In the last newsletter, we discussed some of the reasons why free choice strategies don’t work for every horse. This newsletter discusses some of the hormonal instances that support this.
Weight control is determined by a number of hormonal factors. Let’s explore some of the details.
➡ Thyroid hormone in weight control: Some horses have a sluggish thyroid. While hypothyroidism is rare in young horses, a condition called “euthyroid sick syndrome” occurs in conjunction with a number situations in horses, such as illnesses, stress, insulin resistance, obesity, or equine cushing’s disease. With lower thyroid hormone, the body conserves energy so that wasting is minimized. This lowered metabolism means that your horse is more likely to gain weight on regular rations of food.
What you can do: While some veterinarians will recommend supplemental thyroid medication to kick start the weight loss process, the best scenario is to treat any underlying medical conditions. Then, if your horse is still overweight, use diet and exercise to help normalize the body’s response to innate thyroid hormone.
➡ Leptin in weight control: Leptin is known as the hormone that signals the body that it has eaten enough and to stop eating. Two different scenarios regarding leptin are important in the overweight horse.
» The first is that some horses have innately low leptin levels. In these horses the switch that says, “I’m full”, is rarely flipped.
» The second scenario is that some horses may have leptin resistance. In this instance, the body has produced plenty of leptin, but the signal isn’t registered by the cells. As a result, the switch still isn’t activated because the cells are resistant to the signal. Although this has not been specifically proven in the horse, it is widely known that insulin resistance in horses (characterized by high insulin levels), also is associated with high levels of leptin – but these horses still have a ravenous appetite.
➡ Ghrelin and hunger: Ghrelin is the hormone that tells a horse that it’s hungry. Although all the details of the mechanisms are not yet worked out, it’s been shown that ghrelin is reduced, which means that the horse has less of an appetite. More research is necessary to see how this can be utilized for horse’s health.
There are other hormones that form the complex landscape of hunger, satiety, and weight control that need additional research to fill in the gaps in the puzzle of weight control.
What you can do to help weight control for your horse:
➡ For horses like these, one important solution is to review your horse’s diet.
» Reducing sugars and starches in your horse’s diet is important.
» Weighing your horse’s hay to provide 1.5% of your horse’s current weight or 2% of your horse’s ideal weight in feed, whichever is greater. It’s important to remember that each horse is unique and to adjust the feeding accordingly.
» Supplementing your horse with acetyl l-carnitine may aid in fat burning, mitochondrial development (for nutritional support of muscling), and improved energy.
» Feeding supplements that may support muscling, may help with exercise issues.
➡ Exercise is important to help the horse lose weight and achieve a better sense of well-being, if the horse is able. However, always work with your veterinarian for a suitable exercise program, especially if your horse is laminitic, recovering from surgery, or has other medical issues of concern.
Next week: We'll discuss some of the dietary strategies that could be helpful for weight loss, as well as some comments regarding the topic.
Disclaimer: Statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.
©Joan Kulifay 2024