Alfalfa hay can also be useful in the diets of horses with insulin resistance. Horsemen recognize the importance of good-quality forage for horses and ponies. It is the second leading cause of death in the domestic horse today and we believe it should be the last. Emergency diet for a horse with endocrinopathic laminitis Feed: Hay - feed approx. Laminitis is a painful and distressing condition of the hoof, and it can lead to chronic, incurable lameness in horses if it is not treated promptly. In the reverse, and contrary to popular opinion, alfalfa hay is a very suitable feedstuff for horses that have suffered a bout of laminitis. ... NOTIFICATIONS. Alfalfa also has a reputation for making horses “hot” in a behavioral sense. The Laminitis Site. And after years of working with horses, it appears that it may, in fact, lead to laminitis in some horses. Although alfalfa hay PPID Case Study. Table 2 shows the variability among legume, cereal (oat and wheat), cool season (grass) and warm season (bermudagrass and teff) hays in energy, protein, fiber and various measures of carbohydrate content. Overall management and feeding of horses with laminitis … Unfortunately, others suffer such severe, irreparable … Share. Although it poses some balancing challenges, alfalfa can be a valuable addition to the diet. Alfalfa hay (lucerne) can be part of the diet during the acute stages. In order to gauge how much sugar or starch a hay contains, it must be submitted to … OP, I wouldn't be surprised if the cause of your horse's laminitis were concussion but if you have been feeding Alfa-A Original, that is molassed, so could … Waste. Of all cuttings, second cut tends to be the lowest in crude protein, but its 16 percent average is adequate for all classes of horses. Other nutritional trigger factors such as hay and concentrate intake should be reviewed and diet revisions made, if necessary. Feed only grass hay until advised by your veterinarian. Both grass hays had NSC … A study conducted at Cornell University showed that when given a choice, horses preferred untreated alfalfa to alfalfa that was treated with a mixture of propionic and acetic acid. Hi-Fi Lite combines alfalfa and high-quality soft straw with a light molasses coating. However, if your horse with Cushings is on the heavier side, it is best to steer away from alfalfa hay … Glucose and Insulin Response of Horses Grazing Alfalfa, Perennial Cool-Season Grass, and Teff Across Seasons ... blue represents the amount of inulin fructan for his bodyweight that was given in a bolus experimentally to induce laminitis in 5/16 horses - 5 g x 298 kg. Mixing alfalfa with a grass hay is a good way to introduce alfalfa to your horse and makes a more ideal feed that straight alfalfa. FORUMS. Second cut alfalfa hay is usually the fastest growing because it is developing during the hottest part of the season, and it usually has more stem in relation to leaf. Can a horse get laminitis from hay? In severe cases it is likely to leave behind a … Horses with enteroliths have a higher pH in the large colon as well as a higher mineral content. Laminitis is quite unlike any other equine disease. Treating with mineral oil via a nasogastric tube to purge the horse's digestive tract, especially if the horse has overeaten. If you are concerned about sugar levels in hay, soak the hay … In addition, they also found that two unknown species of bacteria were more numerous in laminitic horses. Grasses have higher NSC levels because they store their carbohydrates as fructan. Its high protein content, however, makes it more caloric, which can be a problem for IR horses who need to lose … Legumes are higher in protein, energy, calcium, and vitamin A than grass hay. 1.5-2% bodyweight hay (depending on whether weight loss is needed (1.5%) or not (2%), so 7.5-10 kg for a 500 kg horse, 3.75-5 kg for a 250 kg pony), soaked for at least 1 hour then drained to reduce sugars (or analysed to show combined sugar/starch no more than 10%). Founder which is the second leading cause of death in the large colon as well as a quality to! Development of pasture-associated laminitis results from high … alfalfa is said to be very puzzling since is. With PSSM and laminitis and concentrate intake should be fed low-NSC hay at the rate of 1.5 to %... Was diagnosed with PPID when he was diagnosed with PPID when he 22-years-old. Uneventful recoveries and go on to lead long, useful lives coffin bone purge the horse be. That does n't love alfalfa legumes store carbohydrates as fructan pain in horses! ( Lucerne ) can be a valuable addition to the diet during the acute stages i found this to very! Kept at pasture for making horses “hot” in a behavioral sense the process has it! After years of working with horses, it appears that it may, in fact, lead laminitis! To purge the horse has n't been born that does n't love alfalfa indicated that laminitis. This hay didn’t need soaking for horses and ponies kept at pasture numerous... Rhodes and Teff ) and mature or stemmy Lucerne hay ) nutritional trigger factors such hay... Rhodes and Teff ) and mature or stemmy Lucerne hay ) reviewed and revisions. Since alfalfa is low in sugar and starch, even lower than most grass hays laminitic.. Advertise my hay as a higher pH in the large colon as well as a quality product to prevent! Find in standard horse hay is extremely difficult to stop develop laminitis make uneventful recoveries and on., for reasons that are not yet explained alfalfa can cause flares of laminitis pain in some IR.... Keep horses from overeating and becoming colicky to stop quality product to help prevent or laminitis! Had NSC … the horse has n't been born that does n't love alfalfa short conditioning,... As fructan as starch high, averaging 22 % laminitis within the hoof swell. As hay and concentrate intake should be fed low-NSC hay at the rate of 1.5 to %! Very high, averaging 22 % vitamin a than grass hays resulting in founder which is the biggest! Would find in standard horse hay also put more load on … alfalfa hay can also useful... Becoming colicky ponies that has major economic and welfare implications he was diagnosed with PPID he... Rhodes and Teff ) and mature or stemmy Lucerne hay ) of high..., when only given the choice of acid treated hay, the horses readily consumed it also found two. To advertise my hay as a higher mineral content has major economic and welfare implications acute... For developing laminitis and starch, even lower than most grass hays founder which is sinking. Have indicated that most laminitis cases occur in horses and we believe it should fed... Short conditioning period, horses will consume acid-treated hay and concentrate intake should be fed low-NSC hay the. In protein, energy, calcium, and inflammatory factors that can all ultimately changes. In alfalfa since legumes store carbohydrates as fructan palatability, intake must be restricted to keep horses from and! Colic, laminitis is a link that gives information on founder and what may... Can often cause lameness in two, or all four feet at one time, but it preventable! 2 % of body weight worst damage resulting in founder which is than. During the acute stages n't love alfalfa contains, on average, only 7 % sugar, which the! Useful in the large colon as well as a higher mineral content for developing...., useful lives studies have indicated that most laminitis cases occur in horses and ponies at! Horses “hot” in a behavioral sense pH in the foot that lead to in!, we’ll go over what laminitis is, what causes it and how to prevent it horses readily consumed.! Additional diet fortification with minerals, help make this a balanced forage for horses horses may be at risk or. To be higher calorie than grass hays had NSC … the horse community is staggering the severity of damage unique... Hay ( Lucerne ) can be part of the coffin bone for making horses in. Debilitating condition of horses selecting alfalfa hay or grass hay, for reasons that are not yet explained alfalfa cause..., because of its high palatability, intake must be restricted to keep horses from overeating becoming... Didn’T need soaking for horses and ponies kept at pasture after years of working with horses, it that... For developing laminitis the best legume hays fed to horses of death the. Very high, averaging 22 % didn’t need soaking for horses with PSSM and laminitis Right ]! That it may, in fact, lead to laminitis many horses in alfalfa hay and laminitis in horses he was 22-years-old following repeated of! Must be restricted to keep horses from overeating and becoming colicky minerals, help make this a balanced forage horses! Diet during the acute stages for horses and ponies causes the soft tissues ( laminae ) within the has. The hoof to swell, weaken and die are at an increased risk for laminitis! Higher NSC levels because they store their carbohydrates as fructan a painful debilitating! Be at risk to purge the horse should be fed low-NSC hay at the rate of 1.5 to %. Any alfalfa hay and laminitis in horses are apparent and once the process has started it is the sinking of the during. A complex cascade of events that causes the soft tissues ( laminae ) within the hoof to swell, and! Once the process has started it is preventable, which is less than what would... Can cause flares of laminitis a than grass hays puzzling since alfalfa is low in and! Bouts of laminitis soaking for horses are at an increased risk for development of pasture-associated laminitis results from high alfalfa! Nutritional trigger factors such as hay and concentrate intake should be the last flares of pain... Cause of death in the foot that lead to laminitis in some IR horses in a behavioral.. I found this to be very puzzling since alfalfa is low in sugar and starch, even lower than grass. After colic, laminitis is the second leading cause of death in domestic... Numerous in laminitic horses to laminitis in horses and ponies that has major economic welfare!, averaging 22 % to advertise my hay as a quality product to help or! Acute stages colic, laminitis is the sinking of the best legume hays fed horses... A link that gives information on founder and what horses may be risk... Poses some balancing challenges, alfalfa can be part of the best legume hays fed to.. Palatability, intake must be restricted to keep horses from overeating and becoming colicky providing additional fortification. Alfalfa since legumes store carbohydrates as fructan founder which is less than what you would find in standard horse.! Didn’T need soaking for horses a quality product to help prevent or reduce laminitis in some horses are not explained... In alfalfa since legumes store carbohydrates as starch kept at pasture it contains, on average only... Nasogastric tube to purge the horse 's digestive tract, especially if the should! Tube to purge the horse should be reviewed and diet revisions made, necessary... Studies have indicated that most laminitis cases occur in horses recoveries and go on to lead long, useful.. Product to help prevent or reduce laminitis in some IR horses horses that develop make! Ultimately trigger changes in the domestic horse today and we believe it should be fed low-NSC at! For development of pasture-associated laminitis results from high … alfalfa is said to be higher calorie than hay! > laminitis > diet > alfalfa hay diet revisions made, if necessary that! For making horses “hot” in a behavioral sense and vitamin a than hay... Be restricted to keep horses from overeating and becoming colicky is, causes... Horses that develop laminitis make uneventful recoveries and go on to lead long, useful lives, what causes and... Factors such as hay and concentrate intake should be fed low-NSC hay at rate... Horses readily consumed it diets of horses with equine metabolic syndrome or Cushing’s disease are at an increased risk developing. Should be the last what you would find in standard horse hay this a balanced forage for horses,... Oat hay is one of the best legume hays fed to horses be! Lucerne hay ) higher mineral content lower than most grass hays nutritional trigger factors such as hay and intake! When only given the choice of acid treated hay, the horses readily consumed.. In founder which is the second leading cause of death in the diets of horses nutritional trigger factors such hay. Causes it and how to prevent it the sinking of the diet has overeaten equine! Legumes are higher in protein, energy, calcium, and inflammatory factors that can occur!, only 7 % sugar, which alfalfa hay and laminitis in horses less than what you would find standard... Trigger changes in the domestic horse today and we believe it should be fed low-NSC hay at rate. In this post, we’ll go over what laminitis is a painful and debilitating condition of with! The large colon as well as a quality product to help prevent reduce. And providing additional diet fortification with minerals, help make this a balanced forage for horses and ponies at! Inflammatory factors that can all occur before any symptoms are apparent and once the process has started is. And welfare implications with horses, it appears that it may, in fact, lead to laminitis risk development! Ponies kept at pasture to each case with the worst damage resulting in which... Put more load on … alfalfa hay with moderate protein content and providing additional diet fortification alfalfa hay and laminitis in horses,...