Dr. Getty,
As you know I have cared for my own horses for 40 plus years. I know the dangers of oats. I now board at a barn where they feed coastal at night, one flake alfalfa in the morning. A large scoop of oats 2 times per day. I do not allow my horse to be fed oats, I bring my own feed in baggies and they feed that. Others in the stable do the same. There is a huge debate among some there, that oats are the best thing since sliced bread! I try not to say to much as the owner is a big x show horse person. This is the way she has fed all her life, she gets upset with anyone not wanting to feed oats. Can you shed some light on this?
Thanks,
DB

How did you locate this forum? Worked with Dr Getty

Hello DB,

Oats are approximately 50% starch, which is digested down to glucose. The glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream and causes a surge of insulin. The insulin's job is to get the glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells, where it is burned for energy.

And that's the key -- is all that energy needed at one time? For the vast majority of horses, the answer is No. If a horse is exercised heavily -- every day -- then he can use some extra energy in the form of starch. But no more than 2 lbs at a time.

If a horse does not need that much energy at one time, he will store it as fat. And the more fat he has, the more resistant to insulin he becomes. And the more oats you feed, the more insulin is released, causing a real problem that not only makes the horse unable to burn fat efficiently, but can also lead to laminitis.

Oats are also dangerous for horses that are stalled and prone toward developing ulcers because oats increase acid production.

And finally -- you mean there's more?! -- yes, finally, if oats are fed at more than 2 lbs per meal, there is a danger that they will not be adequately digested and reach the hindgut. You see, oats leave the stomach very quickly and can end up in the hind gut to be fermented by the microbial population that live there. This results in lactic acid formation, which kills these microbes. The toxins that they release can lead to laminitis (founder).

The reason oats are fed dates back to before the automobile when horses were used for transportation. They couldn't do that much work on just the calories that hay provided, so owners gave them oats for more energy. Most horses today do not work that hard!

Bottom line -- most horses do best with a low starch diet. Horses in a natural setting do not have access to buckets full of oats. And by the way, they don't get fat, don't get ulcers, don't founder, don't colic... hmmm, must be something to a low starch, more natural diet, eh? And they also grazed on forage all day long -- 24/7 -- keeping their acid neutralized, so they didn't develop ulcers, colic, and stress-related disorders (such as suppressed immune systems).

Hope this helps!

All the best,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse

DB

Dr. Getty,
As you know I have cared for my own horses for 40 plus years. I know the dangers of oats. I now board at a barn where they feed coastal at night, one flake alfalfa in the morning. A large scoop of oats 2 times per day. I do not allow my horse to be fed oats, I bring my own feed in baggies and they feed that. Others in the stable do the same. There is a huge debate among some there, that oats are the best thing since sliced bread! I try not to say to much as the owner is a big x show horse person. This is the way she has fed all her life, she gets upset with anyone not wanting to feed oats. Can you shed some light on this?
Thanks,
DB

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Dr. Getty,

Thank you so much!!!! I am going to share that with anyone at the barn who is willing to listen!! So very well done!
DB

How did you locate this forum? Worked with Dr Getty

I have read a lot about the nutrition of the horse and this is by far the simplest easy to read article I have read about to much starch in you horses diet!

maybe you can awnser a question for me, I am alway trying to feed my horse the most natural diet. How much selenium do you think a horse needs per day?

Where are you from? Florida

How did you locate this forum? Web surfing

Thank you DB and Melissa for the enthusiastic response! I'm delighted to help. And if you haven't read my book, Feed Your Horse Like A Horse, I go into more detail, all in an easy to understand format.

Melissa, about selenium... this mineral has a narrow range of safety, so it is very helpful to know how much is in the hay and/or pasture that your horse is eating. Evaluate the amounts in any supplements or feeds, as well, and add them all together. The total selenium intake should be between 1 and 3 mg per day for the average sized horse at maintenance. Larger horses, or horses who are working will do better with slightly more -- up to 5 mg per day.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO