The safest and most effective way to put weight on an IR horse is BP
and safe NSC hay. It's really that simple.

You can increase your BP to about 20% of the diet, by dry weight
before soaking (say 4 to 4.5 pounds for the average size horse) and
keep your hay available free choice 24/7.

That said, it's very difficult to put weight on a horse that is in
pain. You shouldn't be needing bute at this point if the only issue
is insulin resistance. Other issues to consider are:

- Mechanical. Is the trim correct and done to X-rays?

- Hormonal. How old is this horse? Has ACTH been checked?

- Clearing of debris. Has this horse abscessed? Constant bute can
block that process.

- Circulatory or neurogenic pain. If the horse has been IR for a long
time, there may be pain issues related to poor circulation and/or
nerve damage. Bute won't help these either.

- Bute side effects. Gastric or colonic ulcers.

- Other underlying disease, like Lyme or Ehrlichia.

Eleanor
www.drkellon.com