The EMS/Insulin Resistant Horse

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Permalink Reply by Mary Marlowe on August 11, 2011 at 9:48am

I don't think you can completely reverse insulin resistance without removing the "obstacle to cure" of an unnatural diet (grains, sugars) and unnatural living conditions (confinement, often indoors, with very little time interacting with other horses in a normal way). Sunshine, fresh air, good food and fun with friends are all important to real health. This is true for people, too...

Permalink Reply by Gwenyth Santagate on August 13, 2011 at 7:57am

Agree 100%.  One reason why I've removed all processed feeds from my herd (diet) and feed fresh 'salads'. I also add herbs when needed. The mare who was strongly IR and Cushings really had a remarkable response to this. Clients' horses for whom I care, all have had great responses, too!  Blood tests have shown that numbers go back to 'normal'. Hooves become unbelievably strong; coats shine; eyes bright and personalities calmed.  I advocate ALL critters taken off processed foods as much as humanely possible. 

 

Permalink Reply by Ignacio de Jesús Cabrera Larios on August 15, 2011 at 9:14pm

Well, I have never seen a case, but the horses I treat are fed with Barley and Oat hay. They eat a little processed food. They usually get a some lucerne (fresh or dry) and carrots. Grains can be dangerous I know, but concentrate foods are worse.

Greetings from Mexico.

Nacho

Permalink Reply by Gwenyth Santagate on August 25, 2011 at 7:49am

Wow -- and US has, what I would call, an endemic of IR!  Over the last decade the incidences have increased almost exponentially and in younger and younger animals. What started me on this particular quest was being called in to see the hooves of a 3 and 4 year old pair of ponies. They were, by far, the worse I've ever seen. The owner was spending thousands of dollars on this food, that supplement, all processed, all chemical, the ponies were locked up in a barn (they had the run of the whole barn), were not allowed to eat ANYTHING fresh, their hooves were beyond anything *I* could to help as the previous hoofcare person basically trimmed the toes back to nothing - they had virtually no hooves left. It was so sad. Such beautiful ponies just wasting away and subsequently euthanized. The woman would have nothing to do with feeding them anything but what was being suggested. I could do nothing to help. That was close to 10 years ago. I vowed then that I would research, read, and find out WHY the horses and ponies were getting so sick at such young ages. It just wasn't right. Still isn't ... but not too many are embracing the thought of taking their sick horses off the 'specially formulated' processed foods. Even less are wanting to put their horses back out to grass. Certainly they are not allowed to have an apple or carrot, never mind full salads! Some are beginning to see as my own clients' horses are recovering and getting healthy again. But too many out there still won't. Hey -- I'm not a vet so I don't blame them. I'm just a crazy ole woman who is passionately in love with horses!  *LOL*  However, this 'crazy ole woman' is NOT going to stop talking about what the horses, themselves, are saying ... FEED US! And nourish us! Take the junk food, the fast foods, away and feed our bodies and minds and spirits, please! We need what horses are created to eat! Fresh forages!  :)  And so this crazy ole woman trucks on ...

Permalink Reply by Maria Arendt OLsen on June 30, 2012 at 12:35pm

IR is mainly a genetic type. Some breeds evolved in areas where food was sparse and needed to be good doers and store as much fat as they could. Generally all pony breeds are at risk. TBs on the other hand are very rarely IR unless they have cushings too.

Which leads me to my answer; no, I don't think you can keep feeding grains and high sugar diets if pnly you find the right remedy. And I don't think one should medicate, be it drugs or homeopathy, when simple diet changes will make the horse perfectly healthy.