Question
I just purchased a bag of All-Phase for my 20-year-old Quarter Horse that is an easy keeper. He is overweight and because of this ended up with a fatty hump on his neck. Now his mane has started to fall out over the hump. Will All-Phase give him the necessary nutrition, in combination with his hay, without extra starch or fat? I'm wondering if adding EO-3 to his diet would be beneficial or counterproductive. Again, I’d like hair growth, not weight gain. Could you please provide recommendations?
Answer
With regard to your specific questions, coupling the recommended amount of All-Phase with forage will offer your gelding appropriate nutrition. Take care in selecting a suitable hay for him. Given his tendency to gain weight, consider a clean, mid-quality hay. Resist the temptation to feed a high-quality legume, no matter how green, leafy, or aromatic it may be, as this will likely supply too many calories for his energy requirements, only hindering weight loss.
Think about weighing his hay with the goal of offering about 1.5% of his ideal body weight daily. If you believe he should weigh 1,100 lb (500 kg), for example, feed 16.5 lb (7.5 kg) of hay per day. By offering the hay in a small-hole haynet, he will stay occupied for a longer period of time, an important consideration when total forage intake must be limited.
From your description, it sounds as though your gelding has a heavy crest, which may or may not be caused by generalized obesity. Some horses have cresty necks because of endocrine, or hormone-related, health issues, such as insulin dysregulation or its parent disease equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). Because of the possibility of an endocrine disorder—not at all uncommon in aged horses—you should schedule a checkup for your horse with a veterinarian. If an endocrine disorder is diagnosed, your gelding’s diet may need to be fine-tuned further.
Aside from obesity, another facet of EMS is body-wide tissue inflammation, which is thought to contribute to an increased risk of laminitis. In a recent study, researchers supplemented EMS-affected horses with marine-derived docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid, in hopes of reducing body-wide inflammation in these horses.*
The researchers approached this study with a measure of precedence, as DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), another omega-3 fatty acid, have been shown to improve glucose clearance, reduce inflammatory mediators, and boost circulating levels of fatty acids in horses without endocrine problems. Though this was a preliminary study, results indicate that DHA-rich diets may “alter circulating fatty acids, modulate metabolic parameters, and may reduce inflammation in horses with EMS.”
Without question, one of the best sources of DHA for horses is EO-3, a marine-derived oil suitable for all classes of horses. EO-3 is a direct source of DHA and EPA, which are the most useful omega-3 fatty acids in terms of conferring health benefits to horses. While EO-3 is a marine-derived oil, the daily dose will have no effect on weight gain.
Aside from diet management, exercise and weight loss will often help horses with insulin dysregulation.
To address hair growth, choose Bio-Bloom PS, a dual-action supplement that promotes strong hooves and healthy hair. Bio-Bloom PS contains biotin, which activates the production of keratin, a protein found in both hooves and hair. In addition to biotin, Bio-Bloom PS contains other nutrients thought to positively influence hooves and hair, namely the amino acid methionine, organic zinc, and iodine.
*Elzinga, S.E., A. Betancourt, J.C. Stewart, M.H. Altman, V.D. Barker, M. Muholland, S. Bailey, K.M. Brennan, and A.A. Adams. 2019. Effects of docosahexaenoic acid-rich microalgae supplementation on metabolic and inflammatory parameters in horses with equine metabolic syndrome. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 83:102811.
