Donna Case Equine

LOCATED IN NEWMARKET BUT WORKING BOTH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY DONNA CASE BSC (HONS) IS THE HIGHLY EXPERIENCED EQUINE NUTRITIONIST WHO RUNS ‘THE HORSE FEED GURU’, AN EQUINE NUTRITION CONSULTANCY. FORMERLY A COMMERCIAL NUTRITIONIST ACROSS THREE BRANDS, NOW COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT, HER AIM IS TO DEMYSTIFY FEEDING FOR THE GOOD OF THE HORSE AND RIDER. FEELING

HOT HOT HOT?

As the weather heats up and summer activities are in full swing, what should you think about with your horse’s diet?

Firstly you may find that with all the competitions, long sunny hacks and beach rides your horse is working harder than in other seasons and may need a little extra help to meet their energy requirements. Before you jump to change feeds however, make sure you are feeding enough forage. For some just a simple increase in hay and haylage may be enough. Following this if you are feeding below the manufacturer recommended amount of your current hard feed it may be a simple case of increasing the amount fed. If you feel you need to move to a competition based feed, make sure you choose one suitable for your horse’s temperament, so think slow releasing fibres and oils for excitable types. Do remember however that when we increase the energy level in the diet effectively we are increasing the calorie level, as a calorie is a unit of energy. Monitor and ensure your horse does not become overweight as a result of the energy increase. Moving on from this it is important to replenish electrolytes. Horses with access to a good amount of forage or grass will normally have a potassium intake in excess of daily requirements. Sodium and chloride intake however is often minimal and needs to be rectified. Normal table salt is an easy way to achieve this. The amount of electrolytes your horse will lose will vary, but for most leisure horses who go out for hacks, schooling, clinics or low-level competitions, will typically require around 1tbsp of table salt per day to rectify the sodium and chloride lost through sweat. If you are competing or working at a higher level, or if your horse eats low levels of forage or the sweat loss is high it would be well worth having a nutritionist look at your plan and check the electrolyte replacement strategy is in line with his requirements. Alongside this it is important to ensure rehydration and provide access to clean, fresh water at all times. If your horse is fussy whilst away at an event consider taking water from home, which may encourage him to drink more. If you need further support with fluid intake you can create very wet hard feeds, or mashes so long as you introduce gradually.

www.thehorsefeed guru.com

Revive is an easy to mix great tasting rehydration powder. Helps replace salts and minerals lost through sweat. Just 2oz in 4 litres of water, so a little goes a long way. RRP: £26/3kg plus free delivery. www.animal-health.co.uk Apple Lytes have been carefully formulated to replace the key electrolytes and encourage drinking to help prevent dehydration and maintain peak performance all season. Apple Lytes are highly palatable, and should be mixed in feed. Clean, fresh water should always be available. RRP: from £18.50/2.5kg. www.equine-america.co.uk

All year round, horses and ponies need to keep hydrated, particularly during the warmer periods of the year where water is lost through sweating.

Water levels need to be replenished and this is where Tamsin Palmer, an eventer, found British Horse Feeds’ FibreBeet to be very useful for her horse, Bazaars Twister (stable name Twink). After the pair had finished schooling or after lessons, Tamsin was always keen to make sure Twink was drinking, but like most of us it is rare to actually see when our horses drink. Normally horse owners can gauge how much water is consumed from water buckets but automatic drinkers both in the field and in the stable makes it more difficult. Tamsin added some soaked Fibre-Beet to Twink’s water bucket, to entice him to drink more and hydrate again. Because Twink was already fed on FibreBeet, Tamsin knew he would take to it straight away. Fibre-Beet contains peppermint, making it extremely palatable for horses that can be extremely fussy and in this case helped Tamsin make sure her horse was drinking. Tamsin commented: “Twink loves his Fibre-Beet and I have found it is a great way to keep his fibre intake up. “I also feed British Horse Feeds Cooked Linseed for condition in winter, and in summer for that gorgeous coat shine. He has

New Product Alert...

Saracen Horse Feeds have announced the launch of their new feed Re-Leve-Cubes.

Low in starch, low in sugar, whole cereal and alfalfa free, Re-Leve-Cubes have been awarded the BETA Feed Approval Mark as a suitable feed for horses and ponies prone to Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome. Re-Leve-Cubes feature high quality ‘Super Fibres’ and oil as alternative energy sources, as well as a live yeast to help maintain optimum digestive health particularly in those horses that are more sensitive during the rigours of training, travelling and competing. The packaging of this product is 100% recyclable.

www.saracenhorsefeeds.com

never looked so well.” Adding one part dry Fibre-Beet (half kg) to three parts water by weight (one and half litres), the feed will soak and expand to hold three times its weight in water. More water can be added to make a sloppier mash to increase fluid intake or like Tamsin, add a handful of soaked

TWINK’S

FLAVOURED WATER

Fibre-Beet to water buckets to flavour the water. This is extremely useful for when you are out competing. Some horses and ponies refuse to drink in these environments, and conveniently Fibre-Beet can be soaked and ready to feed in 45 minutes with cold water, or 15 minutes with warm water.

www.britishhorsefeeds.com

OWNERS OF OLDER HORSES...

If you currently manage a horse aged 15+ , and especially those with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), Spillers is encouraging you to participate in a survey to help improve the management of this condition.

PPID, also known as Equine Cushing’s, is common in older horses and ponies and can be linked to a range of problems including laminitis, weight loss, delayed coat shedding and a long curly coat. The survey forms part of a major international project to improve the understanding and knowledge of the fundamental causes of PPID, in order to improve early diagnosis, treatment, husbandry and nutritional management. The short, anonymous online survey should enable researchers to better understand how owners make treatment decisions and which decisions have the best outcomes.

www.spillers-feeds.com

By Baileys Horse Feeds

WELL OILED!

HOW OIL CAN BE A USEFUL ADDITION TO YOUR HORSE’S DIET

Cereals are traditionally a major source of energy for horses in hard work. The starch they contain provides readily available glucose, which may be used directly as an energy source, stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen or stored as body fat.

Glucose can be used by muscles at all work intensities but is the only energy source that can be used for high intensity work, making it particularly important for performance horses. Glycogen-Sparing Oil is energy-dense, providing 2¼ times as much energy (calories) as carbohydrates from cereals, however, it can only be used by the horse working at low intensities, when the required oxygen is available for aerobic respiration. Once the horse is working hard, he cannot supply oxygen quickly enough to maintain aerobic respiration so he moves into anaerobic respiration, which can only utilise glucose or glycogen as its energy substrate. Stamina Providing oil in the diet, which the horse can utilise when working up to a heart rate of around 150 beats per minute, spares the stores of glycogen so that, when the horse starts to gallop, he effectively has a ‘full tank of fuel’ to use for fast work. This improves stamina and, because the horse doesn’t fully deplete his energy stores, he can recover from an intense work period, like a competition or event, more quickly. Energy Dense Although oil is not naturally part of their diet, horses can utilise it well, provided it is introduced gradually to allow their bodies to adjust. It can increase the overall energy content of the diet without significantly increasing the volume of feed and, since the horse’s stomach has limited capacity, this is ideal when more calories are needed than the recommended amount of a compound feed can supply or when the total ration can only be divided into a limited number of meals. Condition Oil’s slow release calories can also be fed to promote weight gain or to horses who require a low starch diet, for example, if they’re prone to gastric ulcers, tying-up or laminitis. Being slow release, oil is less likely to cause fizzy behaviour but the downside is the palatability of the oil itself, which some horses can take a bit of getting used to. If you choose to feed straight oil, it will need to be fed at a rate of at least 250-500ml (1-2 coffee mugs) per day to make a significant contribution to the energy levels of the diet.

Balance Soya oil is a popular and costeffective choice for horses, while micronised linseed is also fed for its high oil content. Any vegetable oil will supply the desired calories but not all are created nutritionally equal, with each containing different proportions of essential fatty acids, of which the most important are known as Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids will support supple skin and a shiny coat, while both Omega 3s and 6s have important functions within the body and research has shown that a balance is necessary for optimum benefit. Soya oil is high in Omega 6 fatty acids, whilst linseed is rich in Omega 3, so feeding one or the other could cause an imbalance in the horse’s body. As an alternative, feed a high oil supplement, which supplies a balance of essential fatty acids and which should also be easier and less messy to feed. Antioxidant Support To ensure oil is used as efficiently as possible by the horse, a range of supporting nutrients are required, particularly anti-oxidants like the vitamins, C and E, and the minerals, selenium and zinc. During the aerobic respiration which breaks down oil, free radicals are produced which, if not countered with antioxidants, can damage cell membranes including those of the muscles. Whilst the body produces its own internal antioxidants these may be insufficient to deal with the additional free radicals produced by an increased inclusion of oil in the diet.

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It is wise therefore to ensure that an additional source of these nutrients is included in the diet to support oil utilisation or, alternatively, choose an oil rich supplementary feed which already contains the necessary supporting nutrients. Ideal Performance Diet The ideal performance diet provides a range of energy sources, including fibre, cereals and oil but, when a horse’s endurance is to be tested, it is well worth increasing the proportion of energy provided by oil. Some performance feeds contain enhanced oil levels, while adding oil to an existing balanced diet is also an option. Specially formulated high oil supplements offer a palatable, mess-free alternative to straight oil but, whichever method you choose, remember to introduce the oil gradually and, if you are at all unsure, contact a feed company help line for advice.

www.baileys horsefeeds.co.uk

Suggested Products...

Baileys All-Round Endurance Mix This innovative mix provides a blend of energy sources, including micronised cereals, fibre and oil to support horses working up to the hardest levels and helping improve stamina while also supplying readily available energy. SRP: around £15.50/20kg. Baileys Outshine high oil supplement - A unique extruded nugget which supplies oils from linseed and soya, along with supporting antioxidants, and is easily added to an existing balanced diet to help improve stamina, condition or coat shine. SRP: around £38/20kg or £16/6kg.

MolliChaff ShowShine is a high-oil chaff for ultimate show condition. Suitable for all horses and ponies, it is flavoured with cherry, ensuring it is highly palatable. It is made from the highest quality oat straw that has been chopped and dust extracted, and it is naturally high in fibre. It contains a unique coating which combines high levels of soya oil with a light coating of low sugar molasses. www.horsehage.co.uk Baileys Ease & Excel This high oil, low starch blend is ideal for providing slow release calories for condition, stamina or performance and is ideal for stressy or fizzy types and those prone to gastric ulcers. SRP: around £15/15kg.

All www.baileyshorse feeds.co.uk

O-Mega Shine oil supplement boasts 87% Omega oils. Its pure vegetarian formula contains Omega 3, 6 and 9. Customers have seen results with as little as 10ml a day, making it a very economical. Great for skin and coat as well as general health and wellbeing. Available in 1lt, 2.5lt and 5lt bottles. www.animal-health.co.uk

Love and Mollichaff Saved Lottie...

Mollichaff Condition - a highly digestible, high fibre, high oil and low starch mix, which can be fed as a complete concentrate feed alongside good quality forage. It contains a balanced blend of alfalfa, dried grass, oat straw, fibre pellets, barley, soya flakes, soya oil and mint as well as Yea-sacc and a prebiotic, plus vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

Ann Bishop rescued and fostered a 13.2hh mare called Lottie. She’d originally set out to buy a bomb-proof cob so Lottie was everything Ann didn’t want.

Lottie was young at around 18-months-old, full of worms, covered in lice and totally emaciated. However Ann just couldn’t leave her. On arrival at Ann’s yard Lottie was so dehydrated, and Ann soon realised that Lottie must have been physical abused too, as she flinched every time anyone went to stroke her. Despite everything she had been through she eventually began to settle. However little did Ann know that Lottie was in fact pregnant. Lottie rejected her foal, named Harley, but after lots of time spent encouraging Lottie, she finally took to him. Ann said, “I’m sure that feeding Lottie excellent feed before and after Harley was born played a big part in him surviving. With Lottie being in such poor condition I needed to know she was getting everything she needed which I did by feeding Mollichaff Condition Complete.”

www.horsehage.co.uk

NEW PRODUCT ALERT

RB KEEP WELL -

SUPPORTING THE OLDER HORSE

Over the last few years the team at Rowen Barbary have noticed an increase in calls to the helpline relating to older horses which unfortunately suffer from a number of health concerns. These can be associated with more common problems such as joint or digestive health, which can often be exacerbated by underlining conditions such as laminitis or PPID.

Although there are a number of senior feeds on the market the majority of these cater for the older horse requiring a higher calorie diet where starch and sugar are not a concern, so Rowen Barbary have developed a new product designed to help support the older horse where obesity and conditions such as laminitis and PPID are prevalent. The key ingredients within the specifically designed formula are an equal ration of Glucosamine and MSM, Turmeric and Black Pepper, Omega 3,6 and 9 fatty acids alongside key antioxidants, Yeasacc 1026, Cinnamon and fully balanced with essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Keep Well is also cereal and molasses free with a very low starch and sugar content. Keep Well contains an equal ratio of Glucosamine and MSM at 10g which is recommended as a daily intake for a 500kg horse to support joint function and health. The Glucosamine helps to reduce stiffness, support the production of synovial fluid and aids the manufacturing of collagen. The MSM helps to maintain connective tissue and help with flexibility and mobility. The Turmeric is included at the recommended level of 20g for a 500kg horse per day, alongside Black Pepper to help aid bioavailability. Turmeric is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties, supporting digestive health and help with overall health. The Black Pepper used alongside the Turmeric aids with the Bio-availability. Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids alongside key antioxidants and Vitamin E and Vitamin C ensure skin health and coat condition. Yeasacc 1026 is also included at the recommended level of 10g per 500kg horse per day. Yeasacc is used to help with greater digestion of fibre and helps to enhance the uptake of energy. Cinnamon is included at 5g and has high anti-oxidant properties and helps to maintain blood glucose levels. Cinnamon is also known for its antimicrobial activity which supports health and vitality. RB Keep Well – The Journey Keep Well was trialled and tested with two groups of horses. The first group of horses were randomly selected to receive a placebo supplement while the other group received the correct supplement Keep Well. During this process owners were advised that there were people on the trial that may be selected to receive the placebo, but were not told which group they were in until the trial finished. During the trial owners gave weekly updates that were recorded, looking at everything from palatability to energy levels and overall condition. Over the course of the trial the feedback was positive with some owners saying their horse had ‘an increase in energy levels and looking great’. Throughout the trial owners were noticing improvements in their appearance and some in their physical abilities. Feedback to the question ‘Have you noticed any changes?’ resulted in many positive results ‘more energy’, ‘shiny coat’, ‘free in movement’ and ‘looking and feeling fabulous’. The feedback allowed the team at Rowen Barbary to ensure we are providing the best quality products, packaging and measuring scoops suitable for the recommended dosage. Overall, RB Keep Well was a success with the candidates and is now ready for the rest of the equestrian population to use!

www.rowenbarbary.co.uk