July 2009

Insulin Resistance And The Pregnant Mare

Grain isn’t necessarily the only way to ensure a healthy foal.

When a mare is pregnant, all her body systems are geared toward providing nutrition for the growing foal. One way nature accomplishes this is to induce a degree of insulin resistance in the mare. This helps divert glucose away from the mare’s own tissues to ensure a generous and steady supply for the fetus.

This 6-day-old filly was born to an IR mare.

For most mares, this isn’t a problem, but if the mare was insulin-resistant already, it can put her at a higher risk for developing laminitis. Most people think the pregnant mare has to have a highly supplemented feed to be certain all the needs of the mare and foal are met during this critical time. However,…