8/ JUNE 2012 THE RIDER THE WAY OF HORSES Nutrients – Is Your Horse Getting Enough?
By Eleanor Blazer Copyright @ 2012
Garbage in, garbage out — coined by computer programmers, worried about inaccurate results due to inaccurate input, applies equally to equine nutrition. We feed our horses to provide nutrients needed to build, maintain, repair and provide energy to the body. But does the feed going into our horse provide the required nutrients? Are we getting the results we want?
The first step in calcu- lating nutrients needed is to knowing your horse. Write down the following:
A. How old is your horse?
B. What is his activity level? Use the following guide (exercise ratings taken from the National Research Council’s 2007
Nutrient Requirements of Horses): 1. No work
body condition score? Is he too fat or too thin?
2. Light exercise (occasion- al recreational riding; heart rate 80 beats per minute; 1- 3 hrs per week)
3. Moderate exercise (recreational riding; light training; heart rate 90 beats per minute; 3-5 hrs. per week)
4. Heavy exercise (more intense training; ranch work; heart rate 110 beats per minute; 4-5 hrs. per week)
The second step is to determine the quality of the forage and the amount he is eating. Forage is the pri- mary source of nutrients. It is what the equine digestive system is designed to uti- lize.
5. Very heavy exercise (racing; daily training; heart rate 110-150 beats per minute; intense work schedule)
6. Non-breeding stallion 7. Breeding stallion 8. Pregnant mare (note what month of gestation) 9. Lactating mare 10. Open broodmare
C. What is your horse’s
If poor quality forage or insufficient amounts are fed, problems such as colic, ulcers, cribbing, weaving, eating manure, chewing wood, poor body condition, reproduction issues and behavioral problems can result.
sample or your hay source changes frequently, buy the best quality hay available. During drought or shortage this may be a challenge. Purchase hay that contains more leaves than stems, is soft, smells good, is not dusty and has some green color.
Conducting a hay analysis is the best way to determine forage quality. Send a hay sample to a testing lab to determine the nutrients present. A good lab is Equi-Analytical Lab- oratory. http://www.equi-
analytical.com/
If you can’t send a
The amount of hay horses require may vary. A good rule of thumb is one and a half to two percent of the body weight per day. Using this formula a 1,000 pound horse would need between 15 and 20 pounds a day. A horse with a high metabolism or activity level may need more. Poor quality hay would also be fed at a higher rate, though this will lead to a hay belly as the cecum will become full of hard-to-digest fiber. Once you’ve deter- mined the quality of forage and have adjusted the amount fed to match your
horse’s size and activity level, it’s time to find a concentrate that will com- pliment the forage. Visit a feed store or do some research online. All major feed manufacturers have a presence on the internet. Refer to the sheet with your horse’s information. Start looking for a manu- factured feed designed for your horse. If your horse is a broodmare in the last three months of gestation you do not want a feed designed for a horse at maintenance activity level. Read the feed description and the feed tag.
Most premium com- mercial feed formulas will give feeding directions based on activity level. Locate the one best suited for your horse.
horse losing weight or gaining weight.
Do not dilute the bal- anced mix by adding oats or another grain to “cut” the calories. This will also short your horse on needed nutrients. There are feeds on the market called “ration balancers”. These products are designed to be mixed with other grains – or fed alone if calories are not needed. Ration bal- ancers are excellent for meeting vitamin and min- eral requirements at a low feeding rate without adding extra calories.
Follow the directions and weigh your feed. Make all feed changes gradually.
Notice feeding direc- tions are stated in pounds – not scoops, cups or “coffee cans”. If your horse is maintaining weight on for- age, you’ll want to find a feed that doesn’t add calo- ries. Whatever feed you decide upon, you must be able to feed the amount suggested without the
www.grantontrailers.com email:
grantontrailers@execulink.com Phone: (519) 268-2050
(GREAT Selection of New & Used Horse, Stock & Living Quarters Trailers)
Trades & Consignments Welcome We Service Trucks & Trailers Hitches, Brake Controls & Awnings. (Sample Bank Financing $0 Down @ 6.5% Interest OAC) (Leasing Available OAC)
In addition to provid- ing adequate amounts of good quality forage, a feed that compliments the for- age, it is necessary to pro- vide free choice white granulated salt and fresh clean water at all times. Follow these simple guidelines and you can be relatively sure you are pro- viding the nutrients required by your horse. * For information
about caring for and feed- ing horses take the online courses “Stable Manage- ment” and “Nutrition for Performance Horses” taught by Eleanor Blazer. Earn certification or work toward a Bachelor of Sci- ence degree in equine stud- ies. Go to www.horsec-
oursesonline.com for more information.
Eleanor’s web site at
www.thewayofhorses.com
Visit
4-STAR Trailers has established the all aluminum trailer as the industry standard for ease of maintenance and overall superiority.
Monthly: $285.83
2012 4-Star 2 Horse Thorobred Gooseneck (Stock 2012-014, Job 32524) $22,277
Original US Retail $24,873. 15'x7'x7' 6" Weighs 3925 lbs, 102" Wide 2 - 3,500# Tandem Torsion Axles & Electric Brakes, Rear Ramp & Dutch Doors & Windows, Escape Door & Window @ Each Horse Head, 4' Dress Room
Monthly: $226.81
2012 4-Star 2 Horse Slant Bumper Pull (Stock 2012-, Job 32324) $17,527.
Original US Retail $19,208. 11'x7'x7' Weighs 3070 Lbs, 2 - 3500# Torsion Axles with Electric Brakes, 15" steel wheels with Stainless steel simulators, Spare tire. Dressing Room with RV Style Screen Door
Large selection of used Western & English saddles.
Lady/Youth Reiner $3995.00
We’re looking for used bailey saddles & good used show clothes for consignment.
#60 Main St., Downtown Ridgetown, ON (519) 674-5312 • email:
peggytoddbailey@rogers.com
www.baileysaddlery.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64