How to support your horse's sugar metabolism?

The grazing season is in full swing and for many horses, this means days spent on grass. For horses sensitive to sugars, this can sometimes be a challenge. How can you ensure that your horse doesn't react strongly to sugars? How can you prevent itching, laminitis, and other sugar-related issues? In this blog, we will explain how you can support your horse's sugar metabolism.

Living sugar-free is impossible

In the world of horses, there is often a lot of panic about sugar, but it is good to realize that your horse consumes sugars throughout the day. On average, hay contains about 10% sugar, so a horse that eats 10 kg of hay per day already consumes a kilo of sugar. The sugar content in grass may be lower, but it can also be much higher. This is very weather-dependent and also depends on the type of grass you have. However, horses often eat more grass, increasing the chances of consuming more sugar from grass than from hay.

So it is impossible to offer your horse a sugar-free life. However, you can try to keep sugar levels as low as possible in hay and allow your horse to graze at responsible times.

Many horses are sensitive to too much sugar

Unfortunately, many horses are sensitive to sugars, not only the hardy breeds. Warmblood horses are also often sensitive to sugars. A sensitivity to sugars manifests not only in overweight, but also in fatigue, itching, laminitis, or stiff muscles. But a disrupted digestion or stress-related issues can also be related to a disturbed sugar metabolism. Therefore, do not focus solely on the breed, but look at the individual and the symptoms!

Problems with sugar metabolism often only arise from the age of 4-5, before that time, horses can process sugars better. Possibly because they are still growing, playing more, and using sugars more. However, an excess of sugar during that period can be the trigger to later become sensitive to sugars and develop problems.

Don't start grazing too early!

Around April, horse owners and horses become restless because they see the grass growing and everything blooming. But April/May are periods when the grass grows rapidly, but there are also still cool nights. So a period when there are many sugars in the grass. Therefore, it is better to start the grazing season later. Let the grass grow well first, then it becomes more fiber-rich and sugars are generally lower (and better distributed throughout the entire plant).

If your horse is also out on pasture in winter, choose to stop grazing from mid-March to mid-June. Then the land can recover, the grass can grow well, and you don't risk the horses immediately eating the short (high-sugar) growing grass.

Build grazing time slowly!

Building up grazing time is extremely important for digestion. Different microorganisms are needed for the digestion of fresh grass. There should therefore be a gradual transition from hay to grass. Also, do not send your horse out onto the grass on an empty stomach, make sure it has eaten a good portion of hay beforehand.

In addition, build up grazing time slowly. Start with an hour and add an hour after a few days, etc. For very sensitive horses, even this may be too long, and you should start with 15 minutes, then add half an hour after a week. This is very horse dependent. But in any case, do not start with hours of grazing right away. This disrupts the entire digestion, causes gas formation, and can cause various types of colic.

Support with nettle and triphala

Horses sensitive to sugars often need supplementation in the summer period. There are supplements that can help maintain sugar levels in balance, reduce sugar spikes, better remove sugars, and reduce fat storage. Triphala is one such herb, it has a tremendously beneficial effect on sugar metabolism and overall metabolism. Triphala can also be used for weight loss in horses with overweight.

Horses sensitive to sugars often have more inflammatory reactions and waste in their bodies. A liquid nettle is very suitable for this, as it cleanses the blood and supports the intestinal flora. Regularly giving a course of liquid nettle is therefore highly recommended for sugar-sensitive horses.