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My horse has insulin resistance (IR) - can he still safely graze?

Horses with insulin resistance (IR) are at greater risk of laminitis than horses with optimally healthy sugar metabolism. A horse with IR, recognizable by a hard crest and fat cushions near the tail, should not graze unlimited on sugar-rich grass. But can you never put such a horse or pony in the pasture again? Or are there still possibilities? Many horses are indeed super happy with pasture turnout...

Insulin resistance

Feeding

11 July '22 • 4 min reading time

We as owners like to make our horses happy. But unfortunately, unlimited access to the pasture is not suitable for every horse. Especially draft horses, ponies, and horses that have previously had laminitis are at greater risk of the painful condition of laminitis.

Does my horse have IR?

A horse that is insulin resistant cannot process sugars from food (such as grass and concentrate) well. This leads to fat storage, infections, and loss of energy. Also, the pancreas becomes overloaded. Prolonged stress, intestinal infections, or hormonal problems can cause IR. Draft breeds and ponies are often more sensitive to IR than other horses.

Horses with IR can be recognized by:

  • Hardened and thickened crest
  • Fat cushions near the tail
  • Scratching and itching
  • Short and stiff movement
  • Hard muscles
  • Thickening near the navel (mares) or sheath (geldings)
  • Often overweight, but not always

Not in the pasture when sugar content is high!

Horses with IR also enjoy being able to graze. In some cases, this is possible, but you must manage it very well, monitor your horse closely, and consult with your veterinarian. The sugar content of grass varies greatly. Under certain conditions, the sugar content is quite reasonable, and an IR horse can briefly go out to pasture. Under other conditions, you should absolutely not want to do that.

The sugar content in grass is on average lower:

  • Between 03:00 am and 10:00 am
  • In the summer
  • When the grass is a bit longer
  • With certain grass species
  • When there is sufficient water in the ground

The sugar content in grass is highest:

  • When the grass is stressed from overgrazing
  • When the grass is stressed from drought
  • In early spring and fall
  • On sunny mornings after a frosty night
  • When the grass is very short
  • When the grass has a lot of seed heads
  • When the pasture has been treated with fertilizers

Grazing at night?

Sugar in grass is produced during the day when the grass plant uses sunlight for photosynthesis. Sugars and starch produced during the day are used by the grass for growth in the evening and at night. The sugar peak often occurs when the plant has stood growing the whole day, around late afternoon, early evening. From about two hours after sunset, the sugar content decreases, and by the end of the night, there is relatively little sugar in the grass. Even if there are several (heavily) cloudy days in a row, the grass will be less sugar-rich on the second or third cloudy day. This also applies to grass that is always in the shade during the day, for example, under a large tree. So if you want to let an IR horse graze, you can do this for short periods at night or in the early morning, in a shaded area or if it has been cloudy for more than 24 hours.

Build up gradually and monitor

Always let an insulin-resistant horse build up very carefully. Start with five minutes and slowly increase this. Always choose a moment when there is less sugar in the grass, such as late in the evening or early in the morning. If your horse can stay in the pasture a little longer, a grazing mask can help limit grass intake further. But even then, you should not put an IR horse in the pasture when the sugar content is high!

Managing the pasture

Grass in the so-called 'growth phase' uses sugars for that growth. This means that fewer sugars are stored in the grass stems. Therefore, horses are best suited to graze in pastures that are in this 'growth phase'. Not too short and not too long. Grass that blooms should be mowed first. If it starts growing again afterwards, it may be suitable for IR-sensitive horses to graze for a while at favorable times of the day. It is also wise to check which grass species and herbs are in your pasture. There is a lot of difference in sugar storage between different plant species. Note that grass often produces a lot of sugar in dry conditions. A dry grass mat is therefore not always safe! Strip grazing can be a solution to limit the amount of grass that horses can consume at once.

Exercise is essential!

For all horses with IR, keep them moving! It is crucial that these horses get enough exercise and do not become too heavy. So, train them regularly and make sure they have enough free movement - even when they are not in the pasture. For example, in an enriched paddock or a paddock paradise.

Supporting an IR horse?

There are several options to support your horse with IR. Firstly, it is wise to give a mild detox twice a year with nettle extract. This helps to eliminate toxins and strengthen the immune system. In addition, cannabinoids from the clove plant can help reduce inflammation and restore balance in metabolism. Cannabinoids act on the endocannabinoid system of horses, which is essential for all vital functions, including resistance, the gastrointestinal tract, and the nervous system.

Sources:

https://extension.umn.edu/horse-nutrition/grazing-horses-prone-laminitis
Paul Siciliano et al. Effect of Sward Height on Pasture Nonstructural Carbohydrate Concentrations and Blood Glucose/Insulin Profiles in Grazing Horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, vol. 57, pp. 29-34, 2017. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S073708061730463X
Raymond J. Geor. Nutrition and Exercise in the Management of Horses and Ponies at High Risk for Laminitis. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, vol. 30, p. 463–470, 2010. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241096904_Nutrition_and_Exercise_in_the_Management_of_Horses_and_Ponies_at_High_Risk_for_Laminitis

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