Metabolic Disorders

 

Q: My horse had laminitis last spring and I don’t want her to get it again – what should I feed her?


A: Horses that have had laminitis in the past as a result of increased sugar content in the diet (spring grass) need to be managed carefully.  If the horse or pony is overweight or has a cresty neck you should take steps to decrease their body fat (increase exercise when possible). You should also avoid pasture turnout and feed a low non-structural carbohydrate feed such as HYGAIN ZERO or HYGAIN BALANCED instead of a cereal grain based feeds.

 

 

Q: My horse is prone to laminitis when I feed her grain, but she is getting older and it is hard to keep weigh on her – how do I increase her weight without feeding her too much grain?


A: This can be a tricky scenario but fortunately we have an answer. HYGAIN ZERO is a very low sugar and starch feed and will provide your horse with all the nutrients it needs without containing any carbohydrates from cereal grains. It doesn’t however contain high amounts of fat because typically horses and ponies sensitive to sugars and starches are overweight. This can easily be overcome by adding a little HYGAIN RBO– Equine Performance Oil which will add the extra calories required for weight gain without adding sugars and starches which may induce a laminitic episode.

 

 

Q: My endurance horse tied-up after a ride and I was told I should change my feed?


A: Tying up is often due to increased glycogen storage and abnormal polysaccharides in skeletal muscle and responds well to a decrease in dietary sugar and starch and an increase in dietary fat intake. HYGAIN RELEASE was designed specifically for horses that suffer from this disorder. It is a non-oat micronized feed with a high fat content and increased vitamin E and selenium concentrations that aid in muscle repair and performance.