“One pound of oats contains approximately the amount of energy the horse needs for a 5.0 km (3.1 mile) walk, a 3.7 km (2.3 mile) trot or a 2.3 km (1.4 mile) canter/gallop.”
(1.4 mile) canter/gallop. Also, do not exceed the amount of 1.0-1.5 gram starches and sugars per 100 kilogram of body weight per meal for these types of horses. Be careful to pro- vide small amounts of oats or use processed starch sources only and feed these more than three hours before the event or exercise takes place. Current knowledge
does point to the exis- tence of a relationship between energy source (fat and fiber versus starches and sugars) and mood and emo- tion of animals and hu- mans. However, as this research area is still in its infancy, no science- based horse-specific recommendations can be made.
Nonetheless, a
realistic approach to- wards the expected athletic performance and the horse’s nature is very important, even if it can be difficult for an owner to do. Some may need to simply accept that their horse’s nature does not meet the criteria for an equine athlete in a particular discipline.
Feeding the “Hot” Horse, a
Potential Hard Keeper Performance horses involved in racing but also indi- vidual horses with nervous characters may be clas- sified as hard keepers. If there is no clinical reason (gastric ulceration, overtraining, teeth problems, worms, etc.) for the poor body condition, then the first step is evaluation of the total diet. The diet should be checked for adequate provision and imbalances of other nutrients in the diet like protein, minerals and vitamins. An- ecdotal evidence suggests that the provision of B-vitamins and especially thiamin may be of particular importance. The hot horse often needs more energy than the indi-
cated average amount of energy for its condition to main- tain its body weight. Thus, there is more energy needed to fulfill its needs. Feeding a typical “fat and fiber ration” in combination with a high quality protein supply is recom- mended for these horses for various reasons: • Energy from fiber provides slow-releasing energy. • Fat and fiber based diets are suggested to result in calmer behavioral patterns.
• Fat/oil is energy dense and is an easy way to add calories to the diet without making your horse “hot”; but higher amounts of oil may lead to palatability problems. In prac- tice, a maximum of 100 milliliters (3.4 oz) of oil per 100 kilo- grams (220 lbs) of horse weight is generally applied. • Protein is needed as nutritional support and a “building block” for muscles. What feedstuffs can be used in this strategy? Commercial diets: There are high fiber and oil con- taining diets on the market but also specific condition- ing feeds. Forage and fiber: Provide good quality hay and
consider combining hay with alfalfa. Due to its higher protein content, alfalfa may be beneficial. Do not incorporate more than 50 percent of alfalfa in the to- tal amount of roughage fed. Other fiber sources like soaked beet pulp may also be considered. Oil: There are various vegetable oil sources. Corn
and soy oil are examples of oils that are commonly supplemented to horse diets. Horses receiving oil should also get extra vita- min E. A dose of 100-150 IU of vitamin E per 100 mil- liliter added oil has been suggested. Protein: A feed or supplement contain- ing high-quality protein sources may be selected to support muscle de- velopment. “High-qual- ity protein” refers to the amino acid content of a feed. It is not only the amount but also the type of protein that is present
in the feed that is of importance. Some pelleted feeds, especially those designed for feeding mares and/or foals, often contain good protein sources and protein content ranges from 13 to 16 percent. Small quantities of soybean meal (expeller) for horses (which should be toasted/heat treated) can also be supplemented in the diet. For hot horses, the use of a protein supplements may be the preferred strategy as feeds other than high fiber/fat feeds may still contain a significant amount of carbohydrates. Although no studies have examined the effect of
yeast supplementation on behavior, feeding strategies supporting fiber digestion and digestive comfort may help ultimately add weight to your horse. Feeding
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