What is The Emergency Temporary Diet?

The Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance (ECIR) group, co-owned by equine nutritionist and author Eleanor Kellon, VMD, has long supported using a low sugar/low starch diet for horses showing signs of laminitis, founder, insulin resistance (IR) or Cushing’s disease (PPID - pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction).

The Emergency Temporary Diet by Dr. Eleanor Kellon as posted on the ECIR group is not intended as a long-term complete diet but as an initial measure to bring symptoms under control until hay can be analyzed to check for suitability and mineral balancing. While some horses may begin to show improvement right away when high sugar/high starch triggers are removed from the diet, most won’t show real changes until their diet has been balanced and their trim optimized for a few months.

I have slightly modified the ECIR Group Emergency Diet (with permission from Dr. Kellon) and added some suggestions based on local Southwest availability. The complete article can be read on my website www.desertequinebalance.com and a pdf version is available there to download and print.

Tested low sugar/starch hay

The essentials of the Emergency Diet include:

• Grass hay - either tested for a total sugar (ESC) plus starch level of <10% or soaked/drained
• Iodized salt - 1to 2 heaping Tablespoons per day to start
• Magnesium - 5 grams until hay is tested (about 2 teaspoons of magnesium oxide)
• Vitamin E - 2,000 IU from natural vitamin E gel caps
• Flax - either fresh ground flax seed or a stabilized flax product

These are the only basics your horse needs until you have had an opportunity to take a deep breath and sort things out.  Horses lived and evolved for thousands of years on the nutrition basics provided by forage and salt - your horse does not require any additional bagged feed in most circumstances.

However, the “emergency” diet is a temporary measure and will, at some point, need to be mineral balanced.  The ideal way is to have your hay analyzed and use a custom supplement based on the results of the analysis.  The analysis will also give you information on digestible energy (DE - calories/energy) which will help guide the amount you need to feed, and crude protein (CP), sugar, starch and mineral levels.
  
Feeding a custom supplement based on your hay analysis may often cost less than using a quality “off the shelf” supplement. If unable to test your hay there are options for addressing deficiencies and excesses using regional supplements.

Don't spend your hard earned money on expensive specialized supplements until you understand what your horse needs.  There are no magic bullets in a bag or bucket that will take the place of an accurate diagnosis, eliminating excessive sugar and starch from your horse's diet, a correct balanced trim and exercise (summarized by Dr. Kellon as DDTE).  Once DDTE has been addressed you can take your time finding the most appropriate and cost effective supplements for your horse.


Best regards,


Patti
Desert Hoofprints in lovely cool Vail AZ (which won't, unfortunately, last long)


Links

The “Emergency” Temporary Diet - with modifications and suggestions for Arizona and the Southwest 
ECIR Group http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/

NRC Plus equine nutrition courses by Eleanor Kellon, VMD
Analyzing Hay and Feeds - http://www.desertequinebalance.com/articles/analyzing-hay-and-feeds

Nutrition and Hoof Quality

My hoofcare provider (Courtney Vincent) emailed me to ask about a product she recently encountered:

I trim 2 horses, same place, same feeds, 3-4 year age difference, both QH, both on 5oz AZ Copper Complete.
Then [someone] gave her a sample of something called hoof armour or something like that - it is a yeast supplement for feet, very expensive. Have you heard of it? Anyway, she put the one horse on it and did not put the other horse on it.

I went back to trim and the horse on it had zero separation and foot looked good overall, the other one looked horrible, had terrible separation and just overall not good.

I had briefly looked at Kombat Boots some time ago and felt that, given the cost, I would just try HorseTech's Yeast+.

I took a closer look at it this morning, and also some other things I feel might affect hoof quality, especially in an older horse.

Yeast

Kombat Boots appears to me to be an expensive version of saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. http://www.kombatboots.com/.

Based on the information on their web site I don't see any advantage for this product over basic Diamond V http://www.diamondv.com/products-core/ or Yea-Sacc http://www.yea-sacc1026.com/yea-sacc/about.htm.

I've been using Yeast+ from HorseTech (which is Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast from Diamond V) http://www.horsetech.com/yeast.htm.

You can order bulk bags of Diamond V yeast at some feed stores or from here http://triangleh.com/category/diamond-v-yeast-order/ (I've never ordered here so don't know the level of service).

Yea-Sacc is available in SmartPaks http://www.smartpakequine.com/ProductClass.aspx?productclassid=3706

If you do a comparison, Kombat Boots claims "100 grams of natural yeast in an 8 oz. serving". This is about 12.5 grams per ounce so I presume there is some kind of filler to make it pelleted. HorseTech's Yeast+ is 28 grams of yeast per ounce or 227 grams in 8 ounces. No filler. Same for basic Yea-Sacc or Diamond V.

Kombat Boots' web site says "other" products "...use yeast cultures, yeast extracts..." implying they don't actually contain yeast. The products I looked at above do contain "Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast..." or "Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast and the media on which it was grown..." - this certainly indicates that these products do contain yeast. I don't know how yeast might be grown except on a culture medium of some type so any yeast might be considered a "culture", even if it is removed from the growth media.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast will act as a probiotic and to help older horses (and younger stressed horses) with B-vitamin support, and is thought to help with utilization of feeds - improved fiber digestion in horses hasn't been scientifically proven but is claimed in other species and in horses anecdotally.

Forage

Another thing I'd look at for an older horse (or any horse with hoof problems) is the crude protein (CP) and digestibility (ADF, NDF) of their hay, and if the energy level (DE) is sufficient to keep protein from being diverted to energy use. If the hay is not really good, even extra amino acids (AA's) in the supplement might not be enough. Horse's digestive systems weren't really meant to support horses living this long (how many horses over twenty or twenty-five survive in the wild?) - some that aren't doing well on the "basics" may need a boost. Protein sources that also contain moderate levels of fat can be useful, keeping in mind that high fat levels can worsen or induce insulin resistance (IR).

We also need to look at how the horses are processing their feed. Older horses make less saliva which makes chewing more difficult, compounded by less tooth function with age. Are they really chewing adequately? Dunking or soaking hay may help. Do they need to have their hay chopped (a wood chipper from Home Depot of Lowes) or do they need to be switched to

pelleted hay (this is why my aged black Appendix mare is getting close to 8-9 lbs alfalfa/Timothy pellets + beet pulp daily, along with her AZ Copper Complete supplement and Yeast+). Plain or mixed pellets from Mtn Sunrise, or Lakin or other mixed pellets can make up 100% of the ration, with hay provided for "entertainment". This might really be the first place to look for an older horse - it's worth trying a pelleted hay for a few weeks to see if it makes a difference.

Improving protein

There is a wide variety of feeds that can provide supplemental protein. Some of them - and the amount of CP they provide in 0.25 lbs/4 ounces - are:

Soy meal - 116g

Distillers Grains - 34.8g

Flaxseed - 31.7g

Sunflower seeds - 31.7g

Split peas - 28g (high starch)

Wheat bran - 19.7g (high starch)

Rice bran - 16.8g (high starch)

Oats - 14.4g (high starch)

Soy is a fairly complete protein plus it's cheap - thus its popularity in feeds. Soybean hulls may provide lower lysine content or its lysine availability may depend on what's combined with them. Calf Manna is an example of a high soy protein feed (but also contains corn which can make it unsuitable for an IR horse).

None of the others are "complete" proteins by themselves but, used in combination, can provide a more complete AA profile. Moorman's MoorGlo has rice bran, flaxseed and "SoyShine" lipids plus some alfalfa meal and is very palatable. Nutrena Empower is a similar product. Both are high fat (18-22%) so should not be fed in large quantities.

Whey protein isolate has a complete amino acid profile; most products (human sports/protein drink powders) provide about 24 grams protein in 1 ounce - or 96 grams in 4 oz. This is highly digestible protein (vs crude protein); does not add a lot of calories or sugars and would be one of my top choices for an IR horse or other horses where we want to limit sugar/starch. It's easy to add a scoop or two to feed twice a day. I tend to stick with vanilla - your horse may prefer other flavors. Whey (not the isolate) is a common ingredient in many feeds; it will have higher sugar levels and lower protein levels than the isolate. Make sure the product is pure whey - some protein powders also contain egg or soy protein.

So, going back to Kombat Boots, we have another "magic bullet" - an expensive product that appears to be the missing ingredient in our horses' lives. Can it help? - probably. Would it be so effective if protein, energy, vitamins or minerals were missing from our horses' ration? - probably not. Is it worth the cost? Well, until they show me in true scientific terms - double blind crossover studies comparing Kombat Boots to basic Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, I'll stick with my Yeast+ from HorseTech.

Freitag Entwicklung

This is an awesome example of the rehabilitation that's possible with mineral balancing, supportive nutrition, correct trims and a dedicated owner (Equine Cushings List member in Germany) who respected the light in her horse's eyes. Freitag, previously diagnosed with PPID, had sole penetration following a trim; the pain resulted in weight loss and overloading his hind legs.

Dr. Kellon's Nutrition Classes and Consulting

Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance Group

The Bigger They Are...

I was talking with Sheila, my equine management associate here at Desert Equine Balance, this morning when we got on the topic of "big" horses and some of the different management issues they have.

Draft horses generally have been bred for strength and size rather than being mainly a refined version of a more naturally evolved light horse. They were bred for heavy work on a regular basis - pulling or carrying heavy loads - and weren't really expected to jump things or carry us on adventures around the countryside.

The appeal of these large purebred drafts and draft crosses can't be denied. For the most part they seem laid back, willing to please and are beautiful to look at. As more and more draft crosses show up at rescues, more people make the decision to bring one home as their primary riding horse. I find I'm working with more and more of these horses as time goes on and some owners find themselves with big horses that just aren't doing as well as they should.

Draft and draft crosses are susceptible to a condition called EPSM - Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy, a muscle condition that causes weakness and a specific type of rhabdomyolysis - known as "Sunday Morning Disease" to working draft horse owners.

Some new large horse owners have heard that drafts may have special needs or requirements and spent time preparing for their "gentle giant". They can be prone to insulin resistance (IR) and poor performance related to stiffness and gait abnormalities related to the EPSM. Obesity is sometimes not "noticed" because of their large size. Compare the large yet fit Clydesdales above to the fat workhorse here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/78953809@N00/1688846112/.

Some draft/draft cross owners have told me "my horse doesn't have EPSM". It's possible that the question isn't "if" the horse has EPSM but "when" it might show up. But with appropriate nutrition and management, the effects of EPSM don't have to affect your large horse.

• Monitor your big horse's weight and condition frequently. http://www.draftresource.com/Draft_Wt_Tape.html has an interesting discussion on measuring for weight; useful as most weight tapes don't go around.
• Avoid grain unless your horse is working hard. Use NRC guidelines to avoid over feeding your draft horse.
• Feed low sugar/low starch hay - try to buy tested hay or learn to test it yourself. See http://desertequinebalance.blogspot.com/2006/08/analyzing-hay-and-feeds.html
• Exercise your draft horse every day. Owners on the ESPM group report seeing more symptoms when they skip exercise. "Turnout" does not have the same effect as structured exercise.
• Learn all you can about diet, EPSM and caring for draft horses.

Resources:

EPSM: List for owners of horses with EPSM, a common problem of big horses. Lots of information from owners of big horses who have or want to prevent problems.

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/EPSM/

Eleanor Kellon, VMD is a frequent visitor here and works with list members on diet and supplements. Many owners have been using a low sugar/low starch diet along with ALCAR (Acetyl L-carnitine or plain L-carnitine) and other supplements to effectively manage EPSM symptoms.

Rural Heritage Vet Clinic - Dr. Beth Valentine

http://www.ruralheritage.com/vet_clinic/index.htm

Lots of background on draft horses. Dr. Valentine is an advocate of a high fat diet for draft horses.

Information on muscle biopsy to diagnose EPSM

http://www.ruralheritage.com/vet_clinic/epsm_biopsy.htm

U of Minnesota PSSM testing information

http://www.cvm.umn.edu/umec/lab/PSSM/

Information on both genetic testing and muscle biopsy, plus a "decision tree". PSSM is similar to EPSM, seen most often in Quarter Horses but also in draft horses and other breeds.

NRC Plus - online nutrition courses by Eleanor Kellon, VMD.

http://drkellon.com/

NRC Plus is the basic and gives the framework for the advanced courses that follow.

Equine Support and Research Group

Celebrates Ten Year History and 8000+ Members

New Web Site Launched - Success Stories Unveiled

Health, longevity and quality of life for horses is an ever increasing concern among owners. Whether acting proactively or trying to help an animal with a history of chronic health conditions, public awareness of equine metabolic syndromes and diseases is on the rise. An all volunteer, non-profit group rising to support horses and their owners, the Equine Cushing’s and Insulin Resistance Group is a beacon on the internet to reach that awareness.

The EC and IR Group is formed to sort myth from reality....

In the late 1990’s, a young scientist, Robin Siskel, was seeking information to help her life long companion and Cushing’s mare, Night Flight, and became dissatisfied with the knowledge available. Little was known then about Equine Cushing’s Syndrome now more accurately described as Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID).

“Horse Owners were drowning in bad or no advice. Insulin Resistance wasn’t even recognized back then,” said Siskel in a recent interview. She established a small internet bulletin board to trade information and experience among horse owners that was scientific, specific and medically oriented.

A BS in Biochemistry and a Masters in Health Physics from Texas A&M helped keep Siskel on the path she set for the EC and IR Group. Experiences of horses owners were shared, digging into the details with a scientific medical look. Protocols and marketing claims were required to be backed by evidence. The human owner part of the equation was also key and emotional support for owners was included, but Siskel insisted on digging out the information to fully address any issue.

In December of 1999 Siskel moved the Equine Cushing’s and Insulin Resistance Group to Yahoo. For some time she had been communicating with noted author and veterinarian, Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD. Siskel knew Dr. Kellon as a leader in the fields of nutrition and nutraceuticals. She was also fascinated by Dr. Kellon’s sensible and effective approach using the concepts of Linus Pauling’s Orthomolecular Biology. (http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/) Robin wanted to get Dr. Kellon on board with the EC and IR Group.

“I was aware of Robin’s group and intrigued but at the time, due to other commitments, I could not accept Robin’s invitation” said Dr. Kellon.

Siskel adds, “Eleanor did say I could run any of the hardest veterinary issues or toughest problems past her within reason. And after a while of me teasing and tempting her with the most interesting ones, she gave in and joined the group as a full member in 2001.”

Dr. Kellon became co-owner of the group with Siskel in 2004.

How the EC and IR Group works and what makes it different...

In the ten years since it’s inception, the EC and IR Group has become the largest field trial of it’s kind with current membership of over 8200 horse owners, vets, nutritionists, feed companies, farriers and trimmers.

A clearing house for clinical information and formal study results, most of the leading veterinary Universities also have members on the EC and IR Group who keep their finger on the pulse of what horse owners in the trenches are doing. Grants for formal research have been written based on the anecdotal findings of the group. Researchers who are on the forefront of equine metabolic issues in turn inform the group with the deep background of their findings.

Historical milestones include discovery that soaked hay reduced sugar content beneficial to IR horses, early recognition of PPID/Cushing’s seasonal rise, establishment of the Diagnosis, Diet, Trim and Exercise protocol, FDA approval of compounded pergolide as a veterinary drug, early concern of efficacy of some forms of pergolide, early recognition of high insulin and the compromised hoof, use of herbal and nutraceutical treatments with documented positive outcome, and most importantly, thousands of better informed owners with healthy horses leading productive lives.

The EC and IR group now manages four additional sister groups, ECPhotos, ECHoof, ECHistory and ECHistory2. As of today group archives contain 135,000 messages with over 1000 Case Histories. New members arrive at the rate of 30-50 per week. In recent years similar equine groups for horses diagnosed with Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD) and Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (EPSM) have been formed to support owners. These groups function similarly to the EC and IR Group with volunteer nonprofit support. They also establish protocols, report clinical signs, and keep track of success as well as areas of needed improvement or further exploration.

Dr. Kellon explains, “The EC and IR Group is an example of the internet working like it should. By collecting histories and laboratory data from thousands of horses with PPID and IR, we have been able to carefully monitor responses to treatment and management changes, both good and bad. This is real life, in the barn research at its best. There are no fees charged or products being sold - it's all about the horses and the dedicated people who own them.”

A new Web Site to celebrate the work of ten years past and into the future...

The EC and IR Group has formed extensive libraries of files, photos, data and archived messages. It can be a daunting exercise for members to get through and understand the material, especially if the owner has the added worry of a horse in crisis. With the help of a dedicated support team, a new or existing member is guided through potential diagnosis and diet issues, trim and exercise suggestions.

To simplify the learning curve, in October 2009 the EC and IR Group launched a new intensive and well-organized web site www.ecirhorse.com

“This is really to help all the new members just coming on board and all the old members seeking new information. It's about providing organized access to information. It’s a place for people to send vets that doesn't require joining anything. I wanted information that was simple enough for the new member who needs to breathe deeply and be armed with enough information to clearly interact with their local professionals,” notes volunteer web designer Amberlee Ficociello of Canada.

EC and IR Group’s new web site explains in detail the signs, symptoms and physiology of Cushing’s/PPID and Insulin Resistance. Detailed information on various testing procedures and treatment is available. For equine professionals and for owners wishing to learn all they can, detailed supporting studies and back up data are also given.

Says Ficociello, “We’ve really just scratched the surface for the potential help this site can offer to owners and their horses. We expect to have much more information up in the coming months.”

A Success Stories section on the new web site illustrates with photos, narrative and data the rehabilitation of several horses through various stages of PPID/Cushing's, IR, laminitis episodes, founder and other health issues.

“The format is the same for all EC and IR Group Case Histories and Success Stories. We stick to sound nutritional and physiological equine science and factual, measurable responses. We’re following Robin’s original tradition of taking apart the confounding factors of the most difficult cases and sharing the info freely,” says volunteer Nancy Collins of New Hampshire, who formats the Success Stories. “There are six Success Stories with updates now posted on the site and many more on deck to be organized and shared. After ten years and a library of thousands of case histories, it's really easy to find them,” Collins continues.

A complete approach to getting results....

“Today people use the term holistic but don't realize that in the truest sense of the word the EC and IR group is probably the most holistic of any horse or nutrition group around,” says long time volunteer member and equine nutritionist, Patti Kuvik of Arizona.

“The group looks at the whole horse. His head, his feet, his insides, his urine and manure, his diet, his environment, the weather. We have a basic healthy diet that addresses all of the horses' requirements. There are modifications available for when the horse is no longer in crisis mode and for return to work,” says Kuvik.

When asked to comment on her continued dedicated contribution of time and skill to the EC and IR Group, Dr Kellon replied, “You know those credit card commercials that run through a bunch of things with price tags and end with a moment that's "priceless"? That is truly how I feel every time a new member comes here frazzled or wired and strung out after being told their horse, pony, donkey or mule should be euthanized and then later tells us about the light coming back in their eyes, those first voluntary steps out of a stall, the first spontaneous trot, buck or canter or when the feet start to concave and a hundred other positive signs of getting well. Most of all, it's about the animals.”

Volunteer Web Master Ficociello concludes, “We look forward to the EC and IR Group’s new site getting lots of use and hope visitors will make ample use of our feedback email address.”

The feedback address is ecirhorse@gmail.com

For more information about PPID/Equine Cushing’s and Insulin Resistance on the web go to

www.ecirhorse.com

and

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/

High Quality Horse Forage - Not Straw

Many of us subscribe to newsletters from theHorse.com.  

I just received the first edition of their Nutrition e-newsletter, which links to an article called Nutritional Value of Forages . This hit one of my hot-buttons - perpetuating the myth that what we need for our horses is poor quality hay. 

The article quotes Jerry Chatterton, PhD, Research Leader of the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Forage and Range Research Laboratory in Logan, Utah:

“Sometimes a little straw filler might be okay,” he said with a smile. In other words, lower-quality forage will keep your horse busy longer, is less likely to make him overweight and/or laminitic, and he’ll eat more of it to get energy--keeping his stomach full and at lower risk of ulcers.

What our horses do need is the best quality horse hay and forage we can afford - not lower quality. Everyone, from growers to veterinarians to horse owners needs to review their definition of high quality forage for horses - which is different than the definition for high quality meat or milk production animal forage. This difference does not make it any lower quality - just different.

Low quality forage (including "straw", which can be extremely high in sugar) or insufficient quantities of forage can cause nutritionally-based problems. By the time you see the signs on the outside - dull coat, lackluster attitude, poor hoof quality - the changes have already occurred on the inside.

High quality horse forage

• Should provide adequate but not excessive DE (digestible energy/calories expressed in Mcal per pound) and protein levels (by grams consumed, not “percent”) suitable for the horse’s age, reproductive status and level of work
• The DE needs to be low enough that the horse can consume sufficient forage to ensure good gut function without taking in too many calories.
• Should provide major minerals at least at the levels known to be required by horses (or have levels that are easily corrected)
• Should smell good, be free of dust, mold or toxins and be palatable to the horse
• Hays from species that are known nitrate accumulators or were grown in stressful conditions should be tested for safe nitrate levels
• Horses may need time to adjust to the taste/smell of a new variety of forage
• Should be tested for “safe” sugar/starch levels for horses who might be prone to IR (insulin resistance) or laminitis
• Not all “fat” horses are IR; not all IR horses are fat
• IR is not a “disease” – it is a metabolic evolution that allowed horses to develop and thrive in harsh conditions

Most of us are learning by now that the only way to accurately determine if a hay or forage is appropriate for our horse is to have it tested (see Analyzing Hay and Feeds) and using the results to determine if corrections are needed. While sugar and starch in forage, as emphasized in the article, are important for metabolically challenged horses, there is a lot more you need to know about the nutritional value of the forage you give your horse. What works for your pasture ornament may be inadequate in many ways for your performance horse, and what works for your performance horse when he is training/working might set him up for laminitis when he's idle. 

Forage testing (even if only done as "spot checks" for an idea of what you're feeding if you can't store large quantities of hay) is cheap insurance - at $30 to $50, a lot less than a vet bill. "Correcting" excesses and deficiencies by targeted mineral balancing can be done economically - often for a lot less than buying an "off the shelf" standard supplement which may or may not provide what's needed (and often adds a lot of "stuff" that's not needed).

So - when looking at forage for your horse, think in terms of the "best" quality you can afford. Take words like "rich" out of your vocabulary; they tell you nothing about your hay. Forget "old", "last year's", "poor quality" and "straw" when trying to find low sugar/starch hay.

Think in terms of how many Mcal your horse needs per day, how many grams of protein he needs, and calcium/phosphorus balance based on test results, not on whether it's "grass" or "alfalfa". Look and test for sugar plus starch equal to 10% or less for an IR or laminitic horse - low sugar/starch does not mean compromising on energy, protein or quality. Avoid excessively high iron levels in forage if you can - it may be an indication of poorly maintained fields or high surface contamination, and has been shown to be "pro-inflammatory". 

You can figure your horse's requirements in many places (see the  Analyzing Hay and Feeds article), find out what your forage supplies from the test results, then the rest is just addition and subtraction. (Well, maybe not "just" but not rocket science either. You might want to try on Dr. Kellon's basic nutrition class - NRC Plus - for starters.)

And use the straw for bedding your cows and goats.

Why Weigh Feed?

I was browsing through some messages on the Equine Cushings and IR group when I came across this - 

Can someone also put the emergency diet in laymens terms (cups/flakes). I don't have a weight scale and not sure what things weigh. 

The Emergency Diet - for those unfamiliar with it - is a short term low sugar-low starch maintenance ration for horses experiencing laminitis or suspected of being insulin resistant. It was developed by Eleanor Kellon, VMD and is meant to be a temporary diet to safely help your horse through the critical acute period while you, the owner, catch your breath and start getting a correct diagnosis.

So why is it important to weigh your horse's hay, feed and supplements? 

The entire concept of determining equine nutritional needs, then meeting their requirements with forage is based on weight. Weight of the horse and weight of the forage and feed.

A 1,000 lb horse at maintenance (just hanging around the corral looking pretty) needs a minimum of 15 mega calories (Mcal, or 15,000 Calories) every day. A 250 pound mini needs only 3.8 Mcal, a working ranch horse might use up 24 or more Mcal a day when he's working.

A general rule of thumb is to provide a horse with 1.5 to 2% of it's body weight in forage (hay or hay plus pasture). That would be around 15 lbs of hay for the pasture ornament, 3-3/4 lbs for the mini, and at least 20 lbs a day for the ranch horse. 

Working with horses since before he could walk, the cowboy knows his horse is going to get skinny on 20 lbs of hay. While he might not be consciously doing the math, he knows his horse will need to be knee deep in grass hay and will probably benefit from something "extra" - more calories, higher protein, more carbs - so will also give him a bit of alfalfa and a measure of oats. Is he using a scale? No - but when your livelihood (and possibly your life) depend on the health of your partner, you've likely developed a keen eye and feel for how much is enough, too much or too little.

A lot of us don't have the life-long horseman/horsewoman's eye.

Let's take my weekend warrior who's a bit on the chubby side. I "know" an average bale of Bermuda hay in Arizona weighs around 100 lbs, +/- 5-10 lbs or so, and that if I split a bale over two days for three horses, they're getting around 16 lbs of hay a day.   That will work - as long as the hay is pretty "average", around 0.8 to 0.9 Mcal per lb. But, when I look at my "herd" of three, I see I'm actually feeding around 2550 lbs of horse (1000 lb mare, 900 lb gelding, 650 lb pony gelding) and they, collectively, only need around 38 Mcal/day.

And this last load of hay is really nice - almost 110 lbs per bale and the horses really like it.  My horses are fat and sassy - uh oh, did I say fat?  I weigh my "flakes" of hay - each one is closer to 9 lbs than the 5 or 6 lbs I have in my mind. So I cut back one flake per day (I've been putting out six). 

 I could probably have figured this out without a scale - but it made it easier. Like most horse owners, I tend to think along the lines of "Am I feeding them enough?" rather than "Am I giving them too much?" And, without a scale, I typically under-estimate the weight of the hay I am feeding (and this has been my experience with almost all the folks I have worked with).

Let's look at the mini. Our kind of average grass hay has around 8.5 Mcal/lb. The mini needs around 3.8 Mcal - if he's fairly active in a good size paddock. That works out to 4-1/2 lbs of hay a day - and nothing else (no concentrates, no grain, no treats). What if your "flake" weighs 5 lbs and you give him a whole flake every day? 

Over a week, that's an extra 3 Mcal, almost a whole day's ration. Over a year, that's an extra 155 Mcal - or enough to maintain your mini for over a month! You could have enjoyed your mini for 13 months for the same cost as 12 months, and he would be healthier!

One last example - as this is where we see a lot of folks get into trouble.

Your vet tells you to put your cresty necked 1100 lb horse on a diet. You, or your vet, interpret this as feeding less - a lot less - to lose weight. That's how people do it, right? So you cut back to two "flakes" of hay/day, plus a little senior feed to provide some vitamins and minerals.

What's wrong with this picture?

Your two 5-1/2 lb flakes provide 11 lbs of forage, or only 1% of your horse's body weight. This is not sufficient gut fill to avoid problems such as colic or maintaining immune function - your horse needs a minimum of 1.5% BW in forage to lose weight safely - or 16-1/2 lbs of forage (hay) a day. To see the disastrous results of using a "starvation" diet to get a horse to lose weight, read Perla's Story.

The hay needs to be low sugar-low starch - preferably less than 10%, with a DE of 0.9 or less (alfalfa, many small grain hays and some grass hays will exceed this - have your hay analyzed to find out the DE). 

Your horse does not need any "concentrate" feed at all (grain, "senior" feed, "complete" feed, etc.) as they likely contain too much sugar/starch and won't supply the necessary level of minerals and vitamins unless fed at the minimum levels shown on the product label (usually around 2 lbs/day or more for an "average" horse). 

Your horse does need minerals at least at the minimum levels recommended by the NRC or, even better, balanced to a hay analysis, plus some vitamins if not eating fresh forage/grass. As an interim measure, an iron-free supplement, such as the flax-based supplements from HorseTech, can provide basic support until you have hay analyzed and determine your horse's specific needs. A small amount of soaked beet pulp or hay pellets can be used as a "supplement carrier".

Basic requirements are available in tables at Equi-Analytical's website, or at the NRC's online program.  Neither the tables nor the online calculator tell you how to interpret or balance the results, and they both give you only minimum requirements - similar to the human "RDA", not the levels recommended for optimal health.

You can learn more by checking out the other articles and links on this blog. Joining the Equine Cushings and IR group will give you access to a wealth of science-based information that's been developed over the years, as well as support if your horse is currently laminitic (or suspected of having laminitis). Eleanor Kellon, VMD has begun offering a series of online equine nutrition courses, from the very basic through nutrition for the elite equine athlete, which you can complete at your own pace.

My own bit of cynicism -

I am always amazed at the folks who will pay large sums for the right tack, a new truck or trailer, correct riding clothes, but balk at $30 for a good scale, $26 for a hay analysis or taking the few hours to have someone help them to "learn the math".

Obviously, if you've read down this far, you aren't one of them. But, because you obviously care for your equine partner, you are vulnerable to any and all of the magic bullets offered to make us think we are doing the best for our horses. 

Your strongest weapon - and best resource - is knowledge. It's out there - I hope this helps you navigate the map but then its up to you to use it.

Pete Ramey - Equine Nutrition Warrior

Barefoot Hoof Guru Pete Ramey has been taking Eleanor Kellon, VMD's basic nutrition course, NRC Plus.  Pete has enlivened the discussion on this online program - coining the title Equine Nutrition Warrior - and recently summarized his experience on his web site in an article called Feeding the Hoof.

“I got so much out of the "NRC Plus"course- I can’t wait for the others. Join me in the “Equine Cushings/Insulin Resistance” and “Nutrition as Therapy” classes this fall. We’ll get better for our horses together.”  Pete

Dr. Kellon presented the first NRC Plus basic ("basic" being a bit of an understatement) course this past spring and so far, close to 250 students - ranging from single horse owners to breeders and trainers to veterinarians and nutritionists - and yes, farriers and hoof trimmers - have enrolled in the basic and advanced courses. You can see all of the course listings at drkellon.com (some of the advanced courses do have prerequisites).

That's not what the label says...

Purina's foot dragging in their recent feed recall (or "retrieval", as they preferred to call it) has left us wondering about safety and quality control in our horse feeds. Some mistakes may make it out the door with even the best quality control but in horse feed, as in politics, it's the response that matters.

About a week ago (June 3rd) I bought a couple of bags of Eagle Milling brand beet pulp pellets. It was getting dark when I got home, but I went ahead and dumped them into the the heavy duty trash can I use to store them in. I couldn't see the pellets well in the dark and didn't take a real good look until I had finished up the remaining previous stock and started to feed the new ones Friday evening.

I noticed that about half the pellets were pink-brown, not the usual color - which is kind of a "frosted" deep green.  There was also quite a bit of corn mixed in, along with some tiny pellets and a lot of  "dust", which looked like it might be from the tiny pellets. This is not adding up to something I want to feed my insulin resistant horse - or, actually, any of my horses as I haven't a clue what's really in these pellets. Alfalfa? Grain? Minerals? There's something in there that's obviously NOT beet pulp.

I separated some of the "pink" pellets out and put them to soak, next to some of the more normal appearing green pellets. The green pellets looked "normal"  after soaking - a bit like chopped spinach. The "mystery pellets", on the left, resisted softening - a lot of the pellets were still firm and formed. They appeared to be made of a variety of material - possibly some beet pulp or other forage, lighter colored stuff that might be grain, and smaller particles that could be ground up minerals or ...

Using the phone number on the bag tag for Eagle Milling I called and left a message describing the problem.  (Apparently Eagle Milling, a "local" Arizona feed mill, is now a subsidiary of behemoth Cargill.)

Fast forward to Monday morning (after spending a sweaty hour in Sunday's 104+ heat repacking the pellets into their bags to return).  Stacy from Cargill called, wanting complete information about lot numbers, where and when purchased, etc., and she is making arrangements for a no-hassle exchange and appears to be genuinely interested in not having this happen again. It's complicated by the bags, even though purchased the same day, being from two different lots; we can't be certain which bag contained the mystery pellets. I received additional calls from the plant manager; they will send someone out to pick up the feed today.

So what should you do if you open a bag of feed and its not what you expected?

• If you're feeding "straights", you are more likely to quickly spot if something is not "right".
  
• If in doubt, don't feed the product. It won't hurt your horse to miss a few meals as long as you're feeding sufficient hay.
• Contact the feed company directly if you suspect something is not right with a feed, don't just rely on the feed store to follow up.
• Document, document, document. Take pictures of the feed, the bag, the bag tag. If the photo doesn't clearly show the label/tag information, write it down. Write a description of what you see and smell that makes you believe there is a problem.
• Don't throw the feed or product out - it should be returned to the dealer, distributor or feed company. Retain a good size sample, along with your documentation, until any issues are resolved to your satisfaction. Try to keep the product/sample in the same condition it was in when you purchased it (i.e. - keep dry, protect from rodents, etc.)

If you suspect a feed or product has caused illness, in addition to notifying the feed company and your feed store, notify your regular veterinarian and your State veterinarian. Most State veterinarian offices are able to have feeds tested and can initiate action if necessary. You can also have feed analyzed for some of the common toxins on your own through one of the forage testing laboratories.

When a product doesn't meet our expectations, our initial reaction is often to just discard it and resolve not to use that product or brand again, especially if no actual harm was done. Taking the time to throughly document the problem and notify the right people isn't always easy in our busy lives. 

But you will likely find, as I did, that conscientious manufacturers do care about quality control, appreciate that you took the time to notify them of a problem and will go out of their way to make resolving any issues simpler. 

Sure it's good business for a company to respond to customer concerns. But the rapid response and personal interest taken by the folks at Eagle Milling/Cargill reassures me that, had this been a serious or health related concern, there would be prompt action and resolution. 

 Update 

Angel from Cargill came out to pick up my beet pulp and bring some new bags. The new bags still had quite a few of the "brown" pellets with what might be some grain mixed in, but not near as much corn as my original bags. So we decided I'll go with shreds, at least for the time being until they have a chance to test these pellets and double check the manufacturing. (These apparently are manufactured in California and bagged locally.)

He called the dealer to double check that they have shreds without molasses in stock so I can pick them up when I go into town tomorrow.

Turns out Angel also works with the local 4-H swine program, knows all my friends. Vail, Tucson and large parts of Arizona are still pleasantly "small town".

Keeping Good Horse Records

Ever start feeding something to your horse but now you're not sure if you should continue it or not? Is he moving better under saddle because of the new pad or the chiropractic session? Did his blood work results improve because of the new hay or did you change his supplement? Is he standing better or worse after the latest trim?

Keeping a written or photographic log of changes and events can help us track how our horse is doing. A log can be anything from a spiral or looseleaf notebook to a spreadsheet or sophisticated computer program - the important part is that we write things down. After a few months the why and what of a change begins to get fuzzy and we may lose track of what works and what doesn't. 

What kinds of things should we log?

Basic records should include routine care - vaccinations, hoof care, deworming, veterinary checks, any blood work done. You might keep these as a simple chart or spreadsheet.

Nutrition - any changes to the diet should be recorded, including the reason you made the change and what results you expect. Pictures can be extremely helpful in providing an objective evaluation of the results. Not all nutrition changes will have obvious "surface" results such as change in coat or hoof quality or weight gain/loss, and some results won't be obvious for three to six months or longer. Some (such as increased bone density or tendon strength) are almost impossible most of us to measure but will be seen as lack of injuries or improved soundness.

If you recorded your objective when you made the change (correct anemia, reduce allergic reaction, improve exercise tolerance) then, over time, you will be able to evaluate if you are seeing the expected results. If your objectives include  things such as "attitude", you'll need to devise some way of "measuring" it.

If you have your hay analyzed, keep the results - over a period of time this will give you your own "regional" forage profile. Keep feed tags any time you introduce a new feed.

Vaccinations - the date, type, brand and lot number of all vaccines should be recorded (taking the information directly from the label).  If your horse should have an adverse reaction, this information is necessary to file a report. Some metabolically challenged horses may react to the adjuvant/carrier in some vaccines (the reaction is seldom to the vaccine itself). Having a detailed record will help you and your vet decide if you need to change brands, pre-medicate or eliminate a particular vaccine if you horse has a reaction. 

Deworming - in addition to routine deworming, log any specific/targeted deworming, such as a Panacur power pak for encysted strongyles or a combo (Equimax) or double dose Strongid for tapes. If you do not do these routinely, note the specific reason (such as non-shedding coat or simply not "thriving") so you can evaluate if this was an effective intervention. Also log any "reaction" so you can consider pre-medicating the next time if indicated.

Hoof care - if you are working with a horse with hoof problems, keeping a fairly detailed log will help you keep track of what works and what doesn't. Even minor changes (angles, type of padding, etc.) can have a dramatic effect. How your horse responds to changes in footing - rain/snow, mud, hard pack can help your hoof care provider/farrier determine what might be needed for your horse in your particular circumstance. Good quality, correct photos (front, side, solar views of each hoof plus a full horse views), along with copies of any X-rays done can be extremely useful as stuff can often be noticed in a photo that is overlooked when looking at the actual horse.

Blood work - obtain a copy of any blood work you have done on your horse. The original lab reports will show the values obtained for your horse plus the laboratory "normals".  Normals vary from lab to lab, and labs use different "units", so it's important to have copies that contain this information.

 

If your veterinarian uses a portable blood analyzer at your barn, such as an "I-Stat", you'll have to write down the results if the machine doesn't have a printer - and ask your vet for the "normal" values so you can write them down.

 

Even if you don't understand all the numbers and language on the report, having a baseline plus a record of changes will be helpful if you ever move or your vet retires. If you are tracking a condition such as Insulin Resistance, even a novice (with a little help) can track the rise and fall of glucose and insulin values. 

To learn how to understand your horse's lab work, the Pride Project guide (Susan Garlinghouse and Barney Fleming) is a great place to start, and Dr. Kellon's class on Understanding Blood Work will give you a working knowledge of the subject.

Exercise/conditioning log - if you are involved in something like endurance, you are likely keeping a conditioning log already. A horse in rehab should have his response to exercise tracked - including time, distance and frequency. This will provide a guideline for advancing work, or show you the point where the exercise may have exceeded his current capability.

In order to keep a good conditioning log, you need to know how to take your horse's vital signs - your vet can help you learn this. The AERC Endurance Riders Handbook contains good information on conditioning and doing your own "mini-vet exam" (see chapters six and twelve). 

Other changes - a "general" page is useful for keeping track of things that really don't fit into other categories,  such as tack changes, introduction of new barn mates, or other events that may or may not influence your horse's overall demeanor. 

Something may seem insignificant at the time but, in retrospect, could provide a clue to something going on now. A slow recovery to "his normal self" after coming home from a heavy show schedule or trail riding weekend could just be from the change in routine. Or it could be a flag of joint  or metabolic stress that won't show up again until he encounters a similar heavy workload in the future. Because you made a note, when he does come up "off" six months later, you'll know this isn't a "new" problem and this can help you form a plan to prevent it from developing into a chronic issue.

Or perhaps you've been feeding a protein or amino acid supplement for six months and have been taking weekly photos to track improvement. When you started, you expected to see improvement in your twenty-something horse's top line muscling but, despite being at an appropriate weight and a regular exercise routine, his hips and withers are still a bit too obvious. Because you have objective information (the photos), instead of continuing to spend money on a supplement that isn't providing the expected results, you have your horse tested for Cushing's disease as you know one of the signs is muscle wasting. With a positive result, you can more effectively spend your money on pergolide to control the symptoms, ensuring your horse many more years of health and soundness.

If you are trying to change something about your horse, anything you do for or to him should have a rationale that you can define and measure. Good record keeping helps you define and put your money and effort where the need is, rather than simply responding to poorly defined advertising claims. By objectively measuring results, you'll be rewarded with the satisfaction of knowing your time and money weren't wasted and, most likely, with a healthier, happier equine partner.

Slick & Pretty or Pretty Slick?

There's a million ways to get your money in the horse world - most are not new but a slicked up version of something pretty basic.

"Ration analysis"  or "ration balancing" programs seem to fall in this category.

You can go to the NRC Nutrient Requirements of Horses Computer Model website and determine your horse's basic (minimum) requirements for free. No fancy graphs or bells and whistles - but the information is calculated for you in a clear, readable format. You enter your horses weight, class and activity level and the protein. When you click on "Other Nutrients", protein, DE and major mineral requirements are shown on the bottom of the page, with the trace mineral and vitamin requirements listed in the center of the page.

You can then enter "dietary supply" - either by selecting from the provided database (which is somewhat limited) or by entering information from a known hay/feed analysis. This will provide information for protein, DE and major minerals only.  

The downside is this does not provide any information concerning correct mineral ratios, how to correct for competing mineral excesses or deficiencies, or identify potentially troublesome excesses (such as high iron or high manganese). To do this, you need to enlist the help of an equine nutritionist, learn how to do the math yourself (it's not really that difficult) or learn how to use the spreadsheets available either in the Equine Cushings group files or you can request them from me at no charge.* 

Enter Slick & Pretty

FeedXL, a program that is initially only addressing feeding conditions in Oz, works much the same as the NRC computer model.  They are using an interesting subscription concept, rather than purchasing the program. This does have the advantage of allowing for ongoing updates to their forage and feed databases, along with keeping it more affordable for an average horse owner (for a "one day" one time calculation - monthly or yearly cost begins to approach program purchase costs).

They have done a nice job on this - the "results" are displayed in clear, easy to read numerical and graph formats, using correct nomenclature. 

If all we were concerned with was meeting or exceeding NRC requirements (and they're quite clear that the program's recommendations are higher than NRC), I would suggest that this online model is what we've been looking for. And this could be all many horses need.  But, in our experience with metabolically challenged horses, we've learned that balance is not simply meeting/exceeding requirements, but also involves paying attention to mineral ratios.

Green is Good?

The FeedXL tour example indicates iron at 506% of requirement "... is no cause for concern..." and has an iron to copper ratio of 12:1. This could be problematic for an insulin resistant horse or a horse with inflammatory issues, as excess iron is becoming well documented as a factor in IR and inflammation.  "Green" (i.e. no deficiency) is NOT good if an excess of a mineral is problematic.

It becomes fairly complicated to explain mineral ratio corrections - each correction affects other minerals which then also may need adjustment. In a computer model, this becomes a multi-step process, but not difficult for a sophisticated program to handle (my spreadsheets actually do it quite easily) but does require some interpretation to ensure recommendations remain within safe limits. 

I didn't see a provision for entering your own hay analysis results, and only Australian feeds are currently in the database.

So, as slick and pretty as this program is, I don't see any real advantage over what you can get from free from the NRC model, plus a little math.

*While I do charge for consultations and assistance, I have always made the spreadsheets available at no charge for individual use. I appreciate a "donation" if you find them useful, but it is not required.

Speedy Laminitis/Founder Recovery ?

Recently, I responded to a question on the EC list about one of the targeted "magic bullet" supplements that are becoming heavily marketed toward horses with laminitis. The supplement in question isn't a bad supplement - it is safe and would likely do the job - but in my mind it supplies some unnecessary nutrients, is overpriced and appeals to the emotional vulnerability of our desire to do the best we can for our horses.
The writer was appropriately seeking to support her horse's recovery from founder, but also wanted to know if the supplement would provide a "speedier" recovery.
There is no speedy recovery from laminitis/founder - under the best conditions, recovery is limited by the horse's ability to grow a new hoof capsule.
With all systems being optimal

• diagnosis by doing the correct blood work for metabolic issues to differentiate IR (insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome) from Cushing's Disease (PPID)
• appropriate medication only if definitively diagnosed with Cushing's
• removing the source or cause of the laminitis/founder
• diet based on low carbohydrate forage supplemented with minerals and vitamins that both provide recommended daily requirements and balance any excesses/deficiencies based on hay analysis or regional information
• frequent hoof care based on a trim which places P3 ground parallel and removes stress from the injured laminae
• non-weight bearing straight line exercise (no riding) as tolerated by the horse during recovery plus as much turn out as possible for free movement

recovery from laminitis/founder is going to take the time it takes to regrow a new hoof capsule with tight laminar connections - at least 8 to 10 months or more.
Even if your horse "appears" sound - if shod, with anti-inflammatory medication (bute or herbal), on soft resiliant footing or when wearing boots - it takes at least eight months for the hoof capsule to regrow and the damage to be repaired. Irregardless of which hoof care method you choose (I have personal preferences but my way is not the only way) it will take at least eight months before your horse can be safely started back in work.
Going back to work too early can stress the new growth and slow down the repair. Would you continue to jog, play tennis, go dancing before your broken foot healed? (I realize that some of us would but our horse does not have the option to choose.)
For a metabolically challenged horse, a half hour of grass or a scoop of the wrong feed at your boarding barn can put you back to step 1 and turn an eight month recovery into a year or longer. And trying to treat IR with medication instead of diet changes is an exercise in futility.
Good nutrition can help put your horse at the short end of the time line to regrow a new hoof capsule by providing the building blocks required for healing and repair. Your horse will need good quality low carbohydrate forage, quality protein, and minerals and vitamins that at least meet NRC requirements and balance the forage/hay. Healing requires higher levels of antioxidant support which can be safely enhanced by providing vitamin E at levels suggested by KER research and Omega-3 essential fatty acids from flax.
You don't need to spend $2 to $3 a day on a "magic bullet" supplement to supply what your horse needs. A custom mix that balances your hay analysis or regional needs will more likely be in the range of 60-90 cents a day with some locally purchased "add-ins" - vitamin E, magnesium, iodized salt - adding another 15-20 cents a day.
While many horses can benefit from anti-inflammatory herbs to improve comfort and/or nitric oxide donor herbs to improve circulation, these should be specific and targeted, not part of a "kitchen-sink" approach. Any herb at a level potent enough to provide benefit also has the potential for adverse side effects and their use should be carefully considered, along with the possibility of synergy (multiplication of individual actions when combined) and interaction with medications your vet may have ordered.
Once your horse is through the acute initial phase of a laminitis/founder attack, plan on hanging up your saddle for at least eight months and consider how to turn his recovery time into an opportunity. The additional TLC he will require almost guarantees a new bonding experience for you, a time when you can just be and reflect with your horse. Take the time to explore some of the excellent groups and websites focused on laminitis/founder and metabolics (see my links for a sampling). Learn what your horse's nutritional requirements really are, how to read labels and how to separate myth and advertising from fact. Plan a gradual reconditioning program so that once he can carry a rider again, he can do it safely with less chance of reinjury.
Speedy recovery? Don't expect it. But you can make this recovery time count toward your horse's long term soundness and health.

Questions and Comments?

If you have questions or comments about anything written here please post them - just click on the Comments field at the end of the article (or at the end of this post) or you can email your comment to me at Desert Equine Balance.

I will answer questions to the best of my ability - if I don't know or if the reply is "my opinion", I will let you know that and we can continue to learn together.

I am not a certified or credentialed equine nutritionist but have spent most of the past six years learning all I could about equine nutrition - mainly by studying the wealth of material in the NRC, the KER library and publications, the Equine Cushing's group (under the guidance of Eleanor Kellon, VMD) and a select few "no-nonsense" websites. Working with owners of insulin resistant (IR), rescue and other problem horses has helped me expand and apply what I've learned.

The information is out there for all to access but for most of us, our first encounter with the basics of equine nutrition is a bewildering array of tables, math and new terminology. I try to use my medical background as a paramedic and RN to translate "nutrition-ese" into plain talk that can help others understand and develop a sound feeding program for their horses.

If I can help someone learn how to interpret feed bag tags and supplement labels, to understand their hay analysis, to develop a better working relationship with their veterinarian, to see the difference between magic bullets and sound nutrition, then all the hours I spend here will have been time well spent.

This is for all the horses who have graciously shared their lives with ours ~