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This, says Spillers, suggests that older horses, whether or not they have been diagnosed with insulin dysregulation, need an appropriate diet and management plan to help minimise the risks associated with insulin dysregulation such as laminitis.
The two studies1,2, which were conducted in collaboration with Michigan State University, aimed to find out more about the relationship between insulin dysregulation, dietary adaptation, and ageing to help guide more appropriate feeding regimens for senior horses.
Both studies investigated tissue insulin resistance and the insulin response in healthy adults compared to healthy senior horses adapted to diets with varying levels and sources of hydrolysable and structural carbohydrate (starch, sugar, and fibre).
Results from both studies showed insulin responses tend to increase with age in healthy horses, regardless of the diet they had been fed prior to evaluation. The insulin response, for example, was highest in the senior horses fed a starch rich meal even when they had been adapted to such a diet.
Clare Barfoot, RNutr, the research and development manager at Spillers said: "These studies confirm that even healthy older horses can have an increased insulin response compared to younger animals.
"This suggests that the energy sources used in the diet of senior horses and their effect on insulin dynamics need to be carefully considered.
"Practically, this means restricting the overall amount of starch and sugar in the diet especially for those horses that already have additional risk factors such as obesity, native breeding or PPID."
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