Equine diet planning for improved health
Equine obesity is an ongoing problem within our equine population and should be taken extremely seriously. Ponies and horses carrying excess weight can suffer long term additional health problems such as breathing difficulties, and joint pain, and can be at risk of developing Laminitis.
Overweight ponies and horses continue to need a balanced diet (not fibre alone) for their overall improved health, while avoiding any unwanted calories. Native breeds tend to be the most commonly affected, BUT equine obesity is certainly not exclusive to this group.
Exercise, where possible is also a hugely important part of management for successful weight loss, which is harder to achieve by low calorie feeding alone.
Regular body condition scoring and weigh taping play another important role in monitoring weight loss/gain, with measurements needing to be taken weekly/fortnightly to develop a clear picture of weight fluctuations.
Forage continues to play an important role as the base of the diet, allowing for healthy digestion. Soaking or steaming hay is one of the best ways to reduce its calorie content. Current research suggests soaking hay for a minimum of 1 hour.
Low Calorie balancer supports a fibre based diet low in starch and sugar, allowing you to provide all your pony or horse needs without additional unwanted calorie content.
Try Low Calorie Balancer for FREE
Low Calorie is formulated for those who have not suffered with Laminitis but do need to safely lose weight without compromising daily nutritional needs. Low Calorie is EXTREMELY LOW in starch and sugar, containing 4 TIMES LESS non-structural carbohydrates than many other similarly marketed products and can be fed by hand, in a bucket by itself or alongside a low calorie fibre choice. Containing cinnamon which can help maintain blood sugar levels and improve glucose tolerance, plus L-carnitine which can fast track fatty acids into the muscle cells to keep metabolic function active.
Blue Chip Low Calorie and Lami Light feed balancers are both very low in starch, with no added sugar and are MOLASSES FREE, but do also have clear differences.
Lami Light is formulated with specifically selected ingredients to further support equines who are prone to or have previously suffered from Laminitis. It is especially helpful for the digestive health, and balancing the pH levels in the gut for those on restricted grazing due to its quality digestible fibre content supported by prebiotics, probiotics, nucleotides and sepiolite clay. Lami Light also contains additional hoof supplementation with added MSM to support hoof integrity.
Case study 1 - Leanne Cooper-Ward and Oreo feeding Lami Light
“Oreo has been fed on Blue Chip Lami Light Feed Balancer for just over two years now and he has never looked better. The balancer is giving Oreo all the essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients he requires, while helping me keep his condition nice and his weight within a healthy range. The shine it gives his coat is unreal and unmistakably the Blue Chip shine!”
Case study 2 – Lou Doherty and Corky feeding Low Calorie
“Things don’t always go to plan, Corky is a perfect example of that. He has been off for quite a long time with an injury, and is now coming back into work. We put him onto the Low Calorie balancer as he’s prone to putting on quite a lot of weight, so it’s really helpful as he’s getting all the vitamins, minerals and correct nutrition he needs with really low starch and sugar.”
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