Red Alert: Your Horse’s High Blood Glucose Levels

Is your horse sending you signs that something’s wrong? Learn to spot and manage insulin insensitivity.

Is your horse overweight? Does he have some fatty spots that don’t look quite right? Maybe you’ve tried to cut his feed back but it just doesn’t seem to make a difference.

It could be that your horse is struggling with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is similar to diabetes in people and can bring with it some not-so-pleasant consequences. A diagnosis doesn’t spell the end for you and your horse’s partnership; you just might need to do a little more maintenance. urinating, unquenchable thirst, and unexplained soreness or unsoundness, which could be laminitis.

A proper diet and appropriate exercise reduces the likelihood your horse will have an issue. If he’s already insulin resistant, you’ll need to change his diet and exercise routine, as his soundness and conditioning allows, to reduce damage.

• If your horse is overweight, work with your veterinarian to develop a weight-loss plan. Sudden and excessive feed restriction can actually cause your horse to retain fat as his body will think he’s starving.

Purchase a scale or weigh hay rations to ensure that you’re feeding enough, as flake size varies. As a general rule, a nonperformance horse will need around 1.5% of his ideal body weight in forage each day (1,000 pounds body weight equals 15 pounds of feed). Check with your vet to make adjustments for your horse’s age, body score, activity level, and living conditions. Use a slow feeder if your horse needs to stay occupied.

• Have your hay analyzed to learn its carbohydrate ratios. Feed high-fiber, low-sugar hay as it’ll keep his insulin levels stable. Most mistakenly think grass hay is lower than alfalfa; it’s best to have it tested to be sure.

Manage grazing and only let him out for short periods and at certain times of the year. New spring grass often has high sugar content, and longer grass also has higher sugar content than shorter pasture. Use a grazing muzzle to further limit consumption or turn your horse out in a dry lot.

• Most insulin-resistant horses don’t need extra calories from supplements. Some, such as beet pulp, blocks, licks, and bagged feeds can help you make up for incomplete nutrients or forage if your horse’s diet is lacking. Read labels and look for feed that’s high in fiber and low in starch as this’ll keep blood-glucose levels stable.