Question
Willard is my 30-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse gelding. He’s 15 hands and really chunky. I’d guess he needs to lose a few hundred pounds. His current diet includes 6 lb (2.7 kg) of timothy hay, 6 lb (2.7 kg) of alfalfa hay, and ground flaxseed. He is also on pergolide daily and bute when he’s especially sore. Does this diet work for a laminitic horse that’s probably also insulin resistant? If not, what do I feed?
Answer
The main diet goals for metabolic horses is to reduce the amount of starch and sugar (nonstructural carbohydrates, also known as NSC) in the diet and to provide complete and balanced nutrition. The forage program is appropriate; however, some horses may require further reductions in NSC through soaking hay.
The current diet doesn’t offer a complete source of vitamins and minerals, so I recommend adding a balancer pellet or micronutrient supplement to ensure Willard is receiving complete nutrition to support his health and recovery. Micro-Max is a concentrated source of vitamins and trace minerals that will fill in the nutrient gaps of the forage. Micro-Max is a low-intake, low-calorie option that works well for easier keepers. (Horse owners in Australia should look for these options.)
Providing a complete vitamin and mineral supplement will help promote hoof health. Adding a hoof supplement may be needed for optimal hoof health. Many horses respond to biotin, the primary ingredient in most hoof supplements; if Willard is one that responds, you should see improvement in the quality of new hoof growth. Hoof supplements are effective when fed in addition to an optimized diet. Bio-Bloom PS (or Bio-Bloom HF in Australia) is a hoof and coat conditioner that provides comprehensive hoof support, not only through biotin but a roster of nutrients.
A general recommendation for horses with poor-quality hooves is to start with a higher dose, 2 oz (60g) per day, ideally split into two meals and then reducing this to the maintenance serving of 1 oz (30g) per day. The optimal timeframe for maintaining the higher amount is dependent on the individual horse but at least 60-90 days would be my suggestion.
Another thing to consider is switching from ground flaxseed to a fish oil supplement to provide Willard with a direct source of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. These marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids have greater anti-inflammatory properties compared to plant-based omega-3 fatty acids. Reducing inflammation and supporting normal glucose metabolism can be beneficial to these horses.
