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While it is true that hyperactivity may be caused by sugar,
it is also true that most grain feeds are specifically
designed for active animals that may be performance or
working horses. Feeding this kind of mix to animals that are
only moderately active will provide them with calories, or
energy, they cannot properly expend. It is the amount of
calories the owner feeds the horse and the horse’s lack of
exercise which that’s problematic.
Fat has been known to decrease the rate with which the blood
glucose levels inside an organism rise, and adding fat to
the horse’s diet is a good way of helping the animal’s blood
sugar to remain level. Using a feed with 10% fat can often
help bring blood sugar levels back to normal. Generally
speaking, a feed that contains about ten percent of fat will
be beneficial.
Quite possibly the best course of action to take when
dealing with a horse that suffers from colic and founder, or
may be subject to any of the diseases mentioned at the
beginning, lies in feeding a diet low in non-structural
carbohydrates. Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) encompass
all of the sugars and starches which are fermented in the
horse’s intestines by the microbes. This can help any horse
that frequently gets colic or has been diagnosed with
Cushing’s disease. In addition, a young horse that is still
growing and is likely to experience developmental orthopedic
disease (DOD), may also benefit from a diet low in
non-structural carbohydrates. Some of the popular feeds that
are low in non-structural carbohydrates are Timothy hay,
alfalfa hay, and other well-known brands of feed.
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