Deprivation and insulin resistance

[breakfast]

This is something that has matched things I have observed. Insulin resistance can be caused or worsened by food deprivation. I've seen a few reports about this before, but this is a detailed and extensive article.

[snigsby]

That is,indeed,an excellent article. The moral of it,for me, is that every single horse should live in the fields. With appropriate shelter:)

[texas]

I am not sure whether every horse can have access to grass all the time though? My horses have constant access to forage, but not grass (they have haylage only for a large part of the day). I think the article (and other research) is just pointing to the fact that all horses need something in their belly most of the time. I would be surprised to believe my iberians would cope on rich Devon dairy pasture all the time...

[snigsby]

Yes, you've hit the nail on the head -  "rich dairy pasture" is the biggest problem horses face in this country. It's the reason we have so many horses with diet related illnesses and lack of access to herds and natural behaviour. IMO