spring feed & diet changes
it’s appropriate or whether it needs to change, taking into consideration the type of work and the level of fitness required. Horses at the peak of fitness can be lean but should still be rounded and well-muscled; overly lean horses are likely to have low body reserves of all nutrients, not just fat, and will take longer to recover from a tough event or may generally under-perform.
Changing Condition A horse needs food (energy/ calories and other nutrients) for body maintenance and to fuel his work. If he needs to lose weight, the amount of energy (calories) provided should meet little more than his maintenance requirements, so that his body is encouraged to use its fat stores to fuel his work. To gain weight, he’ll need more calories than he uses for maintenance and work, without overloading his system, so manageable meals of a concentrated conditioning feed, alongside forage, should be effective.
Trying to encourage weight loss by under-feeding a compound feed, formulated to be fed in greater quantities,
deprives your horse of vitamins and minerals whilst still providing some calories that he probably doesn’t need. For the real good-doer a balancer is an ideal option as you can provide all the protein, vitamins and minerals he needs without unwanted calories. To keep the diet fully balanced, stick to the manufacturer’s recommended feeding levels and, if that provides too many, or too few calories, then swap to a feed that you can feed at the recommended level.
Increasing Demands As your horse gets fitter and workload increases so will his nutritional demands, not just for energy but for protein, to build and repair muscle and other tissues, and vitamins and minerals, to support metabolism. Check that your feed is formulated to support the level of work you expect of your horse and be prepared to change, or top up, if necessary. It may be that a lower energy feed provides all the calories your horse needs but, if it is only formulated for light work, it could fall short of other nutrients. Adding a balancer will provide the extra nutrients to support the work but without the additional calories of a higher energy feed.
Energy Sources Your horse’s temperament will also influence the type of feed you give, alongside his forage, as a laid back type will allow you to choose faster release energy sources, including oats, whilst a fizzier type might be better suited to slower release energy sources, such as oil and fibre. Cubes tend to be less ‘heating’, as they are generally lower in starch than a mix of equivalent energy level, whilst best results may be achieved with a blend of energy sources rather than a focus on one to the exclusion of all others.
If your horse struggles with stamina, first check that his diet is fully balanced by ensuring he’s getting the recommended amount of mix, cube or balancer. Then consider including oil in his diet, which is more calorie- dense than carbohydrate from cereals and helps promote stamina. Oil must be introduced gradually and the horse will also need additional antioxidants, like vitamin E and selenium, to support its metabolism and this makes specially formulated high oil supplements particularly handy as they usually have these ‘built in’.
Electrolyte Support Dehydration can also affect a horse’s stamina and ability to recover from work, due to the loss of electrolyte salts in sweat. Using an electrolyte supplement
regularly, whenever your horse sweats, will replace those lost during work and help your horse recover. Most are formulated to be administered in the water but you may find it easier to mix them with feed, as long as it is wet and slushy and the horse has access to plenty of drinking water.
Keeping it Right Once your horse is where you want him, careful monitoring will help you make the adjustments necessary to keep it that way. The odd hiccup is inevitable during a season so, if workload is reduced, take this into account when feeding by keeping nutrient levels up whilst controlling calorie intake as necessary. If your horse finds increased levels of training and competing stressful, consider using a digestive enhancer to help promote gut efficiency and keep his system in balance. Keep a watchful eye and, above all, be prepared to alter your regime accordingly to ensure your horse remains on a balanced diet and is fit and healthy to perform all season long.
For friendly
practical advice contact Baileys Horse Feeds on 01371 850247 (option 2) or visit
www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk
www.theequinesite.co.uk
Equine Page 9
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