s muscle tone, immune system and overall health.

What horse feed is low in starch and sugar?

SafeChoice® Special Care is considered a low-starch feed with a maximum starch level of 13%. To truly provide a low starch and sugar diet, it is important to take into consideration the starch and sugar levels of the forage in the diet.

Can an insulin-resistant horse eat grass?

Grass is the most natural food for horses, but fresh grass can be your worst enemy if you have an insulin resistant (IR) horse. Known as Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), insulin resistance presents a special challenge when it comes to grazing.

Is beet pulp good for insulin-resistant horses?

For insulin-resistant horses, beet pulp is a good choice because it does not cause a significant glycemic response as it is being digested. Despite its low-carbohydrate status, it can help put weight on some thin horses through the energy that is released when it is fermented in the hindgut.

What are the signs of insulin resistance in horses?

Early signs of Insulin Resistant Horse:

• Abnormal weight gain or weight loss.
• Increased or excessive water consumption.
• Loss of stamina and muscle tone.
• Tendency to develop laminitis or colic.
• Abdominal bloating.
• Increased blood triglyceride levels.

What will quickly lower blood sugar?

When your blood sugar level gets too high — known as hyperglycemia or high blood glucose — the quickest way to reduce it is to take fast-acting insulin. Exercising is another fast, effective way to lower blood sugar.
For a balanced diet, eat plenty of the following:

1. whole grains.
2. fruits.
3. vegetables.
4. lean proteins.

What is the fastest natural way to lower blood sugar?

14 Easy Ways to Lower Blood Sugar Levels Naturally

1. Exercise regularly.
2. Manage your carb intake.
3. Eat more fiber.
4. Drink water and stay hydrated.
5. Implement portion control.
6. Choose foods with a low glycemic index.
7. Try to manage your stress levels.
8. Monitor your blood sugar levels.

What vegetables are low in sugar for horses?

For a different treat, try bananas or celery, or if your horse is an unadventurous eater try low-sugar veg such as swede, parsnips and turnips. These can also act as boredom busters if you hang them in the stable.

Which hay is lowest in sugar?

What is this? In addition Timothy hay is higher in fiber and lower in sugar and calories than most other types of horse hay, making it a great choice for overweight horses.

What’s the best hay for laminitic horses?

Hay – The Core Feed For A Laminitis Diet
Safer-type forages include Timothy, Teff, and Rhodes grass hays. Avoid hays containing high amounts of fructan such as ryegrass, oaten, wheaten, or barley hays. If you are unsure of the NSC level of the hay or chaff, you will need to soak it in water to leach the sugars out.

Can laminitic horses have alfalfa?

The horse should be fed low-NSC hay at the rate of 1.5 to 2% of body weight. Alfalfa hay (lucerne) can be part of the diet during the acute stages. Chaff, beet pulp, and soy hulls can provide part of the fiber intake.

Can you reverse insulin resistance in horses?

Whether or not insulin dysregulation can be reversed once it develops remains unclear, but one recently published study suggests that it can. The reversal of insulin dysregulation was demonstrated using Shetland ponies, which are known for their propensity to gain weight and develop insulin dysregulation.

Can you feed oats to a horse with laminitis?

Although horses with acute (active) laminitis should not be fed whole oats, there is increasing awareness that horses that have had a history of laminitis in the past can be safely fed whole oats. This is due to the fact that the starch in oats is highly digestible.

Are oats good for insulin resistant horses?

Even though oats are the grain lowest in sugar and starch, at around 45 to 50% starch they are still far too high in starch for horses on a low sugar and starch diet, eg insulin resistant horses, horses prone to laminitis, those with disorders like Cushings or PSSM etc, as well as many horses who are prone to ulcers,

Do carrots have too much sugar for horses?

Beyond these two supportive antioxidants, carrots only have 3.41 grams of sugar per serving and only 7 carbohydrates. That is excellent news for those horse owners who are constantly on the lookout for healthy treats for their horses. Carrots also contain 2 grams of fiber, helping to support digestive function.

What is the healthiest diet for a horse?

Horses are naturally grazers, they eat little and often. Their natural diet is mainly grass, which has high roughage content. Horses should be provided with a predominantly fibre-based diet, either grass, hay, haylage or a hay replacement in order to mimic their natural feeding pattern as closely as possible.