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Balancing Act - Designing A Diet For The Modern Horse

8K views 22 replies 7 participants last post by  MIEventer 
#1 ·
I read this great article from the SmartPak Horse Care Magazine, and I wanted to share :D

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Horses have delicate systems that were designed for constant pasture grazing, but modern horsekeeping can throw your horse's gastrointestinal tract off balance. High-grain diets combined with the stress of training and competition may leave your horse prone to ulcers, digestive problems and poor overall health. But if you build your horse's diet based on his individual needs, you can help bring him back into balance.

Throw hay, dump grain, turn the horses out. Do stalls, ride, bring the horses in and feed. Sound familiar? If you're like a lot of horse owners, it probobly does. What is doesn't sound like is the way our horses were designed to live. In fact, modern horsekeeping is just about the opposite of what Mother Nature had in mind.

Au Naturale

In their natural habitat, horses spend up to 20 hours a day roaming and grazing on a variety of forages. Their digestive systems have evolved to rely on a slow, steady intake of complex carbohydrates, like grasses. As a result, their stomachs constantly secrete gastric acid, whether they're eating or not.

As horses chew, they automatically produce saliva, which contains bicarbonates that act as a natural buffer against the acids in their stomach

Serving It Up

Managing a bording barn is no easy feat. Between blanket changes, turnout, lessons, medications, and being surrogate "mom" to a number of horses, your barn manager has a lot on their plate. That's why in most boarding barns, feeding programs are built for speed.

Every horse gest a couple of flakes of hay, give or take a flake for the ponies and the big guys. Grain is used as the main source of calories for energy and weight maintenance.

There are only so many hours in the day, and dollars in your wallet. Your barn staff is probobly doing things this way as much for your benefit as for their own. Only carrying one kind of grain, and not wasting hay are ways for them to work faster and save money, which help keep your board affordable.

So it is important to be realistic when balancing what you want for your horse with what is realistically feasible.

What's The Problem?

Unfortunately, the feeding program practices described above can lead to health problems for your horse.

Most commercial feeds are much higher in Omega 6 fatty acids than Omega 3 fatty acids. While both are essential in the diet, Omega 6's are generally considered pro-inflammatory, while Omega 3's support anti-infammatory reactions. Since horses were built to thrive on grasses, which are much richer in Omega 3's than 6's, high grain diets can result in a chronic pro-inflammatory state. This can result in added stress on cells throughout the body.

Feeding infrequent meals leaves your horse's stomach empty for long periods of time. Some barns spread meals out by adding a "lunch". This additional serving definately helps, but it's important to remember what is happening in your horse's stomach between meals.

With the constant secretion of gastric acid and no saliva to buffer it, an empty stomach is at high right for gastric ulcers. This painful condition can affect your horse's appetite and digestive function, leading to weight loss, and unthrifty appearance, decreased performance, a poor attitude and even colic.

Fianally, the equine hindgut was designed for continuous fermentation throughout the day. Fasting and then feasting can cause digestive upset, disrupting the delicate balance in the large intestine, which can result in a number of problems, including painful build-up of excess gas. The modern diet was not designed for your horse's optimum health.

What You Can Do

The good news is, you can help! Even if you're not able to completely overhaul the way you feed your horse, there are things you can do that will help keep him happier and healthier.

Where to Begin

The majority of every horse's diet should consist of roughage, like hay or fresh pasture. In fact, your horse should be eating 1-2% of his body weight in hay or other forage every day. For a 1,000lb horse, that is 10-20lbs daily! Ideally, your horse would have free choice, but if that's not possible, try to spread out his meals throughout the day.

While hay and fresh pasture are both forages, they are not created equal. Green grass contains valuable nutrients, like Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Vitamins A and E. However, after being cut, dried and stored, hay loses many of these important components. If your horse isn't able to graze on fresh pasture year round, consider supplimenting to help balance out what they are missing.

Filling The Gaps

If your barn feeds a fortified grain, as most boarding barns do, you may think that your horse is getting all of the vitamins and minerals he needs from his feed. However, in order tomeet his daily requirements, your horse needs to get the full feed ration noted on the label, but many horses simply don't need that many calories. Check your feed label to find out what serving size is recommended for your horse. If you're meeting or exceeding that amount, he doesn't need any additional vitamins or minerals.

However, if you're feeding less than that serving size, as is often the case, a vitamin/mineral supplement can be used to ensure he has the complete selection of nutrients he needs to stay healthy and performing at his peak.

Stress Factor

Part of what you love about owning a horse, are the fun and adventures you have riding and showing. But these activities are stressful on your horse's delicate system. Luckily, you don't hae to give them up! You can help safeguard your horse with supplements that help support a healthy digestive tract.

For a healthy hindgut, provide a supplement with ingredients that support the large intestine, like digestive enzymes, probiotics nd prebiotics.

The Last Word

While you may not be able to start from scratch, you can make small changes that may make a big difference. Work with your barn manager/owner and your vet to buid the best possible program for your horse.
 
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#12 ·
I heard that horses that are on less than 6 lbs of grain a day need a vitamin/mineral supplement. Is this true?

Would a vitamin/mineral deficiency cause my horse's coat to not be as shiny as before? (she is groomed every day)
 
#15 ·
I heard that horses that are on less than 6 lbs of grain a day need a vitamin/mineral supplement. Is this true?

Would a vitamin/mineral deficiency cause my horse's coat to not be as shiny as before? (she is groomed every day)
This will depend greatly on what "grain" you feed - and whether it has added mineral vitamins.

Generally horses require a certain amount of a vitamin mineral supplement in order to stay healthy... how much will depend on the horse, the workload and how mineral rich/depleted their forage/hay source is.

Often a lack of shine to the coat is showing a lack in the dietary needs - I've found it to be most commonly protein that needs increasing, though not always... it can also be a few other things too. (Lice - which are emerging right now in many places of North America, worms, stress (physical or mental) are a few)
 
#13 ·
Perhaps? It depends on what you are feeding *like, rolled oats, or COB feed...etc, etc* - and what else your horse is getting. Pasture, Good quality hay...If your horse is getting a fortified feed.....hmmm...maybe 3lbs a day isn't enough?

Maybe adding a scoop a day of a vit/min could help - but I would definately discuss this with your Vet, or even call Smartpak and ask them. I like the fact that they don't push anything on you.

When I called them, they asked me what Nelson is eating - and I told them he is on full turn out, getting 24/7 access to Grass Mixed Hay, and he is getting 8lbs a day of

ProAdvantage Grass Formula

ProAdvantage Hi-Fat Formula

And they told me he doesn't need any type of vit/min addition.
 
#16 ·
Well I know she does not have worms (she gets wormed and I do fecal samples) and she has no little bugs on her! So I'm guessing vitamin and mineral deficiency.

I moved her in August and her spring coat just isn't looking as good as it did last year. The grass is not as rich out here as it was back home...
 
#17 ·
I am not understanding why your girl is getting only 1/2 a cup of the Amplify, when the bag states you should be giving a min of 1lb a day....as it is, your mare is getting only 1 cup a day...far from 1lb.

I am not a Nutritionist - but in order for your horse to get the required doses, don't you have to feed what they say? Meaning...your mare probobly isn't getting the nutritional value of the amplify, getting only 1/2 a cup per feeding.

So with the Calm and Cool - what would 1/2 a scoop equal? 2lbs? So if you are giving her 2lbs per feeding, that would be 4lbs a day, and the bag states that you have to feed 6lbs a day to ensure your horse is getting the needed nutritional value out of the feed.....

I would say, I would add a Vit/Min suppliment - or up the feed she is already getting to what the bag states they should be getting....but again, definately talk to someone who knows the answer.
 
#18 ·
She gets too fat on more Amplify and more grain. Hence why I cut her back.

I'm going to get her a mineral supplement because without it she isn't getting the amount she needs and I cannot give her that much grain or else she will become obese. She is a VERY easy keeper
 
#20 ·
Why are you giving her a fat supplement to begin with if she gets fat easily??

Why not go with Enrich32 and then add the Amplify IF needed.... 1lb a day would be good nutrition level then you just add calories as needed
 
#21 ·
i really like enrich32 my easy keepers eat it as well as free feed hay or pasture [depending on season]
 
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