(Continued from p. 49)
“You want your horse’s bones to be strong and dense to withstand compressive and tensile forces. Oak trees grow slower than pines but if you ever watch an oak tree in a hurricane it can twist and bend in the wind without breaking. The pine tree breaks every time.” Dr. Clabaugh explains that the biomechanical
composition of young horses differs from that of adult horses. “The juvenile’s joint responds to biomechanical loading (exercise) by developing increased collagen cross- linking resulting in improved tissue quality and injury resistance. This ‘functional adaptation’ is crucial early in life as the joint loses its adaptability after five to nine months of age.” Dr. Clabaugh references a 1999 study by Barneveld
and van Weeren that concluded that this biomechanical loading was both beneficial and necessary for the proper development of the equine locomotor system, but she also cautioned that exercise should be carried out carefully in juvenile horses. “I advise all my clients to strategically exercise
(controlled conditioning and turnout) their horses starting from birth,” Dr. Clabaugh relays. “Conditioning programs should allow for adequate downtime for bone remodeling. It is important to remember that the skeletal system must be developed first and the muscle system later.” To this end, she suggests the skeletal system is “best stimulated by very short work periods on firm footing followed by free exercise on soft footing.” She also cautions against excessive longing or round
Nutrition for Healthy Development One of the most important areas for juvenile horse owners to evaluate is the food their young horses consume. As Dr. Clabaugh explains, certain factors in a young horse’s diet can either help or hinder their physical development. “As the gastrointestinal tract matures and the skeletal
system develops, most adult horses are able to meet their energy requirements with good quality roughage alone,” she says. “But growing horses, particularly growing horses in consistent work, require additional amino acids and nutrients provided by concentrates.” Many feed companies produce special feed for young
and growing horses. Dr. Clabaugh explains that these feeds typically contain the appropriate trace minerals and vitamins for the juvenile horse. “Due to the nutrient variation in grass versus legumes, concentrates are designed to be fed with either grass hay or an alfalfa mix.” What type of hay is best for a growing horse is often
Left: Commonly used plants for hay include mixtures of grasses such as ryegrass (Lolium species), timothy, brome, fescue, Bermuda grass, orchard grass, and other species, depending on the region. Right: A high-quality mix of grass and alfalfa (legume) hay.
a topic of contention amongst breeders and owners, but Dr. Clabaugh explains that juvenile horses can develop properly on either grass hay or legume roughage (such as alfalfa). “Many of my clients mistakenly assume that alfalfa is ‘better’ than grass hay with regard to protein quality and caloric density,” she says. “It is true that good quality alfalfa is better than average grass hay but often good grass hay is better than average alfalfa. Without having each roughage analyzed, it is not possible to tell quality visually.” Next she
pen work for young Warmbloods and adds that repetitive circles compress one surface of the joint and strain the opposite stabilizing structures which could lead to developmental problems for the juvenile horse. When starting a juvenile Warmblood under saddle, Dr. Clabaugh stresses that moderation—not the age at which the horse is backed—is key. “Musculature is necessary to support and stabilize joints and the larger breeds are often still filling out as 4-6 year olds,” she explains. “Jumping is not detrimental as long as it is not excessive. Repeatedly jumping an underconditioned horse will increase the likelihood of degenerative orthopedic disease (DOD) including epiphysitis, osteochondrosis, juvenile arthritis and degenerative soft tissue disease.” Dr. Clabaugh notes that there’s no hard and fast “recipe”
when it comes to starting a Warmblood under saddle, but encourages owners to ensure the horse has developed appropriately before starting intense training.
52 March/April 2012
cautions, “It is not advised, however, to feed straight alfalfa to growing horses as alfalfa may interfere with calcium retention.” Dr. Clabaugh also stresses that a nutrient balanced
diet promotes growth over weight gain: “One study found that horses eating only oats and alfalfa got fatter, while those eating a balanced concentrate along with alfalfa gained more height.” This is an important point to consider because as Dr. Clabaugh explains, overweight juvenile horses can develop some developmental disorders. “A horse can be overweight but have good bone
density. If, however, the horse is being fed only for weight gain and not structural integrity, then DOD is more likely to occur. Weak, fibrous bone will not be able to support the additional weight. As long as the diet is balanced, a horse can be fed to promote rapid growth without negative consequences.” Finally, are supplements important for growing
horses? “As long as you feed a concentrate designed to complement your roughage source, you should not need
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