What does it mean when a horse is insulin resistant?
Any horse that is overweight can become insulin resistant. Insulin resistance is defined as a reduced sensitivity to insulin- the hormone responsible for regulating glucose in the body (such as after a meal). The pancreas continues to produce more insulin leading to elevated levels of insulin in the blood.
How do you feed an insulin resistant horse?
Soaking hay for 60 minutes in cool water or hot water for 30 minutes will significantly reduce its soluble carbohydrate content. Select a horse feed low in sugar and starch (20% or less) to normalize blood glucose and insulin levels for your horse with IR.
Can you reverse EMS in horses?
Thankfully, EMS can be reversed, but only with a lot of hard work. Horses with EMS are very, very hard to diet – so it takes real dedication to get the job done. It involves a serious permanent lifestyle change. Your vet and a nutritionist will help you plan a tailor-made diet for your horse.
How can an insulin resistant horse gain weight?
If metabolic horses need to gain weight, calories should come from fat and fiber in the diet, not from soluble carbohydrates. This can be done through increasing hay or a low sugar/starch concentrate feed.
Is alfalfa bad for insulin-resistant horses?
Alfalfa can be an excellent addition to most horses’ diets, even for those that are insulin resistant (IR). I often recommend feeding it because it boosts the overall protein quality of a grass-hay diet and, in general, enhances the horse’s muscle tone, immune system and overall health.
How can an insulin-resistant horse gain weight?
Would you treat a horse with EMS with insulin?
Many horses respond well to management through diet and exercise. Horses that are “easy-keepers” or have persistently high insulin levels can be more challenging to manage and may require medical treatments. Although proper treatment can reduce clinical signs, there is no “cure” for EMS.
How do you treat insulin resistance in horses?
The best way to treat insulin resistance is to prevent it in the first place. This can be done by feeding a proper diet, ensuring your horse gets plenty of exercise and maintaining a healthy body condition score of 5-6.
