nutrition trends Healthy feed for healthy horses
Good health and nutrition is not a new concept but encouragingly, is one which is growing in the equine industry. Horse owners are now more than ever product aware and are questioning feed composition, ingredient quality and value for money. With so many products on the market to choose from, a feed store can become a minefield and knowing which feed, supplement or balancer will be the most beneficial to your horse or pony is not always easy. Many traditional horse feed products were originally derived from work in the cattle industry. Beet pulp for example was used to fatten cows and not as a fibre rich feed stuff for horses. Horse diets were commonly high in starch, overly calorific and lacking in essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients, the result of which is a rise in non- genetic diseases that are a result of poor diet and lifestyle. With a rise in confirmed cases of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome, Insulin resistance and Laminitis there is an increased awareness of the importance of feeding quality, healthy feeds which are low in sugar and starch but high in fibre and oil.
Balance is the key Originally, Feed Balancers were formulated to make caring for your horse easy, so even the first time owner could feed a balancer and see a difference. The concept for some horse owners is still quite new but one which is gaining ground rapidly. Feeding your horse chaff, nuts or a mix is unlikely to fulfil all of his nutritional requirements, as most people feed less than the recommended amount; however providing your horse a quality feed balancer is an ideal way of ensuring all of their nutritional needs are met in just a small amount of feed. Some feed balancers on the market are formulated with a complete hoof, digestive and respiratory supplement included. These are important areas to supplement, even in healthy horses, as these are body systems which commonly deteriorate with age and workload. The best feed balancers also contain natural, organic minerals, vitamins and nutrients. The most important ingredient is something – a probiotic - to help your horse derive more from the fibre in his diet, so balancers should always include a probiotic and for those with competition horses, the chosen balancer should ideally also contain a prebiotic. Feed balancers have already moved forward and can now be purchased in a super
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Event horses require high quality feeds to meet their nutritional needs and ongoing good health
concentrated form, so feeding rates are even smaller. One company has gone a stage further and taken advantage of the latest human and equine research, adding nucleotides to its balancers. Nucleotides are essential for cell replication and also aid the digestive and immune system.
Nutrients from Nature There has always been knowledge of how supplementing horses with different herbs and plants can help with general equine health and now, more than ever, we are aware of the many benefits nature can offer our horses.
Modern research has allowed us to unlock the power contained in Marine Minerals, especially in order to help horses with Gastric Ulcer Syndrome. These marine minerals help to balance the PH in the gut by slowly releasing calcium, magnesium and silicon. Recently Turmeric has come to light in the equine industry as a great supplement for joint health due to its natural anti- inflammatory properties. The absorption rates of Turmeric when fed on its own are very low but when fed alongside Black Pepper, which contains Piperine, the nutrient absorption rates and bio-availability may be increased by up to 2000%. Chaste Tree Berry naturally supports and helps maintain the correct function of the pituitary gland so has become a popular ingredient in balancers for older horses. It is particularly useful in the diets of horses and ponies over the age of 14, as they are more prone to Cushings disease, a condition which results from over activity of the pituitary
gland. Chaste Tree Berry is also said to be particularly useful for regulating the balance of hormones for difficult or stressy mares. There has been an increase in demand in the industry for calming products. Modern horse calmers contain magnesium, as a deficiency in this is commonly attributed to difficult behaviour. Not many products utilise the natural power of Chamomile, which when introduced into the horse’s diet can have a profound effect on unwanted sharp and spooky behaviour. Chamomile is ideal for helping horses to relax without the
risk of affecting performance and is totally natural with no known side effects. Calm behaviour is also promoted by the supplementation of L-tryptophan, an essential amino acid that horses are unable to produce themselves and can only be obtained through diet. The body uses L-tryptophan to make serotonin, the feel good hormone, which can help to reduce aggression and fearfulness.
With the help of modern nutrition, it has never been easier to keep your horse happy, healthy and stress free.
Building muscle and increasing levels of fitness requires careful management of a correct diet
Equine Page 9
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