{"id":36769,"date":"2016-08-10T19:57:13","date_gmt":"2016-08-10T16:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.alassalah.com\/en\/?p=36769"},"modified":"2016-08-10T19:57:13","modified_gmt":"2016-08-10T16:57:13","slug":"added-fat-improves-behavior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alassalah.com\/en\/2016\/08\/10\/added-fat-improves-behavior\/","title":{"rendered":"Added Fat Improves Behavior"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/b>Diet affects behavior. This makes sense. A well-fed horse is healthy. And a healthy horse feels good. Conversely, a poorly nourished horse is suffering. A variation in hormone levels, for example, can have a temporary effect on how the horse sees the world. Just as reaction to sugar intake varies in humans, so it does in horses. Horses may feel ill or \u201coff\u201d from an overindulgence in sugar\/starch, and they certainly have been reported to exhibit \u201csugar highs and lows\u201d caused by the sudden surge and subsequent drop in blood glucose from a high carbohydrate (sugar\/ starch) meal. <\/span><\/p>\n

Although there is, in fact, little scientific evidence that proves a sugar\/starch-driven behavioral component, many horse owners will attest to their own horses showing adverse behavioral responses and will therefore avoid feeding anything that contains starchy cereal grains or is sweetened with molasses. <\/span><\/p>\n

There are plenty of good reasons beyond the scope of this article to avoid high sugar\/high starch diets, but in terms of behavior, what alternative does a horse owner have if the horse simply needs more calories to meet the added demands of exercise, work, and performing? Hay and grass simply cannot provide enough energy (calories) to support the <\/span>these <\/span>additional requirements. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Answer is Fat<\/b><\/p>\n

Gram for gram, fat provides more than double the calories of carbohydrates or protein. And it is well digested. But there\u2019s an added bonus! Fat has a calming effect on horses’ behavior.<\/p>\n

Researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute<\/span>1<\/sup><\/span> noticed that horses fed a high-fat diet are less reactive to startling stimuli and had lower levels of excitability and anxiety than horses fed a more traditional grain-based diet. The horses in their experiment received 15% of the total calories from fat, which is high for most horses. However, the study reveals that fat is worth trying if you have a sensitive horse who may become easily excited by everyday activities.<\/span>2<\/sup><\/span> (Please note: Ponies, minis, donkeys, and mules should not receive high-fat diets.<\/span>3<\/sup><\/span>)<\/p>\n

What Type of Fat?<\/b><\/p>\n

All fat has the same number of calories, regardless of the source. But from a health perspective, it is best to steer clear of animal fats, as well as oils that are have too many omega 6s (which increase inflammation) in relation to omega 3s (which have an anti-inflammatory effect). Oils high in monounsaturated fatty acids are a good source since they neither increase nor decrease inflammation. <\/span><\/p>\n

Below are some commonly fed fat sources:<\/span><\/p>\n