Hi Dr Getty,
Since you gave such wonderful advice for my hot horse I wanted to ask you about my other horses' diet. He is a 18 year-old Morgan gelding. My horse foundered two summers ago, it wasn't a bad case (he had very slight to no rotation in his coffin bone). He has been eating a feed high in starch (TizWhiz), which now I know is a horrible idea for an insulin resistant horse. He has fat deposits, a cresty neck, and keeps a lot of weight on. I heard that you should feed horse like this a diet that consists of hay and beet pulp with a vitamin supplement specific to their needs such as LinProTM. I was wondering where I could find beet pulp with no added molasses. In the warmer months he is out on pasture for a few hours a day (the grass isn't very lush at my boarding stable). He gets ridden about 3 times a week since he is semi-retired. He is about 1000lbs. How much beet pulp should I feed? Also, if you have a different diet plan, please let me know. Another question- are beet pulp pellets any different than regular beet pulp?
Thank you,
Andrea

Where are you from? Ohio

How did you locate this forum? yahoo

Hi Andrea,

Thank you for your kind words. Interestingly, the Quiessence you used to calm your hot horse, is also the very thing you should feed your insulin resistant horse. Magnesium lowers circulating insulin levels and will allow him to lose the fat deposits and protect him against another laminitis attack. Feed him 4 ounces per day, until you start to see weight loss results. Then, 2 ounces/day for maintenance is a good idea. And, this can be fed together with LinPro, which is a good combination.

Beet pulp is hard to find in the unsweetened variety. And, for your horse, it is best to get this type, if available. If the unsweetened variety is not available, soak it for 30 minutes in warm water, if possible, and then drain off the water. This will remove most of the sugar.

Go with the shredded variety -- it absorbs water much faster and is therefore, safer to feed by reducing the chance of choke.

Morgan horses are notorious for developing insulin resistance and Equine Polysaccharide Myopathy (EPSM), so it is critical that you eliminate all starchy feeds from the diet. So, no grain (oats, corn, barley, etc.), no pelleted feeds that contain grain, no sweet feeds, and no sweet treats made from grain, or high sugar treats such as carrots or apples (sorry). If you'd like a treat for him, go with Skode's treats, which are designed for horses like yours.

Keep me posted!

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Thank you for your advice. I already have him on chromium yeast, which I recently found out that it wasn't as effective as magnesium. I have noticed results with that, (decreased fat deposits and weight loss) but the results aren't as drastic as I think that the magnesium will be in combination with a diet containing minimal to no starches. He still has the fat deposits, but they aren't as bulky. Again, thank you for your advice. I plan to begin the transition in my horses' diet immediately.
Andrea
Also, I was wondering what kind of hay to feed. He is on a grass hay currently, but I read that bermuda is best for these types of horses; however, bermuda is hard to find in my area. The other question I have regards how much pasture time he should have and at what times of the day? I hear that around 4 in the afternoon is when the grass has the highest sugar content, is that true?

Where are you from? Ohio

How did you locate this forum? yahoo

Hi Andrea,

Bermuda is a warm weather grass and is typically not found in your area, as you definitely know! But, that's not a bad thing -- Bermuda is not the most nutritious. You can safely feed timothy or orchard grass hays. Ideally, it is best to have your hay analyzed for its NSC (sugar and starch) or Non-Fibrous Carbohydrates (NFC), which has replaced NSC in many settings.

Grass hay, if low in starch and sugar should be fed 24/7 so your horse can have a chance to self-regulate his intake. If hay is provided at all times, horses will adjust by slowing down their intake and eating what they need.

Pasture is tricky for insulin resistant horses. The safest time of day is in the morning, after the grass has had a chance to use up the sugar during the night hours. After a day of sunlight exposure, the sugar levels are at their highest. So, you're right about the late afternoon -- that's the worst time for these horses.

I'm glad you'll be adding magnesium to the diet. Quiessence has both magnesium and chromium, so it is a perfect combination for helping him lower his circulating insulin levels, and therefore, lose body fat.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO