Fulfilling Forage Needs of Equine Metabolic Syndrome

Certain horses diagnosed with metabolic diseases are unable to graze pasture for fear of severe health repercussions such as laminitis. Alternative forages must be provided for these animals at a rate that is appropriate for their size.

Generally speaking, mature horses in moderate body condition that are asked to do little or no work should consume approximately 1.5-2% of their body weight per day as forage. However, for overweight or obese horses with metabolic issues for whom weight loss is desired, 1-1.5% of body weight per day is often recommended. Horses should have a minimum of 1% of their target body weight per day in forage to ensure gastrointestinal tract health.

Good-quality, mature grass forages such as those with visible seed heads, a high stem-to-leaf ratio, and somewhat coarse stems are generally ideal for obese horses with metabolic issues, as these hays tend to be high in fiber and low in nonstructural carbohydrates. Packaged forages such as grass chaff, beet pulp, and forage cubes or pellets can also be convenient ways to supply these horses with appropriate forage. Advantages of using packaged alternatives to long-stem forage (hay) include product consistency and availability of nutritional information. A nonstructural carbohydrate content of less than 10% (as-fed basis) has been recommended for these horses.

Forage cannot provide sufficient quantities of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, a low-calorie ration balancer should be fed to horses consuming diets consisting primarily of forages. Because ration balancers are often fed in small quantities, they add little to the daily calorie count and are unlikely to significantly affect the nonstructural carbohydrate content in the diet. In lieu of a balancer pellet, a well-fortified vitamin and mineral supplement, such as Micro-Max, will also satisfy the nutrient needs of horses on all-forage diets. In Australia, horse owners should look for Gold Pellet.