| Just as with humans, horses should strive to maintain | | | | that you choose the proper type of hay. Hay can vary |
| an ideal weight. As is also the case with humans, it is | | | | a great deal in calories and sugar content. Bright green, |
| often necessary to put your horse on a diet to drop a | | | | tender cuts of hay, such as early alfalfa can really |
| few unwanted pounds. The principles behind equine | | | | pack on the pounds. Coarser, or "stemmier", cuts |
| weight loss are the same as with human weight loss: | | | | generally contain fewer calories and lower amounts of |
| do so healthily, slowly, steadily, and without starving. | | | | sugar. The best types of hay for weight loss include: |
| Horses face many of the same issues we face when | | | | meadow hays, prairie hays, timothy, orchard grass, and |
| we are overweight. Carrying even a few extra | | | | mature or late cuttings of Bermuda grass. |
| pounds can put the horse's total health in danger, and | | | | When trying to accomplish weight loss, grain should be |
| he or she can easily become more susceptible to | | | | omitted from your horse's diet all together. You may |
| breathing problems, hormone imbalances, injuries, and | | | | be thinking that all of your horse's nutrition comes from |
| laminitis. | | | | grain; however, this is simply not true. Grain can contain |
| Starting The Diet | | | | high amounts of fat and calories and really serves no |
| The first step to starting your horse on a diet is to | | | | purpose in an overweight horse's daily diet. If you find |
| determine the ideal weight for your animal. This number | | | | your animal is in fact suffering from a metabolic |
| not only gives you a goal to strive for, it will also help | | | | problem, it is even more critical that you avoid feeding |
| you to figure how much food the horse should be fed | | | | grain. |
| on a daily basis. | | | | If you simply cannot stand the thought of only feeding |
| Some simple guidelines for slow and steady weight | | | | your horse hay, or if he or she becomes unruly |
| loss are as follows: If the horse is still active and getting | | | | because others are getting grain, try feeding a healthier |
| daily exercise, you should be feeding a minimum of | | | | alternative. Beet pulp is low in calories, about the same |
| one and a half percent of his or her current body | | | | amount as oats per pound; however since it needs to |
| weight, and as much as two percent of his or her ideal | | | | be soaked prior to feeding it can soak up about four |
| body weight in hay. If the horse is not getting regular | | | | times its dry measure. This means you can feed a |
| exercise, or if he or she is confined to a stall or | | | | good sized portion, while only providing a small amount |
| paddock area, you should feed anywhere from one to | | | | of calories. |
| one and a half percent of his or her ideal body weight | | | | A great daily diet for a full sized horse is as follows: |
| in hay. | | | | one pound (dry weight) of beet pulp divided into two |
| Make sure you do not send your horse on a crash | | | | feedings, mixed with two ounces of ground stabilized |
| diet. If your horse is already on a reduced hay diet and | | | | flax, and two ounces of rice bran. This makes for a |
| not getting any grain, yet he or she is not losing any | | | | diet that is well balanced, provides all the necessary |
| weight it can be tempting to reduce the food even | | | | nutrients, and provides enough fat (in the form of |
| further. You need to keep from doing this, as you | | | | omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) to keep your |
| could be affecting the animal's metabolic rate, thus | | | | horse happy. Adding the hay with a suitable mineral |
| causing the horse to become resistant to the effects | | | | supplement is all you need to maintain optimal health. |
| of insulin and become dependent upon fat stores in | | | | Other Weight Loss Tips |
| their bodies to feed their cells. When this happens | | | | Of course, just as it hold true with people, exercise |
| (referred to as fat mobilization) the results can be so | | | | plays a major role in a horse's weight loss progress. A |
| severe that organ damage can occur and the blood | | | | regular exercise plan not only helps the horse to burn |
| can become milky. | | | | calories, it also helps to balance hormone levels and |
| When you find yourself in the situation of a reduced | | | | increase metabolic function. This causes his or her |
| calorie diet with little weight loss, it is important to check | | | | muscle cells to become more sensitive to natural |
| for underlying problems. We have all been around | | | | insulin, and better utilize the glucose needed for proper |
| overweight people who claim they cannot lose weight | | | | muscle function. |
| due to a "glandular problem". While most of us think | | | | Limiting natural grazing and not allowing the horse to |
| "yeah right" when we hear this statement, the truth is it | | | | eat straw can further help with weight loss. Nature |
| really could be the reason and the same could be true | | | | intended for a horse to graze in pasture, however |
| for your horse! | | | | nature did not intend for the horse to have an unlimited |
| To determine if this is the case, take a bit of time and | | | | supply of fresh grass without having to travel miles a |
| assess your horse for the following symptoms: | | | | day to eat it. Try to limit the amount of grazing time |
| Weight gain that began right after the horse | | | | each day by using a grazing muzzle or removing the |
| reached maturity; | | | | horse from the pasture all together. While straw |
| Weight gain even on a diet that would not be | | | | bedding may look unappealing to you, a horse loves it, |
| sufficient to hold weight on a horse of a similar size; | | | | and often munches on it without hesitation. Straw can |
| A fatty or hard crest on the neck that is present | | | | have just as much sugar, and as many calories as |
| even if weight is lost elsewhere on the body; | | | | grass hay and can really wreck a diet. Try switching to |
| Other abnormal patches of fat in random patterns, | | | | wood shavings or another type of bedding that will not |
| sometimes appearing dimpled or resembling cellulite. | | | | encourage snacking. |
| Other conditions such as insulin resistance and leptin | | | | Finally, refrain from feeding your horse treats. This may |
| resistance can be underlying causes of weight gain as | | | | seem mean, or you may find it difficult to look into |
| well. If you suspect your horse may have any of these | | | | those big brown eyes and not give a snack, but in the |
| problems you should seek the advice of a veterinarian | | | | long run your horse will be healthier from your will |
| before starting any type of restricted diet. | | | | power. If you find you absolutely must feed a treat, opt |
| What To Feed A Fat Horse | | | | for a very small amount of a low calorie food such as |
| Hay should be your number feed for a horse that is | | | | carrots, apples, or a handful of grapes. |
| overweight. That being said, it is extremely important | | | | |