What do I feed my fat horse?
As most horse owners know, fat horses can be more prone to an uncomfortable and potentially life-threatening disease known as founder (laminitis). Lush pasture and a general over consumption of carbohydrates can be contributing factors.
There are many lower starch horse feeds on the market these days. Notable, Purina has an excellent line up of low starch feeds designed to feed younger equines on up to the senior horse.
Purina’s Enrich Formula is designed to be fed at the rate of 1-2 pounds per day. It can be fed to weanlings through adult horses. It supplies vitamins, minerals, and needed protein to supplement pasture or grass hay without added calories or starch.
Purina WellSolve W/C is a weight loss formula that supplies limited calories while still allowing one to feed a normal meal size. Very carbohydrate sensitive horses can benefit from Purina’s WellSolve L/S.
Veterinary consultation is recommended before feeding either of these diets to rule out metabolic issues. Purina Strategy Healthy Edge, Equine Adult, and Horse Chow 100 can also be used for overweight horses.