Re: Beware of Glucose!

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

> Ellen Tully et-albert@msn.com
> O.K., now I have your attention.  This is my second request for someone's
>advice on how to raise a horse's glucose ration without increasing the
grain >ration.  Any suggestions other than, or in addition to corn oil?
Thanks.


First you need to consider why you want to increase your horse's glucose
ration---I'm assuming additional energy during rides.  IMO, before you start
trying to dink around with energy levels, get your hydration and motility
ducks in a row first, you may find that having done so, any lack of energy
problems have often solved themselves.  There's an article in the June EN
addressing this issue, more in July and August.  Or the text of the first
part of this series is on-line at
http://www.shady-acres.com/susan/metabolicpull1.shtml.

Having said that, if you really want to "increase glucose", keep in mind
that you're talking sugar.  There are different sources of sugar besides
grain (corn syrup, sugar, molasses, carbocharge, etc), but essentially they
all break down to simple sugars in the small intestine before absorption.
Start adding too much at once and you're playing with potential founder or
colic, also some issues with fluid balance that may or may not be
significant at that particular moment.  I'm not talking an ounce or two, I'm
talking large amounts, but I don't know what your goal is here, so it's
worth saying.  Corn oil does NOT directly affect glucose level, the
metabolic pathways are entirely different---the only relationship between
fats and glucose are when the oxidation of fats provides enough energy in
and of itself so that glucose pathways are "spared", leaving more glucose
available for other requirements.

Not sure if this answered your question, maybe you could provide more
specifics.

Susan Garlinghouse