Feeding Horses or Ponies Prone to Laminitis

Laminitis is a very serious and sometimes fatal illness which has traditionally been recognised as a problem that occurs in the spring affecting small, overweight ponies. It is evident that this is not the case and in fact, laminitis is a concern all year round and can affect all types of horse and pony. There are many causes although diet is the factor that is most commonly recognised.

Dietary Causes of Laminitis

The most common culprit is pasture, in particular fructan which is the storage form of sugar in grass. The level of fructan in the pasture is the crucial factor and this can be influenced by a number of factors including weather and the type of grasses contained in the pasture. In spring and autumn the problem is usually due to the sheer volume of pasture available to the horse and limiting turnout is usually the best course of action. When laminitis occurs in winter it can leave horse-owners completely confused as there often isn't much grass available to the horse. The answer may well be due to the weather conditions. Fructans are the storage form of sugar and so for fructan levels to be high, the plant needs to be storing sugar rather than using it as an energy source to grow. The plant needs daylight to produce sugar but it needs to be above 5°C for it to actually grow. On cold, bright winter mornings, the grass may be producing lots of sugar because there is lots of light but because it is cold the plant isn't growing. This means that the grass contains lots of fructan. If the horse consumes lots of grass he may end up with laminitis.

The other cause of dietary related laminitis is an overload of starch from cereal grains. This overload means that starch reaches the sensitive hind gut region and is broken down very quickly which produces very strong acids. This change in the acidity of the gut leads to the death of certain bacteria which release toxins into the blood stream. The result of this is the disruption of the blood flow to the horse’s feet and the all too familiar symptoms of laminitis.

How to Avoid Laminitis

The main priority is to monitor your horse or pony's grass intake carefully. If lots of grass is available then consider limiting this either by bringing the horse in, strip grazing or using a muzzle. As far as the concentrate part of the diet is concerned, try to keep the amount of cereals to a minimum and if possible use a cereal free diet. This can be achieved by using one of Dengie's range of feeds that are all based on alfalfa. Cereal feeding can be a thing of the past for your horse.

Alfalfa is an ideal feedstuff for laminitics due to its natural properties and host of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Alfalfa has been scientifically proven (Vet Record, 1987) to improve both hoof growth and quality which may be beneficial for horses and ponies that have had laminitis which has resulted in a deterioration of hoof quality. Alfalfa has a naturally low sugar and starch level, and tends to have a much lower sugar value than grass based feeds.

Dengie's Low Sugar Feeds

HI-FI LITE – A blend of alfalfa and oat straw with a low sugar coating, making an ideal maintenance feed for good do-er’s. Hi-Fi Lite can also be used as a low sugar, full or partial hay-replacer

ALFA-A LITE – short chopped, high temperature dried alfalfa with our low sugar coating and a highly palatable mint flavouring. Suitable for horses and ponies in work.

ALFALFA PELLETS – Pure high temperature dried alfalfa – no molasses or additives. A concentrated form of alfalfa, useful for horses with limited appetites. Can also be fed as a mash for older horses with poor teeth.

ALFA-BEET – Blend of unmolassed sugarbeet and alfalfa, which makes a high fibre, low sugar conditioning feed. Particularly good for horses and ponies prone to laminitis that are underweight and in poor condition.

ALFA-A OIL – Alfalfa coated with soya oil with added antioxidants, providing 12.5 MJ/Kg of energy equivalent to a conditioning mix or cube. A useful way of providing extra energy for horses in work, breeding and youngstock or competition horses without the cereals that traditional conditioning or stud feeds contain.

HEALTHY HOOVES - Nutritionally complete, low calorie fibre feed for horses and ponies prone to laminitis.  Combining fibre sources that are all low in starch and sugars such as alfalfa, Healthy Hooves also contains a special low sugar coating.  With a range of vitamins and minerals to complement those naturally occurring in alfalfa, Healthy Hooves will provide a balanced diet when fed at the recommended quantities.  Healthy Hooves also contains added biotin at levels that have been scientifcally proven to maximise hoof health.

Dengie Natural Vitality Leisure Vits & Mins – Broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement designed to be fed alongside Dengie Fibre Feeds. Ideal for horses on restricted feed or little or no concentrates.

Guide to Calorie Level in Dengie Low Sugar Range

  • Alfa-A Oil - 12.5 MJ/Kg
  • Alfa Beet - 10.5 MJ/Kg
  • Alfalfa Pellets - 9 MJ/Kg
  • Alfa-A Lite - 8.5 MJ/Kg
  • Hi-Fi Lite - 8 MJ/Kg
  • Healthy Hooves - 8.5MJ/Kg

For Weight Control

Excess weight can pose a number of problems for horses and ponies by placing more stress on the body and joints, restricting the natural movement of the horse and is also believed to increase the risk of laminitis.

The ideal aim is for gradual weight loss and it is advisable to regularly use a weigh-tape to monitor your horse or pony's progress

Case Study

Sunny 12.2 Welsh cross who currently weighs 250 Kgs, and is overweight. She had mild laminitis in the spring and needs to gradually lose weight. She works 6 days a week, taking part in Pony Club activities and shows twice a month.

Suggested Diet

  • 1 Kg of HI-FI LITE
  • 3 Kg of late cut hay in a small holed haynet
  • 32g of Dengie Natural Vitality Leisure Vits & Mins

HI-FI LITE takes more chewing and longer to eat than the same weight of concentrate feed. This diet should keep Sunny occupied and provide essential nutrients in a low calorie form.

For Working Horses

For working horses or for those needing a higher calorie diet it is still possible to use a fibre based diet, thereby avoiding the higher risk cereal based feeds.

Case Study

Buster is a 16hh riding club horse weighing 550Kg who has recently increased his work to 1.5 hours per day. He is normally fed just HI-FI LITE and OPTIMUM but is starting to drop a little weight.

Suggested Diet

The first change to enable Buster to maintain his weight would be to swap his HI-FI LITE to Dengie’s ALFA-A LITE and, if necessary, add Dengie ALFA-BEET.

Dengie ALFA-A LITE contains a similar calorie level to a low energy mix or cube, and has a good level of quality protein which is ideal for a working horse, especially when they are receiving only small amounts of feed. The quality protein naturally found in ALFA-A LITE is a vital ingredient for muscle and hoof formation, general tissue repair, skin and coat condition.

Poor Condition or Medium Work

For some horses, using fibre as the sole energy source just isn’t enough. For horses who may be prone to laminitis you need to be cautious of using more traditional cereal based feeds.

CRACKER, is a 14.2 (400 Kg) pony recently diagnosed with Cushing's Syndrome which makes her prone to laminitis. Cracker is in poor condition but is also fussy.

Suggested Diet

  • Ad-lib late cut hay
  • 1.5 Kg ALFA-A OIL
  • 1.2 Kg of Dengie FIBREMIX COMPLEMENT

The benefits of oil as an energy source are now widely recognised, and as oil is sugar and starch free, it is ideal for laminitics. Although oil can be added separately to the feed, it can be unpalatable and when significant amounts are fed, may need to be supplemented with additional antioxidants, in particular vitamin E.

Dengie's ALFA-A OIL contains 12.5 MJ of digestible energy per kilo – equivalent to a conditioning or competition mix. Even with this high energy level, ALFA-A OIL will provide slow-release energy and help to improve stamina but without the fizz. ALFA-A OIL also contains vitamin E to complement the antioxidants naturally found in alfalfa.

As with all the Dengie Fibre feeds, ALFA-A OIL can either be fed as a sole concentrate feed in conjunction with Dengie OPTIMUM or alongside a mix or cube. In this case Dengie FIBREMIX COMPLEMENT is ideal due to its low starch level, palatability and added probiotic.

Breeding Stock

Unfortunately broodmares can get laminitis both during pregnancy and after foaling. This can leave owners in the difficult position of maintaining the correct energy, protein and nutrient requirement for the mare and foal, whilst reducing the risk of future attacks.

A diet of one of the Dengie 'low sugar' Fibre Feeds chosen according to the mare's condition, alongside Dengie CLASSIC vitamin and mineral supplement, will provide a balanced diet through early pregnancy. However, during the last trimester and whilst lactating, a more energy dense diet including Dengie FIBREMIX COMPLEMENT may be necessary.

If you need advice on the most suitable diet for your horse please contact us and we will be happy to help. Dengie offers a full technical support service including ration evaluation, nutritional advice and individual yard consultations by their equine nutritionists, Katie Lugsden MSc (Dist) B.Sc. (Hons), Claire Akers B.Sc. (Hons) and Tracey Hammond B.Sc. (Hons).

Top Tips

  • Try to keep the horse at a condition score of 2 (moderate), when using the 5 point system
  • Do not starve laminitics, maintain fibre intake at a minimum of 1 –1.5% of bodyweight
  • Where possible, choose a late cut, fibrous hay which will tend to have a lower sugar and fructan level than earlier cut hay. If in doubt consider having your hay analysed for WSC (water soluble carbohydrates)
  • Horses have a psychological need to chew; remember 1 Kg of cubes is less than 1 standard round scoop, compared to a bucket of HI-FI LITE!
  • Use a Dengie Measuring bucket for more accurate feeding – bear in mind one round scoop of Dengie HI-FI RANGE products only weighs 300g!