* Disclaimer: The products offered on this web site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Rather, they are intended for educational purposes only. These treats contain simple sugars and starch levels generally found to be safe for horses with Insulin Resistance. However, every horse is an individual. Check with your own veterinarian. The statements presented on this web site have not been evaluated by the FDA or USDA. The use of herbs for the prevention or cure of disease has not been approved by the FDA or USDA. We therefore make no claims to this effect.
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Seemingly miraculous changes can occur when metabolically challenged horses are provided with nutritional programs that meet their needs. Blood sugar levels stabilize, mystery lamenesses disappear, chronic founder cases heal, blood counts normalize, coats shine and eyes sparkle. And that's just to name a few of the benefits!
It is my belief that most people who search the Internet are searching for knowledge and for help -- and just as importantly, for the sense that they are not alone on their paths.
If you have not experienced these transformations with your horse, please do not give up. Keep reading!
Here you will find nutritional information and tips based on what I have learned from experts and their research, and of course what I have learned from my own hard-earned experience with my own Insulin Resistant and Cushings horses.
Once deemed "unfixable" and "chronically lame," my Insulin Resistant Arabian, Vashka (the one eating the sunflower in that photograph) is sound, happy and galloping through the trails of Southern Oregon. My Cushings and Insulin Resistant horse Sunny, is also sound, happy and running. This morning he outran Vashka!
I am not a veterinarian who can treat or diagnose your horse. Nor am I an equine nutritionist (and I warn you to be wary of anyone who says they are without specific, advanced studies and field research in this realm.) What I am, is a professional journalist with 20 plus years asking important questions and perhaps more importantly, a woman with two horses who mean the absolute world to me. I have recently begun trimming horses in addition to my own and I am privvy to the exciting positive changes that the diet can make in these horses. Happily, I also take formal classes from the best in the field of equine care and nutrition: Veterinarian Dr. Eleanor Kellon.
Head of the Yahoo Cushings and Insulin Resistance Group (which has 6,000 plus members), Dr. Kellon has helped me give my own metabolically challenged horses a new lease on life.
Please explore this information with an open heart and flexible mind.
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GRASS HAYS
If I had a quarter -- or even a penny -- for the number of people who call Skode's and tell me that their horses are on "a grass hay diet with nothing else" and yet are "still having laminitis and we don't know why" I would be very rich.
"Have you had your hay tested?" I ask.
"No, it's just grass hay," they say.
But here is the thing so many people do not yet understand. Not all grass hay is created equal! Grasses, like all other living plants, contain varying amounts of sugars and starches (and of course other nutrients). The combined sugar and starch level is called the Non-Structural Carbohydate level, or NSC. This is the level or percentage that is critical to horses with Insulin Resistance because high levels of starches and sugars can cause inflammation in horses whose metabolisms can not adequately process them.
When a horse has Insulin Resistance, the NSC of the hay or food consumed general needs to fall below a total of 10 percent. Some horses need that level to be even lower.
Grass hays can easily contain NSC levels of 20 percent -- more.
When we get to this part of the conversation, people tend to want to generalize about certain hays.
"But orchard grass is pretty safe, right?"
No! I have had different orchard grasses test in at 15 percent, 20 percent and 10 percent. Same holds true for prairie grass, timothy grass, "mixed grass," grass "that looks stemmy and poor quality," and "grass that looks green and lush."
Some of the lowest NSC hay I have ever found was bright green and leafy and my horses LOVED it. (Green hay simply means that they hay has a substantial amount of Vitamin E in it.)
So -- the only way to know if the hay you are feeding your horse has an NSC level of 10 percent or lower is to have the hay tested. There is no way of getting around this.
If the source of the hay you feed is constantly changing and you are a horseowner with a horse who is experiencing acute laminitis or the pre-cursors to it -- i..e, a cresty neck, fat pads or even somewhat tender feet -- soak your hay. Soaking hay can leech up to 30 percent of the sugars (though soaking hay does not diminish carbohydrate levels). This may be the single most healing thing you ever do for your horse.
For a detailed explanation of how to soak your hay, please visit Skode's blog at www.naturalhorsejourney.typepad.com and read the February 16th entry: How to Soak Hay the Easy Way.
ALFALFA
Horse people tend to go to extremes when it comes to this legume -- they either want to ban it from their horses' diets completely, or feed their horse nothing but alfalfa.
One of the most mineral-rich foods known, Alfalfa has roots that can grow as far as 130 feet into the ground. It contains powerful digestive aiding enzymes and it is one of the most bio-available sources of calcium for horses. This is very helpful in balancing primarily grass hay diets -- which tend to fall short of calcium.
But some horses go laminitic on Alfalfa. It's sugar profile is different than grass hays; Alfalfa contains more glucose. For sensitive horses, even small amounts of alfalfa cause inflammation.
So what is a horse owner to do about alfalfa?
Know your horse! If you do not supplement with alfalfa, you may need to supplement with calcium. If you do try to supplement your horse's diet with alfalfa, start of with a very small amount -- a handful. Then slowly, over a period of a week or two, work your way up to 2 pounds per day. Be sure to weigh the amounts you feed on a bathroom scale. You may be surprised at how little alfalfa two pounds actually is.
ADAPTOGENS
Adaptogens are exactly what they sound like -- a substance that helps the body adapt. Adaptogens help to normalize body functions during times of stress.
Cushings and Insulin Resistant horses can be stressed more easily than "normal" horses because their metabolic conditions can compromise their ability to handle internal as well as external fluctuations -- i.e. seasonal and weather changes. This difficult adapting to change creates a detrimental domino effect inside the horse's body, which is trying to return to a state of balance but needs some help! This is where adaptogens come into play.
Two of the most widely used and clinically proven adaptogens for Insulin Resistant horses include the powdered Chinese herb Raglan, and the synergistic blend of herbs found in Advanced Protection Formula (these herbs include Eleutherococcus senticosus, Rhodiola rosea, Schizandra chinensis and Echinopanax elatus).
Jiaogulan means "Strong hoof" and specifically targets increased circulation in the horse's feet. It is therefore extremely beneficial to horses who suffer from chronic abcesssing and/or laminitis. The herb also lowers blood sugar levels.
APF helps to boost a horse's energy levels, especially during times of disease. It has helped to snap many a horse out of laminitis. It is also a very good tincture to increase the appetite of a Cushings horse. To find product information on APF, click here.
Please note that while adaptogens can be a wonderful addition to a horse's nutritional program, they are not "magic bullets." If the foundation of a low sugar/low carbohydrate diet is not in place for an Insulin Resistant horse an adapatogen will not be able to help the horse.
ANTIOXIDANTS
This is a substance that blocks or inhibits destructive oxidation reactions. Vitamin C and E, and the mineral selenium is a powerful anti-oxidant. Horses need anti-oxidants to help them heal. This is particularly important when a horse is recovering form laminitis or the degenerative effects of Cushings.
However before buying one of the many an anti-oxidant supplements available, it is important to note a few facts about Vitamin C:
* Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron. * Iron is an inflammatory and is often found in excess in grass hays and pelleted foods (because of the machinery that processes the pellets). * In clinical trails of Insulin Resistant horses, most I.R. horse were found to have significant iron-overload.Therefore, it is almost always a good idea to resist supplementing with Vitamin C, and instead supplement with Vitamin E. (Please see the section on this page on Vitamin E.)
Other natural and very powerful anti-oxidants include the mineral selenium and organic and/or pesticide-free herbs. Selenium supplementation must be done with awareness of the selenium deficiencies or excesses in your area. Please do your research, as selenium toxicity can be lethal to your horse.
Some rich herbal anti-oxidants include Oregano, Sage, Peppermint and Clove. Horses adore eating different herbs -- after all, they are herbivores. Click here to read more about herbs and nutrition.
BEET PULP
Beet pulp can be a good food to add to your horse's nutritional program if it is prepared with care and the horse owner takes the necessary time to ensure this care -- i.e., the beet pulp is rinsed before it is soaked. To read more about this food that is neither a forage nor an energy feed, click here and scroll down to the June 4th entry titled: The Worries and Wonders of Feeding Beet Pulp.
FLAX
Flax is an essential fatty acids. Horses get their essential fatty acids from live grasses. However most Insulin Resistant horses can not tolerate enough fresh grass to get their EFAs. So the nutrients need to be supplemented.
I have learned about flax and its facts almost exclusively from Dr. Kellon and so I will quote her directly on this subject:
"Essential fatty acids are fats that must be present in the diet because the horse cannot manufacture them.
A horse eating fresh grass gets generous levels of omega-3 (anti-
inflammatory) and much less omega-6 (inflammatory pathways). Horses on
hay alone or hay and grain get a reversed intake because omega-3s do
not survive the curing process and all common grains and seeds are high
in Omega-6, and low in Omega-3.
The EFA requirements for horses have never been studied so I'm going by
what the profile is in their natural diet - fresh grass. This is a
ratio of at least 4:1 omega-3:omega-6. Flax fits that profile."
Remember that even something as wonderful as flax can be fed in excess, especially to Insulin Resistant horses who need to have their dietary fat intake kept in close check. It is often recommended that an average horse receive between 4 and 6 ounces of flax per day. You can buy a very high-quality stabilized flax called Omega Horseshine or you can buy the whole seed at a feed store and grind it in a coffee grinder. Just be sure to feed it fresh as the ground form can turn quickly rancid.
GRASS HAY PELLETS
Grass Hay Pellets can provide a wonderful way to mix your horse's supplements and herbs in his daily rations. However it is important that you make sure you check out the manufacturer's feed label to note whether the pellets carry a guaranteed Non Structural Carbohydrate analysis of 10 percent or less. This is very important for the low sugar horse -- there are feed companies who are unscrupulous with their marketing and who will claim something is "lite" or "low" when in fact the numbers are above the suggested 10 percent.
Once you have the NSC nailed down, try also to find out whether or not the pellets contain added fat -- which is bad for I.R. horses -- or added fillers -- which is unnecessary as well as unhealthy.
Then look for high iron content. Iron is an inflammatory that is not good in excess for I.R. horses (or any horse). Unless a company goes out of its way to minimally process its pellets, it is difficult to find hay pellets -- or any pelleted feed for that matter -- that is acceptably low enough in iron for an Insulin Resistant horse. Part of the reason for this is that the machinery used to process the pellets is metal and metal is high in iron.
PRE AND PRO BIOTICS
The word probiotic is derived from the Greek language and means "for life."
A probiotic is an organism that encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria.
A prebiotic helps to sustain the life of the probioitic organism.
The term synbiotic is used when the product contains both pro and pre biotics.
Horses in stress often need pre and probiotics, and it is my experience that horses who have undergone extensive drug therapy, particularly those involving NSAID's, can benefit greatly from these organisms.
A very good probiotic and one which contains live probitoics and is available in most feed stores is Pro-Bios Equine Gel.
A powerful whole food that acts as a prebiotic is Slippery Elm. I have had very good effects with feeding a large handful of the cut and sifted herb drenched in chamomile tea. An added benefit of Slippery Elm is that it has a lot of fiber.
Some people will tell you that all horses need probiotics all the time. They are likely telling you this to make money. Horses with healthy gut function and strong intestinal flora do not need probiotics on a regular, ongoing basis.
SALT
A horse's salt-water ratio is essential to the horse's hormonal regulatory system, his function of his heart, his metabolism -- and therefore his very life.
It there was only one sentence I could write about horses and salt it would be this: Your horse probably needs more salt!
The average horse who is not exercising or sweating needs at least approximately one ounce of salt per day. Most people "free-choice" salt and leave it at that. The problem with this is that many horses do not eat enough of their salt blocks to meet their dietary/hydration/electrolyte needs. Consider that a single horse would need to consume a salt block every month to be getting enough salt to meet his minimum requirements.
Appropriate hydration of your horse requires replacement of water as well as salt. But herein lies the dilemma: If your horse is not getting enough salt, than it is likely not feeling thirsty enough to drink enough water!
So unless your horse is avidly chowing down on his or her salt block, feed at least an ounce of salt per day.
"Force feeding salt" is something you will not be able to do in large amounts. In fact, getting a horse to eat a meal with "too much salt in it" can be impossible. Therefore, go slowly and feed more frequent meals to ensure salt intake.
* Important: Please be extremely careful to differentiate between the intake of salt and iodine. Both are different and both are critical and must be fed in adequate amounts. Excesses in iodine can easily lead to toxicity. Unless extreme overdosing occurs, salt is excreted through urine.
MINERALS
Every living cell and therefore being on this planet depends on minerals for its existence.
Minerals are naturally occurring elements present in the earth's rocks and soil. These nutrients are used by plants, which Herbivorous animals -- such as horses -- then consume.
There are two kinds of minerals: Major minerals (also known as bulk macro minerals) and trace minerals (known as micro minerals).
Major minerals are required in larger amounts than trace minerals and include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and phosphorous. Trace minerals, though required by the body in smaller amounts, are every bit as critical as major minerals. Trace minerals include boron, chromium, copper, germanium, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, sulfur, vanadium and zinc.
Metabolically challenged horses need careful attention paid to the balancing of their minerals, especially magnesium, selenium, copper and zinc, as these nutrients play critical roles in muscle function, cartilage development, the utilization of fat, the absorption of insulin and the overall health of your horse's immune system!
Balancing your horse's diet requires knowledge of what your horse is actually eating. This means you need to know what is in the hay you are feeding your horse. The only way to know what vitamins and minerals are in the hay you are feeding is to have a specific or regional analysis taken of the hay itself. This may sound overwhelming but it easier than it sounds. Your local department of agriculture may be able to provide a regional analysis at no cost, or minimal cost to you.
If you are lucky enough to have your own hay barn or access to one, testing a supply of hay will cost you less than $50, including charges to mail in the hay for analysis. Contact Dairy One Forage Labs for complete information.
After you receive your analysis -- a process that takes about a week -- you will have the information you need to provide your horse's with his basic nutritional needs.
URBAN MYTHS ABOUT MINERALS
* It is true that some organic minerals are in fact more bio-available to your horse than non-organic minerals. One such example is selenium. However that does not mean that the organic form of a mineral is safer to consume. In the case of selenium, the more available the form of selenium the more easily the horse can be overdosed. So know what is missing in your soils and thus your hays so that you can feed accordingly.
* Soils have not become depleted of minerals! Soils are minerals. In fact they are the result of rock and stone and other elements ranging from feces, bones, blood, leaves, trees, etc, decomposing into tiny fragments, the basis of which is soil. This is a process that can take millions of years.
VITAMIN E
Vitamin E is includes eight antioxidant compound consisting of four tocopherols (alpha, beta gamma and delta) and four tocotrienols (also alpha thorugh delta). As an antioxidant, Vitamin E prevents cell damage by inhibiting the oxidation of fats and the formation of free radicals. Cut and cured hay have lost virtually all substantial amounts of Vitamin E.
To restore this antioxidant to your horse's diet, feed the d-alpha-tocopherol form -- the most potent and easily absorbed form for our horse. (It is more available to your horse than the synthetic forms.)
Recommended doses for horses who are not on grass average about 2,000 I.U.s a day. Human gel caps are easy to to administer (they melt in the hot water of a hay pellet mash) and are very inexpensive when bought in bulk at Wallmart or Costco.
In addition to my personal experiences and professional interviews, sources for this article include:
Prescriptoin for Nutritional Healing by Phyliss A. Balch, CNC. (Penguin Books Ltd., 2006 Fourth Edition)
NRC Plus Text by Dr. Eleanor Kellon, 2008
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 80, No. 3, 783, September 2004
© 2004 American Society for Clinical Nutrition American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 80, No. 3, 783, September 2004
The Basics
By Lori Teresa Yearwood
Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved
Finding The Right Diet For Your
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