Steady Energy, Better Behaviour, Improved Health

Low GI Horse Nutrition

Steady energy, better behaviour and improved health -  that’s the promise of low GI horse nutrition.

Whether you're managing a sensitive horse or aiming for peak performance, choosing the right feed can make all the difference to your horse’s health, temperament, and results.

Low GI feeds are designed to avoid sugar spikes, they support metabolic balance and provide cool, sustained energy for your horse’s health and performance.

We know much more about horse nutrition these days, and along with that knowledge, the range of horse feeds has grown too. Gone are the days when high-starch grain horse feeds were the default option for performance or maintenance.

Low GI horse feeds are specifically formulated for 

• horses with metabolic conditions

• disciplines where steady energy release is beneficial.

Why Low GI Matters

Low GI feeds are designed to release energy slowly and steadily. Unlike high-sugar or high-starch feeds, which can cause rapid spikes in blood glucose and insulin levels, low GI feeds promote stable blood sugar - ideal for horses with metabolic challenges or those needing sustained energy without behavioural "spikes."

Low GI Feeds are Beneficial for 

✅ Horses with Metabolic Conditions

• Insulin Resistance (IR)
  

• Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS)
  

• Cushing’s Disease / PPID These horses need diets that avoid blood sugar spikes to prevent laminitis and other complications.

✅ Laminitis-prone Horses

• Low GI feeds help avoid insulin spikes, which are a key risk factor in grass-induced or metabolic laminitis.

✅ Overweight / Easy-keepers

• Breeds like ponies, cobs, and warmbloods that tend to gain weight easily benefit from low GI feeds that provide energy without excess sugars or starch.

✅ Ulcer-prone Horses

• Low GI feeds tend to be higher in fibre and fat, and lower in starch, which helps buffer stomach acid and avoid triggering ulcers.

✅ Also for Horses With:

• PSSM (Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy)
• RER (Recurrent Exertional Rhabdomyolysis)

• Colic risk.

Performance Disciplines

• Low GI feeds offer slow-release energy, which supports stamina and focus rather than short bursts of energy. Ideal for:

✅ Endurance Horses

• Slow, sustained energy helps these horses perform over long distances without the sugar highs and crashes.
  

✅ Eventers and Showjumpers

• Horses in multi-phase sports benefit from low GI feeds to stay focused and level-headed through all stages of competition.
  

✅ Dressage Horses

• Controlled energy helps with trainability and temperament.
  

✅ Trail / Trekking / Pleasure Riding

• Good for horses doing low to moderate-intensity work over extended periods.

Low GI feeds typically contain 

• More fat 

• More fibre

• Low levels of sugars and starches. 

They provide energy without the insulin spikes that can trigger health issues in metabolically sensitive horses, helping maintain more consistent blood glucose levels and steadier energy release throughout performance.

Dressage Riders in particular often report better rideability, trainability and condition maintenance when using low GI feeds, especially for warmbloods prone to muscle or metabolic concerns. 

1. Low GI feeds can be beneficial for dressage horses for several reasons:
2. Dressage requires sustained mental focus and controlled energy rather than explosive bursts of speed, making steady energy release ideal.
3. Many dressage horses, particularly warmbloods which are common in the sport, can be prone to muscle issues like PSSM that benefit from low starch diets.
4. Dressage training involves precise movements and responsiveness to subtle aids, so avoiding the "hyper" behavior sometimes associated with high-sugar feeds helps maintain trainability.
5. The regulated energy from low GI feeds helps support the collected gaits and sustained muscle engagement required in dressage tests.
6. Upper-level dressage horses often train intensely and regularly, requiring good energy stores without excessive excitability.

Many dressage horses are kept in more confined management systems due to their value and training needs, which can increase the risk of metabolic issues that low GI feeds help manage.

⚠️ What to Avoid

• Low GI feeds that are also low fat (3–5%) and only moderate fibre may not provide enough calories for a hard keeper.
  

• Watch out for low DE (digestible energy) feeds unless you're topping up with oil or high-calorie forage.

Glycaemic Load vs Glycaemic Index (GL vs GI – What’s the Difference?) - And Why This Matters to You and Your Horse 

Glycaemic Index (GI) tells you how sugary a feed is — it’s about what’s in the feed.

Glycaemic Load (GL) tells you how much that feed will actually raise your horse’s blood sugar — it’s about what the feed does.

GI = how fast and how high the carbs in a feed raise blood sugar.
GL = how much a normal meal of the feed will raise your horse’s blood sugar.

Why does this matter?
It tells you how a feed really affects your horse. A feed might contain a small amount of a high-GI ingredient, and some low GI feeds do, but if you feed according to instructions, it may not have a big effect.

That’s why GL is important when choosing Low GI horse feeds — it shows the true impact of the feed, not just what’s in it.

• GI measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar. 

• Glycaemic Load (GL) gives a fuller picture — combining the GI with the amount of carbohydrates in a typical serve.

📌 GL = (GI × grams of carbs per serve) ÷ 100

A feed that contains a small amount of molasses, for instance, but no other high GI ingredients, can have a low GL (glycaemic load) due to the small quantity of molasses in any one meal eg a meal of 1 to 2 kg. 

This concept is essential for evaluating feed labels.

Example: Fiskens Ultra Low GI contains a maximum of 2.5% molasses, keeping the GL low and blood sugar impact minimal when fed according to their feeding recommendations of 1 to 2 kg per meal. 

👉Learn more about how molasses affects blood sugar

Forage 

Along with concentrates, forage remains the foundation of every healthy horse diet. Let’s take a closer look at how forage affects blood sugar, energy, and overall health.

Horse forage (like hay and grass) is generally low GI due to its high fibre content and complex carbohydrate structure. Different types of forage have varying GI levels:

Grass hay and pasture grass tend to be lower GI because:

• They contain complex structural carbohydrates (cellulose, hemicellulose)
• Have high fibre content that slows digestion
• Contain less simple sugars compared to grains

However, the actual GI can vary based on:

1. Time of day grass is cut
2. Season and growing conditions
3. Plant maturity when harvested
4. Type of grass/hay
5. Storage conditions

For example, spring grass and grass cut in the afternoon tend to have higher sugar content and thus higher GI. Legume hays (like alfalfa) typically have higher GI than grass hays.

For horses with metabolic issues or insulin resistance, testing forage for sugar/starch content can be helpful since visual assessment isn't always reliable. 

Fiskens Ultra Low GI Horse Feed: A High Quality, Natural Feed 

Many feeds are labelled as “low GI,” but low GI feeds are not created equal. Fiskens Ultra Low GI (ULGI) stands out for its high-quality ingredients and its grain-free, cereal-free formulation. Instead of sugar-spiking grains and cereals, it’s made with:

• Micronized Lupins – high-quality protein and slow-release energy

• Cold-Pressed Canola Oil – natural fat energy source with Omegas 3, 6, and 9

• Full-Fat Soya -  protein + energy feed (good fat and protein levels)

• Soy Bean Meal -  pure protein booster (lower energy but all cool energy, higher protein concentration) 

• Live Yeast (Levucell SC Titan) – supports digestion and nutrient absorption

• Sunflower Seeds & Linseed – high-value ingredients rarely found in other feeds

• A Full Vitamin and Mineral Formulation - no need for additional vitamin/mineral top-ups

• Mycotoxin Binders – help protect against pasture-related toxins.

Fiskens Ultra Low GI contains no sugar-spiking grains.

Soya Hulls offer significant benefits for your horse. Compared to oats that have a glycemic index of 100, Soya Hulls have an extremely low glycemic index of 7. Glycemic Index (GI) is the rating of how a feed affects blood sugar levels. The higher the GI, the more effect on your horse’s blood sugar.

Cold-Pressed Canola Oil is a cool, natural, zero GI energy source containing Omega 3, 6 and 9. 

Ultra Low GI is also fully fortified, with no need for additional vitamin/mineral top-ups.

Why Choose Ultra Low GI? 

✅ Supports steady energy release
✅ Ideal for horses with metabolic or behavioural challenges
✅ High fibre and fat, low sugar and starch
✅ Great for maintaining weight in hard keepers
✅ No cereals, no lucerne, no unnecessary fillers
👉 Learn More Here →

Is It Suitable for Hard Keepers?

Yes! Fiskens ULGI was designed with calorie-dense yet low-GI ingredients to help horses gain or maintain condition without relying on sugar.

👉 What is DE and why it matters →  Digestible energy (DE) in horse feed 

Digestive Health and Performance

Feeding cereals to horses in stabled environments can contribute to acidity, ulcers, and colic. ULGI’s grain-free formula helps mitigate:

• Colic risk

• Acidosis

• Ulcers

• Tying up (exertional muscle disorders). 

ULGI contains live yeast (Levucell SC Titan) and digestible fibres that support a healthy hindgut, reducing inflammation and improving nutrient uptake.

👉 Learn more about live yeast

👉 Learn more about mycotoxin binders

Making the Switch: How to Transition Your Horse

When switching to any new feed:

1. Introduce slowly over 7–10 days

2. Mix with existing feed in increasing amounts

3. Ensure access to fresh water and quality forage

ULGI is easy to introduce due to its palatable and low dust formulation.

Feeding Your Horse: The Golden Rules

• Feed according to bodyweight and workload

• Maintain regular feeding times

• Provide clean feed bowls and fresh water

• Split meals where needed to avoid overloading the small stomach - usually 2kg max of a concentrate feed per meal 

• Allow time between feeding and exercise. 

Feeding the right diet can make all the difference. If your horse needs calm, steady energy and optimal health support, ULGI is a feed worth considering.

👉 Explore Ultra Low GI →

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Fiskens Nutritional Science

Fiskens feeds are formulated in collaboration with qualified equine nutritionists for optimal performance and balance. With over 60 years of expertise in equine nutrition, Fiskens is a trusted leader in developing scientifically-backed feed solutions that support horse health and performance across all disciplines.

Superior nutrition that won't break the bank!

 

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Coming soon: Full independent research paper comparing NZ’s leading Low GI feeds.