Well, I hate to say this, but I tried feeding my six horses all the hay they could eat. It was good hay, coastal bermuda and alfalfa. I gave only enough low starch concentrate to carry their supplements. At first they looked great. Then all got too fat and stayed that way. My vet was appalled. So I went back to feeding 1.5% of their ideal body weight, with 1/3 of it alfalfa, and about 1/2 pound concentrate plus supplements. They now look good. Now that we have pasture I'll tweek their rations again. I'd love to let them eat all they want. But besides making them gain too much weight, it was too expensive and they wasted too much. Maybe someone else has had a different experience.

Where are you from? Poolville TX

Thanks for letting me know your experience Pam. I am now about 2 weeks into this experience and my horse has gained about 30 pounds already. He does waste quite a bit of hay too. I have considered putting a "grazing muzzle" on him to try to slow him down a little but I haven't found one that I think he would tolerate and looks safe to me.

There is a company in Australia that makes a feeder called SlowHay or HaySlow ( I don't remember exactly) that is designed to allow you to put hay out all the time but keeps them from eating so fast and making a big mess with it. Unfortunately it is not currently available in the US.

I plan to give it another 2 weeks before I make a final decision but I am really concerned about Founder if he keeps up at this rate. I do beleive he needs to have something in his stomach to help with the ulcer problem but I'm not sure this is the best course of action.

Greetings Pam,

Thank you very much for writing about your experience.

When feeding hay free-choice, there are a few things to keep in mind.

-- The hay should be a grass hay, since offering alfalfa as part of the free choice mixture can result in too much of this calorie-rich legume. Alfalfa is an important component of the hay ration because it boosts the overall protein quality. However, depending on the horse's need, it should be fed between 10-30% of the total hay supply, and therefore, is best to feed separately, rather than part of a grass/alfalfa hay mixture.

-- A horse that is prone toward insulin resistance should, as you know, be limited in the amount of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) consumed. This includes starch and simple sugars. There is no way to tell if a grass hay is low in %NSC simply by looking at it. So, having your hay analyzed is essential when feeding it free-choice to a horse that is prone toward obesity (and hence, insulin resistance). It is possible that your hay has an NSC level that is too high to be fed free-choice. The solution is not to limit feeding, since this results in cortisol release (stress hormone), which further exacerbates insulin resistance, leading to weight gain. Instead, consider having your hay analyzed by your local county extension service or by contacting Equi-Analytical Labs: www.equi-analytical.com. Look for a total %NSC less than 12% (%NSC = %WSC + Starch).

-- Check the %NSC of the concentrated feed you're using. Many "low starch" feeds are lower in starch than an oat-based feed, for example, but not low enough for an insulin resistant horse. NSC should be less than 12%.

You mentioned that you now have pasture available. If your nighttime temperatures are lower than 40 degree F, the grass is too high in sugar and starch to be safe. Once it warms up at night, allow grazing only during the early morning hours. The most "dangerous" time is late in the afternoon on a sunny day, because the grass synthesizes sugar and starch throughout the day due to sun exposure.

Best regards,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse

Where are you from? Bayfield

How did you locate this forum? CO

Hello Camille,

Please take a look at my response to Pam's posting to offer some things to consider when feeding hay, free-choice, to an insulin resistant horse. All overweight horses have some degree of insulin resistance, and therefore should have a limited amount of starch and sugar, but forage (fibrous feeds, typically grass hay and safe pasture) needs to flow through the digestive tract at all times.

I have a suggestion for you regarding a small mesh hay feeder in the U.S. -- the company name is Horses of Course and can be found at http://horsesofcourse.us

Small mesh hay nets can be worthwhile in slowing down the feeding rate. However, keep in mind that if a horse is stressed or frustrated by this, it can have the opposite effect. Stress leads to further insulin resistance. Take a look at any other possible sources of stress that may be contributing to your horse eating quickly -- boredom, insecurity of being without buddies, pain or discomfort (from an ulcer, joints, allergies, etc.), confinement, or anything else in the environment that may be causing mental or physical discomfort.

If you decide to obtain the Horses of Course hay net, please keep me posted on how that is working out.

All the best,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse

Where are you from? Bayfield

How did you locate this forum? CO