Your horse’s digestive system can be incredilby sensitive. © Hygain
Metabolic disorders have stepped into the spotlight in recent years with improved diagnostic techniques able to more accurately pinpoint what is affecting a horse’s wellbeing.
But many horse owners are left wondering what signs they should be looking for and whether their horse could be at risk.
Common signs of metabolic disorders include:
- Cushing’s disease: Weight loss, weakened immune system, an abnormally long coat, prone to laminitis.
- Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS): Obesity, cresty neck, fat deposits, insulin resistance, difficulty losing condition.
- Obesity: Excessive body fat, cresty neck.
As these symptoms can represent a range of disorders, accurate diagnosis is only possible with the help of a Veterinarian. If your horse is diagnosed with a metabolic disorder, then your Veterinarian is likely to recommend dietary changes as part of your horse’s ongoing management.
This is because certain ingredients are problematic for affected horses. In particular, sugar and starch levels can be of concern. An equine nutritionist can be a valuable asset in guiding you through the process of determining what to feed, as well as how to build a diet that matches your horse’s lifestage, breed, ailment and workload.
Luckily there are several products that can help you and your horse in this scenario. For instance, Hygain® has developed META SAFE® to specifically address the needs of horses that require a low starch concentrated feed, either as a preventative or as part of a horse’s ongoing care.
The low feeding rate is well suited to horses and ponies who are good doers and on restricted diets. Visit Hygain’s website to discover if META SAFE® is the perfect choice for your horse.
This article was written and published in conjunction with Hygain®
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