Diet for PSSM horse

[specialdelivery]

I recently had my 8yo 15.2h Welsh/x mare’s mane tested for PSSM. Her results were positive for PSSM type 1. I do low level eventing with her and she is so chubby and cresty necked despite restricted calories which is why my instructor suggested testing her. I’ve been reading a lot about the PSSM diet. Any suggestions for changes in what she’s currently eating are appreciated.

She has been getting 1/4 of a quart Triple Crown complete AM and PM, 1 scoop Quiessence AM and PM(in an attempt to help her cresty neck and metabolism) 1 scoop SmartOmega3 granules from smartpak in the AM and 1 scoop Vit B1 in the AM. She is on pasture with 2 flakes orchard grass hay during the day and 2-3 flakes hay in her stall at night.

I’m looking at giving her Cocosoya oil. Any opinions on that? Also, planning to supplement Vit E with Nano-E from KER. The feeds available at the barn I board at are oats, TC Complete, TC Senior and Legends Show and Pleasure pellets. Any suggestions for changing to a different feed? Would any of these already available be ok to feed? I’m trying to not have to buy my own feed if I don’t have to!

Thanks in advance!

[AKB]

My horse has mildly elevated CK and LDH levels, so we are assuming he has a mild PSSM. I am feeding Purina Ultium, 1-2 lbs per day and McCauley’s balancer pellets 1lb per day. I tried a low sugar hay, but he would not eat it. Now, he is back to eating our usual grass/alfalfa hay. My understanding is that a high fat grain, in small quantities, plus a vitamin or balancer pellet, is an easy and inexpensive combination.

[piedmontfields]

[QUOTE=specialdelivery;8476038]
I’m looking at giving her Cocosoya oil. Any opinions on that? Also, planning to supplement Vit E with Nano-E from KER. The feeds available at the barn I board at are oats, TC Complete, TC Senior and Legends Show and Pleasure pellets. Any suggestions for changing to a different feed? Would any of these already available be ok to feed? I’m trying to not have to buy my own feed if I don’t have to!
Thanks in advance![/QUOTE]

First, I’m sorry about the diagnosis. I have a PSSM mare and it has been a process tweaking her diet and management.

But given your description (crestiness, weight), it also sounds like your mare is insulin resistant. While some versions of the PSSM diet emphasis adding fat, that can be a problem for the IR horse. Instead, you might really focus on reducing sugars, specifically “non structural carbohydrates” or NSCs. Triple Crown Senior is fairly low (under 12%) in NSCs so that could work. Some PSSM horses do fine with staying under 12%, others need to go lower. Your hay can also have an impact–not all hay is created equal. Look at the Triple Crown site for more summary info on feeds:
https://www.triplecrownfeed.com/articles/horse-food-carbohydrate-values-triple-crown-horsefood/

I would also encourage you to consider trying the addition of “ALCAR”, acetyl l-carnitine. It is a fairly cheap supplement and if it helps it is usually clear within weeks, whereas as diet impact can take months.

BTW, one more management point which has been critical for my mare is very regular and consistent exercise–even when she is not feeling her best. On days I am out of town, I arrange to have her ridden by my trainer or hand walked by staff just to keep her looser and moving.

Long turnout or full turnout (maybe with a muzzle for your girl when there is grass) can also be a helpful piece of the management puzzle.

Good luck and check in. And remember to search the board for PSSM—there are lots of threads on this.

[Katy_Watts]

The WSC content of the grass and hay matter to horses with PSSM. You need to get hay tested, or start soaking in a lot of water to remove some sugar. Muzzle when conditions are apt to create high sugar grass.

Glycemic/insulemic Response to Feeding Hay with Different Water Soluble Carbohydrate Content in Healthy and Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy-affected Horses
Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, Volume 29, Issue 5, Pages 355-357
L. Borgia, S. Valberg, K. Watts, J. Pagan

[eastvirginian]

Hi Specialdelivery,
I thought my horse had PSSM, but he doesn’t, he has EMND! Anyway, he is doing really well on CoolStance copra, which is dried coconut meal. It is high in coconut oil, and it is not so hard to find now as it was a few years ago. The company also sells PowerStance, which is just powdered coconut oil, and is very palatable for horses.
I am totally sold on coconut oil for my own diet, and eat lots of it. It seems to help keep stomach fat off, and some reports say it can help with neurological problems.
My horse doesn’t particularly like the copra, which is a good sign in a way, as it tells me it is low in sugar/starch (it is). But he is happy to eat it when mixed with soaked hay pellets.
You can also find a ton of great information on the Yahoo group for EPSM. This group will not entertain the CoolStance suggestion, but the moderator has a financial interest in CocoSoya, so that might explain that? Anyway, I would highly recommend joining that group.
One thing we know is calorie restriction does not work, and you can bypass the sugar/starch problem by feeding fat. Some people report problems with a high fat diet, but I don’t know if that is more just the type of fat, than just high fat. Different things work for different horses! Good luck to you!

[Katy_Watts]

[QUOTE=eastvirginian;8476176]

One thing we know is calorie restriction does not work, and you can bypass the sugar/starch problem by feeding fat. [/QUOTE]

With a horse already chubby and a cresty neck? Limiting sugar and starch is vital, IMO. Dr. Valberg agrees, which is why she approached me to help with the study I posted above.

I know that limiting sugar and starch in grass and hay is a PIA. Everyone would rather believe that ‘adding’ something instead will negate the need for paying attention to WSC and starch. But the science says otherwise.

Why add more fat when the horse in question already has plenty of body fat to add to metabolism?

[xrmn002]

My horse gets Omegatin grain, which is the lowest starch grain I’ve found, and about a quarter cup of cocoasoya oil. You are only supposed to feed up to 5 lbs per day so when he gets above 5 lbs I add Wellsolve LS and increase the cocoasoya oil.

I can’t remember the ratios, but I think you are supposed to get at least 25% of calories from fat (assuming he’s not insulin resistant) and as low of an NSC count as possible. Ultium is pretty low but wasn’t low enough for my horse. Omegatin and Well-Solve LS are the lowest I’ve found.

We also try for as much turnout as possible and keep him in consistent work. I was worried about the hay but we were lucky in not having to do anything extra with it.

We had one flare-up when we changed his grain to a grain that is for insulin resistant horses thinking we were helping him (can’t remember what it was called). I think it’s important to test for both if there’s any question and really understand what you’re dealing with. Otherwise, he’s been doing well for about 3 years with this routine. Good luck!