Equine international 06 by HRCS

EQUINE October 2010 • Vol. 2 • Issue 10

www.alltech.com/EquineInternational

INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL SECTION: Feeding the Future

A healthy start at

Rood & Riddle

HOOF HEALTH: Alltech’s Lifeforce™

FEEDING THE GENE: Nutrigenomics

PRESERVING THE PLANET: “Green” Horse Feed

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3: Healthy Horses

16: On the Horizon

26: Normandy 2014

The nutritional well-being of all horses is first and foremost at Alltech. The Alltech Games will exhibit and promote the pinnacle of equine health advancements.

Imagine a brave new world without serious equine digestive upsets or hoof ailments. A breeder and trainer recounts her experience with a natural nutritional supplement.

Enjoy our photographic preview of what will be in store at the next World Equestrian Games. The cradle of equestrianism, Normandy is a delight for horse lovers.

4: Nutrigenomics

18: Pump It Up

30: Reining It In

You are not only what you eat, but you are what you eat has eaten – and the same applies to horses. Cutting-edge research is being performed at Alltech’s Nutrigenomics Center.

Tribute Equine Nutrition details how to design the ultimate diet for your performance horse, keeping it tasty and nutritious to ensure he stays on his “A-game.”

Meet the Chief Reining Steward for the Alltech Games, who is also the CEO of the Washington International Horse Show just two weeks later. Talk about a busy month!

6: Dressage Dynamics

22: Organic Boosts

On the Cover:

German dressage and event trainer Carin Bannos has discovered the “organic advantage” – and her imported sales horses are benefiting from it.

German feed giant iWEST explains everything you need to know to keep your dressage horse’s diet up to par. Proper feed can help him stay consistent in those leg yields!

10: Going Green O.H. Kruse and Alltech launched Green Feed in June 2009. Read how environmentally friendly feed is being embraced in the horse world.

EQUINE INTERNATIONAL Alltech Global Headquarters 3031 Catnip Hill Pike Nicholasville, KY 40356 USA Telephone: 859.885.9613 Facsimile: 859. 885.6736 Email: EquineInternational@alltech.com

24: Heat Stress Help your horse “keep his cool” with nutrition tips from Triple Crown Nutrition to reduce heat stress and learn from Rood & Riddle how to treat an overheated horse.

Publisher ............................Dr. Pearse Lyons G.A.M.E.S. Director ..............Kelly Welker Executive Editor ..................Darlene Ricker Graphic Designer .................Craig Watkins

Another healthy delivery at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. Photo © roodandriddle.com To see our stories come alive, view our free digital edition at www.alltech.com/EquineInternational

You will see this icon throughout the magazine. This indicates stories that contain video content exclusively in our digital edition.

Rich Media Director ... Kirk Robinson Website Author ,...... Alan Henthorne Website Analyst ................. David Carr Photographer ............. Marc Manning

UK Correspondent .... Carol Allison Editorial Intern ... Kelsey Hamilton Graphics Intern .................. DJ Ennis Advertising ................ Andy Howard

Feeding the Future

eople often ask me why Alltech decided to sponsor the World Equestrian Games. Granted, when we made the decision four years ago, horse products constituted less than 5 percent of our business. I did not grow up riding foxhunters in my native Ireland, nor did I meld into the Thoroughbred racehorse industry when my wife Deirdre and I moved to Kentucky as a young couple some three decades ago. So why would Alltech invest eight figures in an international equestrian event? The reason is the same one that fueled our decision to launch this magazine 18 months ago. Simply put, we care about horses. When our children were young, we owned a couple of pleasure horses that soon became members of our family. It didn’t take us long to develop a keen appreciation for these magnificent creatures that enrich our lives and try their hearts out for their masters. Yet for such big, powerful animals, horses tend to have delicate internal systems – this I know as a scientist. Whether they spend the majority of their days galloping across the Kentucky Horse Park or just munching grass in the backyard, Alltech believes that all horses deserve the benefits of science. That is why we developed Lifeforce Equine, a natural equine nutritional supplement. With 30 years of research in each container, it supports the delicate balance of the equine digestive system and those four hooves that carry 1,000 pounds or more. (Please come to our booth at the Alltech Games trade fair and learn about our new Lifeforce supplements for cats and dogs.) I’m excited to tell you in these pages about Lifeforce, as well as our other efforts to “feed the future” through Alltech’s cutting-edge research in nutrigenomics (the effect of nutrition on gene expression) and our Green Feed alliance with O.H. Kruse, an Official Animal Health and Nutrition Partner for the Alltech Games. Our mutual goal is happy, healthy horses through natural, safe and environmentally friendly feeding.

And that, my friends, is what we have strived to make the hallmark of the Alltech Games: the pinnacle of horse health. Why? Because we care – about your horses and the future of the planet we inhabit with them.

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THE 21st CENTURY HORSE

FEEDING THE GENE:

Can Nutrigenomics Create the Next World Champion?

ou bought a dressage prospect with top bloodlines, super conformation and good character – attributes of a future FEI mount. But as his schooling advances, he doesn’t display the aptitude he seemed to have been born with. He tends to go on the forehand rather than moving off his hind end and shows more talent over fences than on the flat. If you didn’t know better, you might think he was bred to be a foxhunter. Maybe he was. The answer may lie not in his pedigree but in his dam’s feed bucket. Through the emerging field of nutrigenomics – the effect of diet on gene expression – we will one day know which nutrients ““turn on” or ““turn off” genetic markers for specific characteristics, such as bone density and muscle type. Thus, by carefully controlled feeding of breeding stock, science may eventually use nutrition to create a foal perfectly suited to a specific discipline. ““Some genes in an embryo can become ineffective because of what the mare ate or didn’t eat,” said nutrigenomics expert Dr. Karl Dawson. ““A whole group of genes controls how certain types of muscles work and develop. This determines whether you produce an endurance horse or a grand prix jumper.” The conditions have to be right for a specific gene to be expressed. That’s where nutrigenomics comes in. Otherwise,

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said Dawson, ““you can breed all you want for a certain attribute but never see a result in the offspring. The gene may be there, but if it is asleep, it’s not going to have an effect.” Nutrigenomics holds a more profound promise for horses at large: improvements in health, quality of life and longevity, not to mention potential applications to human health problems such as diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Rather than observing long-time equine performance or carrying out extended scientific trials, Alltech, a global animal health and nutrition company, is seeking shortterm results in short-term studies. Dawson, its director of worldwide research, is supervising these cutting-edge studies at Alltech’s Center for Nutrigenomics and Applied

Animal Nutrition, located at the company’s headquarters just outside Lexington, Kentucky. The first facility of its kind in the world, the center opened in 2008 and has already made significant findings about the effect of nutrition on gene expression. In the not-too-distant future, said Dawson, ““Nutrigenomics is going to totally revolutionize the way we look at nutrition. Nutrient requirements are about to change dramatically – nutrigenomics will give them a whole new meaning.” To understand current standards, take a look at the labels on food and nutritional products (for humans or horses). They list percentages of daily requirements for the vitamins and minerals the product contains. What’s

important, however, is not the nutrient itself but its properties, such as the major antioxidant effects of vitamin E, which is key in most animal diets. ““Antioxidants maintain health, bolster immunity, aid reproduction and promote the anti-aging process. If we can find another set of antioxidants that do the same thing, they can replace vitamin E,” said Dawson. He is currently studying substances with antioxidant properties that are more effective and more economical than vitamin E. He foresees feed recommendations based on nutrigenomic principles rather than specific individual ingredients. ““You won’t see a daily requirement for vitamin E, for example. Feeding recommendations will be stated as an antioxidant requirement instead,” he said. While scientists have known for some time what certain nutrients do, they have never been able to measure their activity before. Now that the equine genome has been mapped, horses provide the opportunity, said Dawson. Horses have 30,000 genes, each controlled separately. One of the beauties of nutrigenomics is its speed in producing results once the trigger for expressing a certain gene has been identified. Under traditional practices, it would take many months or even a year or more to determine whether a certain nutrient affects a horse’s fertility (because of having to wait several breeding cycles to see if the mare conceives). Said Dawson: ““Nutrigenomics can tell us what we need to know a couple of days after we start feeding the new substance.”

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DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC NUTRITION

Feeding for the Demands

of Dressage

The distinct physiques of human athletes, from weight lifters to tennis players, demonstrate that specific muscular requirements exist for various sports. The same is true for high-performance equines, whose nutritional needs depend upon the athletic demands of their discipline. Carefully selected nutrients can impressively boost the performance of individual muscles and reduce the production of metabolic waste. As a result, sport-specific nutrition reduces injuries and relieves the metabolism, leading to healthier horses and improved performance. By Dr. Dorothe Meyer iWEST Nutrition, Germany

The old masters of equestrian arts held the rider’s lack of skill responsible when a horse did not respond well and did not perform. In those days, few would have argued otherwise. The “old-fashioned” way of feeding horses did not tax the metabolism of horses the way some modern feeds do. Horses were offered ample hay of superior quality at least three times a day and were given oats as often but only in limited amounts. That was all. Corn (maize) or other feedstuffs were unknown. The most a sick horse could expect was a serving of good mash. The transition to modern feeding has altered feeding intervals and include silage, granola, mixed grains and oil. These have an impact on the stomach and intestines and also influence hormonal regulation, electrolyte metabolism and the quality of connective tissue. Feed may in some cases impose major physiological restrictions and limit the ability and willingness of the horse to perform under a rider. Even the best of riders cannot overcome the problems caused by permanent physiological problems of the horse. As a result, modern feeding has created new challenges in caring for the nutritional needs of today’s dressage competition horse. 6

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The Rule of Thumb for Feeding Dressage Horses Dressage horses need a lot of hay and a small amount of oats. The hay should be leafy (cut at the height or end of the blooming season). If possible, the hay should not contain wood-like sprigs. It is easy to estimate the portion of wood-like components. A stinging sensation when simply rubbing the hay between your hands indicates the presence of wood-like (lignified) plants, which can reduce the nutritional value of hay and harm the balance of symbiotic organisms living in the large intestines. (By the way, such hay also causes diminished activity of the back.) We suggest oats as the concentrated feed because they are decidedly better for horses than other grains. The main advantages are: • Of all grains, horses can most easily digest the starch from oats in their small intestines. • Oats contain a great deal of husks, which tend to break up the content in the stomach and intestines and ease the necessary contact with digestive enzymes. • Unlike other grains, oats contain mucilage, which helps protect the sensitive mucous membranes of the digestive tract. Dressage makes specific demands on a horse and its energy supply. Ideally, the horse performs with a relaxed swinging of its back. The active hind end steps forcefully, while willingly and with ease responding to the rider’s aides. Such responsiveness

and forwardness can only be achieved when the horse consumes sufficient amounts of hay to sustain the increased isometric work of its fat-burning musculature. (The symbiotic microorganisms in the hindgut metabolize the hay and produce fatty acids in the process, which is the ideal energy source for the muscles used in dressage!) By comparison, the carbohydrate portion of the overall energy supply plays a minor supporting role. Being aware of the sport-specific demands on the individual musculature of your horse is a essential to helping him achieve optimal performance and also facilitates his physical and psychological training. It takes optimally functioning muscles to avoid overstressing the joints and tendons. Thus, proper feeding prevents sore muscles, exhaustion and in general keeps the horse healthy.

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Feeding Schedule

Proper Hay Hay quality is hardly a clearly defined feed factor. It is easier to judge the quality of oats, since a minimum density of 560 grams per liter is required. A higher density is better still. The nutritional value of hay is less dependent on the length of storage as on the season in which it was cut. (An exception to this is B-carotene). Hay harvested in mid-bloom contains more protein and more energy than hay cut at the end of the blooming season or even after the bloom. Hay with rough or even wooded stems should not be put before dressage horses. Too many of these hay components are lignified and the probiotic organisms in the large intestines are unable to completely digest all of them. The digestive problems interfere with the horse’s ability to perform and respond to the rider, who will particularly notice diminished engagement of the back. Usually, intestinal problems are first expressed in the movement of the back, where they show up long before other symptoms. The best hay for dressage horses is leafy, it is harvested in mid-bloom or shortly before the end of the blooming season, and it is clean and overall of impeccable quality.

Hay must be given in at least two but better in three meals. High-calorie food should be divided into at least three feedings. The caloric and protein contents of the rations are adjusted to the demand. However, there is no vitamin supplementation and there are no adjustments for bulk and trace elements. We therefore highly recommend giving the horse a vitamin and trace element supplement, such as 60 to 100 grams of our product, Magnolythe S100. This applies particularly when horses show their nutrient deficiencies through diminished responsiveness to the rider and lack readiness to work and perform.

Model Feed Rations for Dressage Horses In general, feeding plans for dressage horses must take into account the physical demands on the horse and the weight of the horse. Dressage horses work hard only when they are trained daily on a grand prix level. Isometric muscle contraction requires considerable energy and the expended energy therefore increases at times disproportionally with executing the powerful piaffe and passage movements. Lactic acid formation starts at 15 percent of the maximum power of the isometric muscle contraction. You must assess on an individual basis whether your grand prix horse still performs at a medium level or does strenuous work. One hour of training with only a small portion of isometric workout can still be considered an average workout with medium load. From experience we know that even for grand prix dressage horses, the energy demand for their work corresponds to workloads midway between medium and heavy. Therefore, they should eat a medium-sized oat portion. In almost all cases, from the lower performance levels all the way up to advanced dressage work without piaffe and passage, a dressage horse performs at about midlevel workloads. Whether the horse should receive Magnoturbo® in the conditioning phase is a matter of the existing musculature. A musculature of medium build is an indication for Magnoturbo®. Another issue is the use of Magnoturbo® on the basic performance level. It certainly could not hurt, especially when the horses are worked more than usual or are prompted to learn new lessons. We recommend it in all instances when the performance level of a horse drops and the horse is frequently sore.

Rations for Medium Workloads Body Weight

Oats

Hay

450 - 475 kg 475 - 500 kg 500 - 525 kg 525 - 550 kg 550 - 575 kg 600 - 625 kg 650 - 700 kg

2.6 - 3.1 kg 2.8 - 3.0 kg 3.0 - 3.3 kg 3.1 - 3.3 kg 3.3 - 3.5 kg 3.4 - 3.8 kg 3.5 - 4.0 kg

7.0 - 7.5 kg 7.5 - 8.0 kg 7.5 - 8.0 kg 8.0 - 8.5 kg 8.5 - 9.0 kg 9.0 - 9.5 kg 9.5 - 10.0 kg

1 kg = 2.2 lbs.

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Grand Prix Level Work The energy demand rises disproportionally with increased isometric exercise. The rations must be much larger when the horse performs piaffe and passage movements. The table below considers the upper limit for the protein supply, which still allows the horse to perform at its best. Of course, this puts a limit on the energy supply in the ration as well. Independent to supplementation with Magnolythe S100, specific dynamics may also require the addition of Magnoturbo®. The amounts vary between 200 and 400 g per day based on the desired dynamic and expression.

Rations for Heavy Workloads Body Weight 500 kg 550 kg 575 kg 650 kg 675 kg

Oats 3.3 - 3.8 kg 3.6 - 4.0 kg 3.8 - 4.2 kg 4.0 - 4.5 kg 4.5 - 5.0 kg

Hay 7.5 - 8.0 kg 8.0 - 8.5 kg 8.0 - 9.0 kg 9.0 - 9.5 kg 9.5 - 10.0 kg

TAKE-HOME CHECKLIST When the feed for a dressage horse is right: a The warm-up phase does not exceed 10 minutes. a Defecation before and during the workout is no problem. a The hind end is actively engaged and responds easily to the rider’s aids. a There is no decline in performance. a The horse does not sweat more than can be explained by the work and is overall on the light side. a There is no overheating as a response to certain training demands. a The horse is attentive but relaxed and serene. a The horse is hungry after a workout and eats well after a competition.

When your dressage horse shows any of the following symptoms, nutrition is likely the underlying cause. These observations are reasons to reevaluate your feeding program: • Prolonged warmup and cooldown phases • Difficulty activating the hind end • Insufficient back involvement or sensitivity of the back • Increased bile production • Occasional swelling of the hind legs • Defacation problems • Excessive sweating • Unwillingness to perform, possibly combined with irritated behavior • Lack of responsiveness to the rider’s soft hand despite sufficient suppleness and strength

a The color of the droppings is green. a The stomach is not bloated. a The body is evenly covered with a layer of fat and welldeveloped crest fat. The ribs are still easily palpable but not visible under an even fat layer. a The musculature is well developed.

Information: www.iwest.de Dr. Dorothe Meyer, an equine veterinarian, founded iWest Animal Nutrition, which is Germany’s Official Animal Health and Nutrition Partner for the Alltech Games.

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O.H. Kruse, an Official Animal Health and Nutrition Partner for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, joined hands with Alltech to develop a line of environmentally friendly – or “green” – horse feeds. Green Feed was launched in June 2009, and we recently spoke with Dave Spaulding, manager of O. H. Kruse, to see how the product has been progressing. If you ask O.H. Kruse why the company

decided to offer Green Feed, the answer comes quickly: “We’re excited to do this because it’s the right and diligent thing to do,” says Dave Spaulding. His concept is to launch “a worldwide effort for green.” O.H. Kruse represents the first of a select group of companies worldwide that have partnered with Alltech to make Green Feed available to equine enthusiasts. As the catalyst for this responsible project and its development, O.H. Kruse is the exclusive distributor of Green Feed on the West Coast of the United States. Instead of over-fortifying, which is typical of horse diets, Green Feed is based on NRC energy requirements. The goal of Green Feed is to supply what is necessary using Alltech organic ingredients, thereby reducing the amount of minerals in the feed and the amount of pollutants that wind up in the atmosphere. In addition, the manufacturing process significantly reduces the amount of metals in the environment.

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Consumers appear equally eager to embrace green feeds. Sales have continued to gain momentum since the launch, says Spaulding. Green Feed has already demonstrated success contributing to O. H. Kruse winning the Golden Medallion Booth Award at the Western States Horse Expo this year. “Being green is in vogue, for good reason,” said Spaulding. That is particularly so for his company’s main customer base on the West Coast of the United States, a region that has long been extremely environmentally aware. O.H. Kruse’s target market for Green Feed includes horse owners who are “several generations removed from the farm.” For them, said Spaulding, “The horse is not a farm animal. It is part of the family. These people look at horses differently and are likely to look at horse feeds differently, as well.” If you’re thinking that because it is “green” the feed will cost you an arm and a leg, think again. O. H. Kruse’s Green Feed is competitively priced with traditional products currently on the market, at about $17 to $19 per 50-pound bag. In bringing Green Feed to the horse world, O.H. Kruse hopes to convey the message that animal feeds should not compete with human food. By way of example, Spaulding pointed to the renewable fuels industry, which transforms grains that can also feed humans into vehicle fuel. Rather than using corn in its Green Feed, he said, O.H. Kruse uses ingredients such as rice bran, soy hulls and beet pulp shreds, which are byproducts of human food, thus benefiting all species and contributing to the sustainability of the planet.

By Kelsey Hamilton

Other environmentally friendly measures include using vegetable-based inks such as soy on a totally recyclable brown bag that leaves the smallest carbon footprint in the industry, said Spaulding. While most feed bags have a plastic pull string (to open), Green Feed’s pull string is made strictly of cotton. O. H. Kruse’s Green Feed has also been certified as weedfree. That is extremely important because in order for horses to utilize trails in the U.S. National Parks system, requirements with regard to equine consumption of certified weed-free products are increasing. As Spaulding explained, national parks cannot allow non-indigenous plants to be introduced to their terrain. When horses that consume products containing weeds are ridden on their trails, noxious weeks are deposited into the soil through manure. Green Feed eliminates that problem.

O.H. Kruse believes that turning to eco-friendly products is more than a trend. It is a way to show commitment to nature’s powerful resources. Here is what to expect from Green Feed:

• From the packaging to each

For more information on Green Feed, visit

www.ohkruse.com or call (800) 729-5787.

•

• •

ingredient, green Feed meets environmentally Friendly requirements at each step. the diet’s Formula contains the exact amount oF each nutrient – not more, not less, to ensure optimal digestion, thereby naturally decreasing the nutrient content oF manure and the risk oF ground water contamination. green Feed also accounts For the local availability oF ingredients to help minimize its carbon Footprint and energy waste From transportation. the use oF grain products in green Feed is kept to a minimum to avoid competing with ingredients used in the human Food chain. the bag is made oF non bleach paper and is biodegradable.

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Health Benefits of Steamed Hay By Monica Arnold

ust and mold spores found in hay can cause serious respiratory problems for horses. It is important to realize that all hay contains mold spores and other allergens, which can sensitize the horse’s airway, at least, and lead to disease, at worst. Stephanie Davis, DVM, of Equine Medical Services in Berryville, Virginia, identifies the two most common noninfectious respiratory problems as IAD and RAO. “IAD (inflammatory airway disease) is very common in racehorses and has been found to be ‘subclinical’ in almost all horses kept in a stable or stall of some sort – meaning that no signs are present, but a sample of the cells in their trachea and/or lungs would show evidence of inflammation of the airway,” she says. 12

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“If you have the ability to feed steamed hay, it is one of the very best things you can do for your horse.” – Allison Springer “RAO (recurrent airway obstruction) is a more chronic and severe airway disease, also called ‘heaves,’ and is strongly related to the horse’s environment where they have been sensitized to some allergen, like mold or dust,” she explains. “It is a very difficult disease to manage when it advances, so preventative measures are important.” In the early 1990s, Dr. Meriel Moore-Colyer, a Ph.D. in equine nutrition, began exploring the concept of steaming hay in the United Kingdom as an alternative to soaking hay, which leaches nutrients and does not completely remove contaminants. More recently, Dr. Moore-Colyer led research at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester that measured the effectiveness of steaming hay to reduce bacteria, mold and yeast spores. In that study, samples were taken from five bales of good-quality untreated dry hay. Then the bales were steamed for 80 minutes in an insulated steamer with a boiler system. More samples were taken after the steaming cycle was complete. After being incubated, results of a comparison showed that the dry samples contained more than 4 million colonies of TVC bacteria per gram, more than 10 million colonies of mold spores per gram, and more than 6.5 million yeast colonies per gram. The steamed hay contained only 800 colonies of TVC bacteria per gram and no mold or yeast colonies per gram. (Meriel MooreColyer and Rebecca James [2009] Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL 7 6JS) While steaming hay has been a growing trend in the equine industry in the United Kingdom, it has recently begun to take hold in North America as well. Canadian Eventer and short-listed qualifier for the Alltech Games, Diana Burnett, uses the Haygain brand hay steamer for her horse, Manny. “As a high-performance horse, Manny is fed a high-performance diet,” Burnett says. “Haygain steamed hay is the backbone of Manny’s daily feed regimen. Knowing that Manny is consuming clean, healthy hay gives me great confidence on competition day. The Haygain steamer allows Manny to retain the full nutritional value of every flake and his picky eating habits are long gone.” Allison Springer, a U.S. Eventer and short-listed rider for the Alltech Games, as well as vice president of the Professional Riders Organization, also uses the Haygain brand hay steamer in her barn. “I began feeding steamed hay because I had a horse with an allergy issue that required it. Once I learned about its amazing benefits, I realized that every horse in the barn needed it,” Springer notes. “There is a huge misconception that only horses with a medical issue or top sport horses need steamed hay, but all of my horses – from my top competition horses to the ponies – thrive on steamed hay. If you have the ability to feed steamed hay, it is one of the very best things you can do for your horse.”

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Jordan Farm Bed & Breakfast Georgetown, Kentucky

Our unique Bed & Breakfast is situated on a beautiful 20 acre working Bluegrass Horse farm. We are 10 minutes from the Kentucky Horse Park, a national attraction, and just 12 minutes from downtown Lexington. Jordan Farm is conveniently located near famous horse farms, and we will gladly arrange for our guests to visit them. We have many fine restaurants nearby as well as many historic attractions. Our suites are $100-$125 per couple per night year round and additional persons may stay for $10 each. You will love our serene Jacuzzi suites. Children over the age of 8 are welcome at Jordan Farm with parental supervision.

For a relaxing, quiet getaway on your own private horse farm, come visit us. You will enjoy every minute of your stay.

Jordan Farm Bed & Breakfast 4091 Newtown Pike Georgetown, KY 40324

Day Phone: (859) 321-5707 | Night Phone: (502) 863-1944 www.jordanbandb.com

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Many horse owners find themselves dealing with problems related to two major parts of the horse’s anatomy: the stomach and hooves. In this first of a series, a classical dressage trainer and Lipizzan breeder examines hoof health issues and recounts her experience with a natural nutritional supplement for horses.

Lipizzans

on Lifeforce Written by feLice VinceLeTTe Throughout decades as an equine professional and herbalist, I have seen it play out many times over: horses sadly sidelined by stomach or hoof problems. The most common culprits? Serious digestive disorders such as colic and weak or brittle hooves that may crack or have difficulty holding a shoe. Sometimes stomach and hoof problems are related, as in horses whose hooves develop founder or laminitis as a result of overfeeding, or horses that develop secondary colic after foundering. But regardless of the chain of events, better to spend money in the feed bucket than at the veterinary hospital. The development of effective nutritional products lends the horse world hope that one day such serious risks to equine health may be a thing of the past.

“no fooT, no Horse” As the old maxim underscores, hoof health is crucial if a horse is to be utilized in any activity. Some horses are fortunate enough to be born with strong hooves;

others seem to need constant remedial work. I have seen many owners of horses with hoof problems reach for external products designed to add moisture or strength to the hooves. The simple truth is that you can apply all the hoof dressing you want, but if your horse isn’t getting the nutrients he needs, you may as well paint his hooves with cement. Ask your farrier and he’ll tell you: Hoof health comes from the inside out. For starters, horses need goodquality protein in their diet for hoof soundness, as well as for overall health. Protein delivers amino acids, such as methionine and cystine, which are needed for hoof growth. Minerals such as zinc are also important for healthy hooves. Still, a diet that serves most horses well may not be sufficient to support horses with hoof- health issues. Consider what happened to my Lipizzan mare, Amorica, after I moved my breeding and training stable, FireHeart Lipizzans, from New England to Kentucky two years ago.

I noticed that Amorica’s overall health began to decline. Her protein levels were low, and her hooves were not growing properly. This was a major concern, as she had previously suffered from laminitis (a serious inflammation of the sensitive structures in the hoof called the lamellae, the means by which the coffin bone is held tight within the hoof capsule). After trying a number of products without success, I obtained a sample of a new natural nutritional supplement: Lifeforce Equine. It was a two-week trial packet, and I was very skeptical that any product could be effective that quickly. But just before I reached the bottom of the packet, Amorica began to look like herself again. I had her retested and her protein levels were back to normal. My farrier commented on the remarkable hoof growth – he had never seen anything like it. To this day, Amorica continues to look and feel great. Now I have all my Lipizzans on Lifeforce.

Read what others have to say about their experiences with Lifeforce: http://alltech.com/blogs/lifeforce Product information or to order online: www.lifeforceformula.com

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Photo by Waltenberry

Rev Up Your Horse’s Performance With a Fat-Enhanced, Lower Starch Diet By Daniel J. Burke, Ph.D. | Tribute Equine Nutrition

s most riders know, a horse becomes more fit due to physical and biochemical changes in his muscle and cardiovascular system elicited by exercise over time (training). Few, however, understand the interrelationship between these changes and how the horse’s diet can maximize the benefits of the biochemical responses to exercise. Types of Exercise There are two main types of exercise, with a great range in between. The first is maximal exercise – work of high intensity for a short period of time (seconds), such as sprint racing. The main source used to supply energy in maximal exercise is carbohydrate (CHO), although fat and protein can be involved depending upon the fitness of the horse and the diet he is being fed. The second type of exercise is submaximal exercise – work of low intensity for a long period of time, such as endurance racing. In a fit horse, the major energy source is fat.

Reiner Pete Kyle (left) and dressage rider J.J. Tate (facing page) are among Tribute Equine Nutrition’s champion customers.

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Obviously, there many types of exercise in the range between maximal and submaximal, such as dressage and jumping, as well as longer races (minutes). The preferred energy source would depend on how close to maximal or submaximal the work is and the fitness level of the horse. It is important to note that carbohydrates and protein are metabolized anaerobically (without oxygen), with the main endproduct being lactic acid, a primary cause of fatigue. Fats, on the other hand, are metabolized aerobically (with oxygen), with the end-products being carbon dioxide and water. The end-products of fat metabolism are much less disturbing to the acid/base balance of the horse and will delay fatigue. Horses will only use protein as an energy source when the diet contains more protein than will meet the horse’s requirement. Using protein as an energy source is not only wasteful, but has been shown to decrease the horse’s performance. The energy substrate preference changes as the horse becomes more fit. In a fit horse, a greater portion of the exercise bout utilizes fat, sparing carbohydrates for the times in a race when maximal effort is required: starts and finishes.

Long-term physiological response to exercise Over many weeks of training, important changes in physical and biochemical characteristics of the horse develop. 1. Improved oxygen-carrying capacity: promotes better delivery of oxygen to working muscles, supporting use of fat for fuel 2. Muscles use oxygen more efficiently 3. Reduced lactic acid production (delays fatigue) 4. Horse can tolerate higher levels of lactic acid before fatigue sets in 5. Increased fat utilization, sparing glucose. 6. Increased resting glycogen concentration (more fuel for starts and finishes)

Research has demonstrated the following benefits of feeding high-fat diets: 1. Increased endurance (the ability to sustain speed over longer periods). 2. Horse operates at lower body temperature during exercise (delays fatigue). 3. Decreased respiratory effort during exercise (delays fatigue). 4. Can meet energy needs with less feed – carry less gut fill to the arena or race track! Higher fat diets can meet a horse’s nutritional needs with 75 to 80 percent of the amounts required by traditional feeds. That can translate to 8 to 12 pounds less gut fill over a three-day period (concentrations other nutrients must be adjusted for lower intake of feed to meet requirements). 5. Increased lactic acid threshold (time to rapid increase in lactic acid concentration in the blood during exercise) – delays fatigue.

High levels of grain and molasses: Negative effects of high sugar/starch diets The main effects we are trying to reduce by minimizing the soluble carbohydrate (sugar and starch) content of the equine athlete’s diet are lactic acid production, as well as the insulin increase caused by increased blood glucose levels due to high soluble carbohydrate diets. Continued on next page

What does this mean in practice? 1. The natural response to training shifts the preferred energy source from carbohydrate to fat. 2. A higher portion of the workout/race is run on fat. 3. Increased glycogen stores in muscle (more energy for starts/finishes). 4. Increased time to production of lactic acid (delays fatigue). 5. Increased tolerance of lactic acid (delays fatigue).

Photo by Bob Tarr

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The digestion of sugar/starch in the hindgut favors lactic acid production, which is poorly absorbed and results in a reduction of pH in the hindgut. Acidic pH is correlated to: 1. Osmotic diarrhea (water shifts into large intestine). 2. Overgrowth of pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria. 3. Destruction of beneficial bacteria – related to colic, endotoxemia and laminitis.

Continued from previous page The effects of high blood insulin levels due to sugar/starch digestion in the foregut are: 1. Increased movement of glucose and amino acids into cells. This action may correlate to a horse tying up. 2. Increased glycolysis. This may also correlate to tying up by. 3. May impact serotonin levels in brain. May explain hyperactivity and behavioral problems in some horses on high carbohydrate diets. 4. An association with ulcers due to fermentation in foregut. Research has suggested diets greater than 30 percent soluble carbohydrate will bypass the small intestine and pass to the hindgut, where they will be fermented by the microbes.

Take-Home Message: How to Manage Nutrition for the Equine Athleteed to: 1. Iupply up to 15-20 percent of needed calories with fat during training and events. 2. Decrease starch in diet (less corn, molasses, etc.). 3. Increase digestible fiber in diet (excellent quality grass hay, dried beet pulp). 4. Control feed intake: feed more often during the day; make good grass hay available at all times. 5. Use a professionally designed diet to ensure balance of all nutrients with lower intake of higher fat feeds. 6. Supply electrolytes when the horse is sweating.

Exercise Category

Types of Events

Suggested NSC Level

Fat Level

Tribute Products

Light

Beginning of training, Show horses (occasional)

Low (14 – 20%)

6-10%

Essential K, Kalm N EZ, Kalm Performer, Kalm N Fit

Moderate

School horses, Early training/breaking, Show horses (frequent), Polo

Low to medium (14-25%) depending on horse’s response

6-12%

Kalm N EZ, Kalm Performer, Kalm N Fit, Kalm Ultra

Heavy

Polo, Show horses (frequent, strenuous events), Low-medium level eventing, Race training (middle stages)

Medium to high (20-40%) depending on horse’s response

8-12%

Kalm Performer, Kalm N Fit, Kalm Ultra, Performance Advantage, Tough to Beet

Very Heavy

Racing, Endurance, Elite 3-day eventing

High (>30%) depending on horse’s response, especially tying-up

8-12%

Kalm Ultra, Performance Advantage, Tough to Beet

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When people come to try her imported sales horses at Stone Ranch in suburban Los Angeles, whether they buy one or not, German national Carin Bannos always hears the same question: “How do you make your horses look so good?” Their coats gleam, says the trainer, “like they’re plugged into an electric light socket.” er secret to a shiny coat? No coat conditioners, cream rinses or other grooming products. She showers them in water, period. Bannos’ FEI dressage and event horses get their luster from the inside out. Feeding them organic nutrients gives their performance the same edge it gives their appearance, she says. Call it the organic advantage. Like people, horses gain health benefits from organic food. But just as humans and horses speak their own languages, “organic” means different things in the twofooted and four-footed worlds. In human nutrition, organic means food grown without the use of pesticides. With

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MAGGIE BROEKMAN

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horses, it refers to a nutrient’s chemical structure and to minerals derived from live sources. Why do live sources matter to a horse? Horses in the wild eat live grasses and plants; their systems are designed to digest and absorb them. Because they are more “bioavailable” than inorganic forms, horses retain organic nutrients longer and utilize them more efficiently. A horse owner may “see” more of the nutrient in the horse’s coat, hooves, attitude and performance.

When it comes to selenium, a key equine nutrient, the organic factor is powerful. A potent tool in antioxidant defense, selenium is vital to every cell in the body. Seleniumsupplemented foals are known to grow better than seleniumdeficient foals, and selenium is needed for reproductive function in stallions and broodmares. “We hear that selenium is important. That is not [saying] enough—it is essential,” Professor Gerhard Schrauzer of the University of California at San Diego told attendees at Alltech’s annual European Selenium Conference (“Selenium in Animal and Human Health – Nutrition Inspired by Nature”) in Prague. He and other experts emphasized the detrimental effects of selenium deficiency on horses. It predisposes young horses to a debilitating condition known as white muscle disease, which has symptoms similar to EPM. Affected foals develop gait abnormalities and cannot swallow normally. Lack of selenium also contributes to a degenerative muscle condition known as rhabdomyolysis (known as “tying-up”), which causes severe muscle cramps that result in stiffness, sweating and an increased pulse rate. The organic selenium in Sel-Plex is more digestible and much safer for horses than inorganic selenium. The organic selenium compounds that plants and yeast

produce are nature’s way of providing a potentially toxic element in a safe form. This is a particular boon for horse owners in geographic regions where the grass tends to be selenium-deficient, such as portions of Europe. Selenium levels are generally lower in Europe than in the United States and have been particularly low in Spain, Greece, Eastern Europe and China. Horse owners should follow recommended dosages to guard against overfeeding selenium, which is toxic in high amounts. That is a major concern with inorganic selenium, while toxicity is much lower in organic sources such as Sel-Plex. Additionally, horse populations tend to be concentrated in regions that are selenium-deficient, such as Europe. (Selenium levels are lowest in Spain, Greece, Eastern Europe and parts of China, and are generally lower in Europe than the U.S.) Organic trace minerals (also called chelated minerals) such as zinc, copper and manganese are required in far smaller amounts than selenium but have crucial functions. Trace mineral deficiencies can disrupt the body’s internal functions and can reduce a horse’s ability to perform at an optimum level. Proper levels enhance skin, coat, bone strength and hoof health. When Alltech’s Sel-Plex and Bioplex (organic trace minerals) became available in the European Union, horseowners like Bannos—who has sales horses in Germany and in the U.S. —were quick to incorporate them into their feeding programs. As a result, she says, her horses look as good as they feel. (To see them shine online: www.cb-sporthorses.com.)

Carin Bannos sails cross-country aboard Garfield (by Grand Cru), an imported Hanoverian powered by organic nutritionals.

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By Eric Haydt | Triple Crown Nutrition

While we humans enjoy all the benefits of late summer, horses tend to have a tougher time enduring the heat. Although air-conditioning the barn is not an option for most of us, we can take some nutritional steps to reduce heat stress.

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Eric Haydt is General Manager of Triple Crown Nutrition, Platinum Animal Health and Nutrition Partner for the Alltech Games.

Dr. Brad Tanner is a veterinarian with Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, the Official Equine Hospital and Veterinary Partner for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010TM.

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From Kentucky to Normandy

In 2014, the World Equestrian Games will be back in Europe and more specifically in Normandy, the very birthplace of horse riding. The entire region is already champing at the bit to take over the reins from Kentucky in hosting the equestrian elite, and to make the Games a sporting and social success. From the 17th to the 31st of August 2014, more than 800 riders and 850 horses will be competing for international titles at exceptional locations.

An event in the heart of the city Transformed into a fully-fledged “equestrian stadium,” Caen, the Basse-Normandie capital, will be hosting seven out of eight disciplines: jumping, eventing, dressage, driving, vaulting, reining, and para-equestrian dressage. “The cradle

of equestrian sport, Caen witnessed the birth of horse racing in 1837. We are renewing our ties with our equine history and are delighted to be hosting this major event in the heart of the city,” enthuses Philippe Duron, deputy mayor of Caen.

Show jumping is the best known and most popular of all equestrian disciplines in France.

Located in the city, the Stade d’Ornano will be playing host to jumping and dressage events, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.

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Dressage, cross-country, show jumping: Eventing is an equestrian triathlon.

A showcase for the entire region The endurance race (160 km) will start at the Haras du Pin, the Mecca of French horse breeding since 1714, and will culminate in the majestic bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, a world heritage site. In order to showcase all the main equestrian sites in Basse-Normandie, there will also be two demonstration events: horse ball at Saint-Lô and polo at Deauville. In the words of Laurent Beauvais, Chairman of the Région Basse-Normandie and the Normandy Organizational Committee 2014, “Normandy intends to make these World Equestrian Games a first-rate sporting event, where each and every discipline will be given the opportunity to shine.”

Three days of competition for a spectacular discipline: carriage driving.

At the end of the 160-km stretch, Mont Saint-Michel will provide the setting for the finish of the endurance race.

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Sport, economy, research… In Normandy, the equine sector is renowned for its excellence! It is no coincidence that Normandy has been chosen to host the biggest equestrian event ever to have been held in France. Every year, the region hosts close to 4,000 events, some being of an international caliber (Concours Complet International du Haras du Pin, Rendez-vous International d’Attelage au Haras du Pin, Jumping International de Caen, etc.).

Yearling sale at Deauville: A part of Normandy’s equine economy.

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With 100 000 horses being born every year, Normandy is France’s leading horse-breeding region.

Franceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest horse-breeding region, Normandy is the birthplace of numerous star horses and champion riders. Generating 600 million Euros in annual turnover and providing jobs for 10,000 people, this fully-fledged economic sector is built upon an internationally renowned industry. The equine economy owes much to an array of top-class facilities: an institute of horse pathology, one of a kind in the world; an equine genetics laboratory; two national stud farms; and an airport specializing in horse transportation.

With its institute of horse pathology, Normandy possesses a first-rate equine health and research facility.

Located in Normandy, Deauville airport specializes in horse transportation.

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Eric Straus is having a busy fall as Chief Reining Steward at the Alltech Games, followed just two weeks afterward as CEO of the Washington International Horse (October 26-31). His background enables him to view these key positions from a different perspective than most of us. He has been: Director of Programs and Operations of the Dallas International Sports Commission; Executive Director of the American Horse Shows Association (predecessor of today’s United States Equestrian Federation); and Secretary of the USEF and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. EQUINE INTERNATIONAL correspondent Diana De Rosa chatted with him about the road ahead . . .

. . . from Lexington to Washington Q: What does your job at the Alltech Games entail? A: The responsibilities of the Chief Steward focus on:

managing the 10 members of the stewarding team, overseeing stable security, being responsible for the organization of the veterinary inspections, deciding on the training schedules, serving as steward at all training and warmup sessions, ensuring safe and healthy conditions for equine and human athletes, maintaining regular contact with the chefs d’equipe, providing assistance with the medication testing protocols, and liaising with the President of the Ground Jury.

Q: Is there anything similar about your missions at both events? A: The two competitions share several common

elements, but the one that comes to mind first is the need to stay on schedule. Both events are championships; everyone is raising the level of their game, so preparation is intense. Attention to detail is important; adaptability is crucial. The key is to think through the plan, look at it from the competitor’s or trainer’s point of view, and if it is good then go with it. Conditions or assumptions will change, so you need to re-evaluate and be prepared to act. Getting it right is not a one-off.

Q: What does it mean to you to hold two such prestigious positions? A: It is a huge honor to be part of both events.

Horses and competitions have been part of our family life since my grandfather rode every day before going to the office. Our family believes in giving back to the sport that has given us so much. I know I’m a very lucky guy.

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Text and photos by Diana De Rosa