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Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition

   Welcome to my forum. 

Here you will find more than 6 years of questions and my answers. It is searchable and offers a great deal of information. 

Currently, I am discontinuing new questions. This may change in the future, but in the meantime, please know that It has been a true pleasure serving you. 

Take a look at my Nutrition Library and Tips of the Month for a variety of answers on selected topics. Be sure to sign up for my monthly e-newsletter, Forage for Thought

I also have a growing number of recordings on "Teleseminars on Nutrition Topics that Concern You" as well as the new, Spotlight on Equine Nutrition Series -- printed versions of favorite teleseminars.

And finally, look for my articles in a variety of local publications and online newsletters, as well as the Horse Journal, where I am the Contributing Nutrition Editor.  

 

All the best,

 Dr. Getty 

 



Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Re: insulin intolerance

Hi Kim,

Yes, you're correct -- wheat hay is a grain hay and is not appropriate for your horse. The fact that she has a cresty neck is a warning sign that she is insulin resistant and could develop laminitis.

But you should never restrict hay. She should have all the grass hay she wants -- but it needs to be low in starch and sugar. If you restrict hay, she will look for anything she can chew on to relieve her pain and discomfort. Horses' stomach secrete acid continually and saliva (from chewing) is a natural antacid. If she goes for hours without anything to eat, she will develop an ulcer and may very well colic.

This is also very stressful, which can trigger a laminitis attack. Stress causes the release of cortisol, a stress hormone. The result is more insulin circulating in the blood (which she already has too much of from her insulin resistance), which will cause the laminae in the feet to separate from the hoof wall.

So bottom line... have your hay tested. The percent WSC plus percent starch should be less than 12%. Feed her as much as she wants, do not feed her any concentrated meals. She can have a very small meal to add supplements, however. She does need magnesium -- I recommend Quiessence -- 1 ounce per 250 lbs of body weight. This will help her lose the cresty neck by lowering circulating insulin levels (the more insulin, the more fat storage).

Keep me posted.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

kim wilbanks
My shoer has expressed a concern that my 16 year old mustang might develope insulin intolerance if fed the wrong feed. We have the opportunity to get wheat hay at a good price this year. Would this be bad for a suseptable horse? You have said "no oat hay, or other grain hay" for hroses with insulin problems... wheat would be a "grain hay", right? What symptoms would my horse exhibit if a problem were developing? The shoer is concerned that she is such an easy keeper. She is chubby, and cresty. (We can't seem to slim her down, even though we feed her very little. She eats her own poop when we cut back on her feed...the ultimate 're-cycling horse'!!) Also, the shoer is concerned that she has such large, knotty acorns.

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO