Equine Insulin Resistance

Many of us will have heard the term insulin resistance, but some remain unaware this harmful condition can affect our horses o her at The Saddlery Shop we thought we would tell you a little more about it. Insulin Resistance in horses is becoming more common an research has indicated that the condition results from an improper lifestyle, feeding and exercise regimes. Studies have found that 51% of horses are overweight or obese from a lack of exercise and an improper diet contributing to the risk of our equines suffering Insulin Resistance. So what is Insulin Resistance? Insulin is a hormone that is produced by cells that are present within the pancreas. The action of insulin in the body is widespread targeting the metabolism of sugar, starches, fats, and protein and is required by most cells in the body to transport glucose across the cell membrane providing fuel and energy at a cellular level. The body’s natural response to the release of insulin is elevated blood glucose. When the food source is high in starch a higher proportion of glucose is required in order to complete the digestion of the starchy substance. When a horse or pony has the condition known as Insulin Resistance (IR) this means that their body does not process glucose properly not only depleting their energy stores but causing the delivery of glucose to the cells to not occur, instead storing the glucose in fat and muscle instead of in the cells. Insulin resistance can lead to the equine having fatty deposits around the body, an increased level of inflammation, body and hoof pain, lack of energy and a higher risk of laminitis. What can horse owners do to prevent Insulin Resistance? Regular exercise and low levels of concentrated feed are essential alongside maintaining a forage based diet. Forage provides natural fibre for our horses, giving a low carbohydrate and low sugar food source. In addition feeding a supplement such as the range of vitamin and mineral supplements available from The Saddlery Shop will help boost the levels of nutrients in the diet, ensure the horse receives optimum nutrients which promote health but without increasing the calorific quantity of the diet. In addition, reducing excessive access to lush pasture and maintaining regular, correct hoof care plays a crucial part in preventing Insulin Resistance. Reducing stress levels has also been beneficial in reducing the instances of the condition so your horse’s environment should offer calm, solstice and meet your equine’s needs. Studies have shown that including Magnesium in the diet can help to reduce stress and highlighted it’s involved in the secretion of insulin so the inclusion of Magnesium in the diet can be helpful. To see the range of equine supplements available from The Saddlery Shop including vitamin and mineral and magnesium supplements visit the website www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk