Hi, I'm so happy I discovered this website! I cut my horsey teeth in Endurance racing, where nutrition has always been a big subject. I had to stop riding like that due to a bad ankle injury, so now I have a Foxtrotter mare. I did a Competitive Trail ride last year on my mare, and did well and had fun...I want to do more this year. My mare tore her suspensory in the pasture last Aug, so has not been ridden and won't be until March, when I'll have to start conditioning her from scratch. She is a very easy keeper, maybe IR, so I feed her like she is IR. She always acts like she's starving. I feed grass hay, pasture, (with grazing muzzles when applicable) plain shredded beet pulp, and Buckeye Grow N Win. My question concerns those times she needs more energy, like when we are going 20 miles a day for 2 days in a row. I read that cooked corn would be digested in the small intestine. Does the pelleting process cook it? Buckeye Unbeetable has corn in it, I was interested in it. I worry that one of those new low-starch feeds might not supply enough energy. Last year I just added a 3 cups or so steam-crimped oats to the beet pulp. I can't decide what's best. Thanks so much, Debbie

Where are you from? Missouri

How did you locate this forum? A friend told me about it

Hi Debbie,

I do not like to feed corn because it is not very well digested. Even if cooked, the risk of the bacterial flora getting hold of it in the hind gut, is too risky. Oats, though a cereal grain, are better digested and a much better preference for an endurance horse.

But, if your mare is insulin resistant, you really do not want to feed oats. Instead, for endurance, continue with what you're feeding, but also add rice bran oil. This oil will provide extra calories and will be better for longer energy needs since it is burned more slowly. It takes a while for a horse's system to learn to use fat for energy, so start feeding oil a few weeks before any endurance event.

Rice bran oil also contains gamma oryzanol, which boosts muscle growth, in addition to providing energy. She may benefit from Body Builder during training periods.

I would also recommend that you add more B vitamins to her diet to allow his tissues to get the energy they need from his feed. BPlex is ideal in this circumstance.

I hope this is helpful. With your mare's injury history and her exercise requirements, you may want to consider making an appointment for a phone visit. I would like to learn more about her health and discuss her insulin resistance in order to develop a feeding plan that is customized to her needs during training, performance, and maintenance. So, let me know if I can assist you further.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Thanks Dr. Getty. I have been thinking that a phone visit might be just what I need. Can only one horse be discussed? I might like a bit on guidence on my retired Arab, too, who started showing signs of insulin resistance a couple years after he retired. I would sure rather have hard-keepers! I will plan on making the appointment, but I'm going to wait until later in the Spring, after I start riding her, slow and easy, after the vet's ultrasound gives me the go ahead. I want all the info you give me fresh in my mind when I need it most.
Thanks again for your help and your addicting website!
Debbie Trimble

Where are you from? Silex. Missouri

Oh, I forgot to mention that I do feed Quiessence. I only give the full 4 scoops when they are on lush pasture (even though they are wearing grazing muzzles when out, as they have been known to break and come off) and only 2 scoops now they're on winter pasture. Does the Quiessence supply the B vitamins you recommended for my mare? I also add Buckeye Grass Plus Horse Mineral to their beet pulp/GrowN Win mixture each day.
Debbie

Where are you from? Silex. Missouri

Hi Debbie,

Sure, we can talk about both of your horses. My fee is a flat rate, and our conversation generally takes around one to 1 1/2 hours, so two horses can certainly be covered during that time!

About the B vitamins, Quiessence does have some, but not a therapeutic dosage, so it would not be adequate. And, the mineral supplement that you're using would not contain any vitamins. I am concerned about the possibility of oversupplementation of minerals, since you are using Grow N Win, plus another mineral supplement. We will want to take a close look at this when we visit.

A word about grazing muzzles... Many horses find them very stressful, and stress causes the release of cortisol, a stress hormone. Cortisol promotes the storage of fat, so stress actually makes it very difficult for your horse to lose body fat. So, while you're trying to reduce her grazing, to help her reduce her insulin response, you may be doing the exact opposite by increasing her cortisol levels.

Some horses do not mind a grazing muzzle, and not all grazing muzzles are alike. I personally do not like using them for the reason I described, but if a horse tolerates one, go for one that is not as restrictive and allows for free water consumption. I do have one on my website that I offer in these cases for you to compare with what you're using -- it's called the Grazing Muzzle Deluxe. So, if you find that you must use one, use this one or one like it.

I'll look forward to our visit whenever you feel it will be helpful.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Hi Dr Getty,
I do feel I must use the grazing muzzles. Without them during lush pasture times, the horses would get no turnout at all. They stay on 12 hours a day, I get home at midnight and take them off and close them in the drylot, and give them a flake of hay each. I'm glad to see that the brand of grazing muzzles you recommend is the kind I use. They don't like them much, but I think the turnout is a stress-reliever in itself. I'd like to set up a system like Jaime Jackson suggests in his book "Paddock Paradise", but that's only one thing on my huge list titled: "Things to Build on the Farm" By the way, I received my Nutra Flax already! It came today and somebody included a bag of Famous Amos cookies for me!

Where are you from? Silex. Missouri

Hi Debbie,

I understand your situation and you are definitely a wonderful horse mom!

Ah yes, don't we all want to have the space, time, and money (lots of it!) to make all those improvements for our horses!

Glad you got the Nutra Flax so quickly and those cookies are a nice touch from Horsetech -- for human consumption only!

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO