Thank you again, so much for your responses Dr. Kellon.
I'm finding myself still trying to figure out our situation - understanding our management practices and options, and the meaning of blood tests.
Curious if anyone can help me better understand, for example, the goal for a horse like our gelding who is compensated insulin, high insulin responder. Is the goal to adapt our management of him so that his blood tests indicate that he is not IR? Is that possible? I assume we want to try and get his glucose and insulin into normal ranges, is this right?
We currently have our year's supply of hay that has come back in the 9-11% range for ESC + starch as-fed (not DM) (NIR and wet chem test results in my folder). Wet chem was for only 20 bales, not representative of the year's supply. The NIR is more representative, but has a wider range for error.
The blood tests were done a week into feeding the hay un-soaked. Does this mean we really do need to be soaking it for this guy? When should we test him again to see how he is managing with it?
Thank you for any insights. Soaking hay all winter is going to be a hassle, but I've got my mind wrapped around it and am prepared to keep it up if needed. But if it's not needed, it sure is extra work and use of resources.
