Your Horse Feed Guide 2012 by Your Horse

36 page essential guide to the latest research and expert advice on forage, hard feed, supplements and more

Feed Guide 2012 Including ● All you need to know about fbre ● Feeding for his workload ● New feeds ● The right supplement ● Expert answers to your feeding problems

ALL PICTURES COPYRIGHT MATTHEW ROBERTS UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

Feed Guide 2012

Welcome

he rattle of a feed bucket’s certainly guaranteed to get your horse’s attention, but it’s what you put in it that can be a cause for concern. Is he getting the right fuel to suit his workload? Is his waistline expanding faster than his girth can keep up with? And that’s before you even consider what’s in his haynet, or count up the calories he’s wolfng down grazing in his paddock. w w w.you r hor se .c o.u k

It’s true that the world of feeding’s hugely complex, but we’re here to guide you through the essentials and help you choose the right forage, feed and supplements to guarantee your horse stays ft and healthy, whatever you plan to do this autumn. So read on for the latest expert advice and have your buckets and nets at the ready. Happy feeding!

Helen Mil bank

YH writer

Inside...

Find the right fbre provider to suit your horse’s age, workload and personality

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How to assess your horse’s workload – and feed accordingly The latest feeds on the market

What and how to feed your horse to aid his digestive health

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Our guide to diferent supplements to ensure you’re choosing (and spending) wisely Expert advice on formulating the ideal bucket feed Your feeding questions answered by our panel of experts

feed guide 2012 your horse 3

Feeding fbre

Chewing over the facts… Nothing means more to your horse’s health and happiness than what’s in his haynet or growing in his paddock, and fnding the right forage to suit his lifestyle and foibles is one of the most important decisions you’ll make

hat’s your horse eating right now? Chances are he’s out in the feld grazing or tucking into a haynet, chomping his way through several kilos-worth of food every day. The ‘lots of forage’ message appears to have got through, and then some, with owners keen to make sure their horses eat as nature intended and graze, graze, graze. But the forage world is a complex one and while some sources will suit your horse down to the ground, others will exacerbate an already expanding waistline, or add a sugar high to the list of things your hot-headed horse doesn’t need. None of it comes cheap, so you need to make sure you’re giving him the right feed for his work and temperament. The key is to understand the two major F-words – fbre and forage – and ensure your horse spends his day stocking up on the right types to suit his lifestyle and individual quirks.

Forage vs Fibre

Let’s start with a little biology lesson. Forage is the edible part of a plant used as feed for grazing animals or harvested for feeding, and this varies in its nutritional value depending on how much fbre it contains – and what type. All forage sources, from oat straw to grass, contain fbre, which is stored in the cell walls of plants, seeds, cereals, leaves and stems and is the plant’s equivalent of scafolding. Traditional forage sources such as hay and grass are generally high in fbre, but other non-forage feeds, like oats, are also a source of fbre. 4 your horse FeeD GuIDe 2012

“All plant feeds are sources of fbre, but they contain diferent amounts and types of fbre,” explains Dr Teresa Hollands, R.Nutr, ofcial supplier of nutritional advice to Team GBR and senior nutritionist at Dodson & Horrell. “It’s this diference in fbre content that explains why there are more calories in grass compared to hay, and why horses get fatter on hay compared to the same quantity of straw.”

The righT balanCe

The commonsense message that horses should be allowed to ‘trickle feed’ throughout the day on bulky forages such as grass and hay is the key to their good health and happiness on lots of levels. Good quality forage supports their need for nutrients, enables their gut to function well, keeps their mind and body occupied as they endlessly chew, and is the reason nutritionists advise they eat at least 1.5% – and ideally more like 2% to 3% – of their bodyweight in forage every day. That’s at least 10kg a day for an average 500kg horse in the form of grass, hay, haylage or other fbre-packed feeds. But as vital as it is that our horses are allowed to eat as nature intended, so too is it essential they stay a healthy weight. If you’ve ever been heard to say ‘My horse lives on fresh air’ bear in mind he could be eating the equivalent of 10 heaped scoops of fresh grass per hour out in the feld. Not so much ‘fresh air’ as ‘cream cake’ – and the reason why it’s so important to know your fbre types and feed accordingly, whether your horse is a little on the ‘cuddly’ side or in need of putting on weight. w w w.you r hor se .c o.u k

Feed Guide 2012

Horses should be allowed to ‘trickle feed’ throughout the day on bulky forages such as hay

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Feeding fbre Filler fibre

“Straw is a good example of a forage that contains fller fbre,” says Teresa. “In fact you can think of it as the horse’s equivalent of celery for humans. “This is because it contains so much of a fbre called lignin in its cell walls even the bacteria in the gut struggle to digest it. Its calorie value is proportional to the amount of lignin, and wheat straw is particularly indigestible as it contains not only the most lignin, but also silica.” greaT For… Horses in light work and good-doers will beneft from some fller fbre in their diets. Oat or barley straw is ideal for mixing with hay or haylage so your horse’s ration lasts longer – he’ll be munching for longer, but without consequent weight gain. Be warned though – some vets believe straw can be linked to impaction colic, so only feed it if your horse’s teeth are strong and he has access to plenty of water. Using a small-holed haynet, flled with a mix of hay and oat or barley straw, will increase your horse’s eating time.

low-calorie ‘fller’ fbre can help with weight control

alfalfa contains the same amount of calories as oats

Sugar beet is a source of easily digestible fbre

Fuel fibre

easily-digestible fibre

“Alfalfa is a good example of a forage that contains fuel fbre as it actually has the same amount of energy (or calories) as oats,” says Teresa. “This is because alfalfa contains less lignin and more of an easily digestible fbre known as hemi-cellulose. As a result the bacteria are able to digest it easily and, at the same time, make loads of the complex end-products your horse absorbs and uses as energy. Because the fbre is contained within a forage the release of this energy is quite slow, as your horse has to rely mostly on the bacteria to break down the cell walls to release it.” greaT For… Naturally stressy, highly strung types as it provides lots of calories, but releases energy slowly so they don’t get the sugar ‘high’ that may exacerbate a fzzy temperament. High in fbre and protein as well as calories, research shows alfalfa can help maintain a healthy gut by acting as a ‘bufer’ to regulate acid levels in the stomach. It can also be given as a hay replacer if your horse has poor teeth. 6 your horse FeeD GuIDe 2012

“Cereals, fruits, vegetables and sugar beet contain easily digestible fbre (i.e. cellulose and pectin, as well as mucilages and beta-glucans), which isn’t bound so tightly within the cell wall architecture and has little or no lignin,” says Teresa. “Your horse is therefore able to break open the cell walls simply by chewing, and this releases the sugars and starches for digestion in the small intestine. This chewing also releases the soluble fbre from the cell walls, so the bacteria can get started on the fermentation process more quickly than they can when they’re dealing with a fuel fbre.” greaT For… When soaked, sugar beet is nice and sloppy – ideal for horses with poor teeth – and can be used as a partial hay replacer. Research has shown that feeding sugar beet helps to improve the digestibility of other fbres fed with it. Bear in mind however that it must be soaked and times for this vary, so follow the manufacturer’s directions (it can be up to 24 hours). w w w.you r hor se .c o.u k

Feed Guide 2012 hydrating fibre

“Grass is a good example of a forage that contains hydrating fbre,” explains Teresa. “Young grass doesn’t contain much fbre, but it does contain up to 90% water. This is why spring grass gives many horses runny bottoms or the commonly recognised grass belly. Horses get a grass belly simply because they have to eat a lot of fbre to fll them up and give them the calories they need, but this also flls them up with water. “The instant buzz associated with spring grass is not from the fbre but from the simple carbohydrates in the grass. These are absorbed in the small intestine and are available one to two hours after eating, unlike the complex carbohydrates that need fermenting in the hindgut and are available 24 to 65 hours after eating.” greaT For… High in protein, grass is good news for all bar the laminitic and those prone to weight gain. Some felds lack essential trace vitamins and minerals, such as copper, so invest in a broadspectrum vitamin and mineral supplement to help correct this. Some companies, such as Dodson & Horrell, will analyse your grazing for a small charge.

a horse chews 1kg of hay (around a slice) about 4,500 times!

Fresh spring grass can contain up to 90% water

Forage fibre

“Hay and haylage are both forages that provide fbre and, most importantly, the vital occupational therapy horses need,” says Teresa. “A horse chews 1kg (a slice) of hay about 4,500 times (yes, we have measured it!) and produces 1ml of saliva for every chew. So a slice of hay produces 4.5 litres of saliva and amazing bufering against the potentially damaging juices in the gut. Added to this, most horses take a chew a second, so a 500kg horse fed 2.5% of his bodyweight as hay per day is kept occupied for 16 hours.” greaT For… All horses. Haylage has a higher moisture content than hay due to the way it’s baled, so you need to feed more to give enough fbre – 15kg of haylage is equivalent to 10kg of hay. It may also be too calorifc for good-doers, so try ‘diluting’ it with some oat straw. All horses beneft from hay being soaked for 30 minutes to reduce its dust levels, but soak for longer – a minimum of 12 hours – if he’s a good-doer, as this reduces its calorie content by around a quarter. If you prefer to steam rather than soak it may be worth investing in a hay steamer. Try the Haygain steamer (www.haygain. com); Happy Horse Hay Steamers (www. happyhorseproducts.co.uk) or Google ‘hay steamers’ for a list of manufacturers. Or you can win one in this issue of Your Horse!

Remember that once haylage has been opened it can spoil quickly, so use it within three to four days.

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Fibre and workload

Feed Guide 2012

horses in light work will often get 100%, or more, of their calorie needs from grass alone

all in a day’s work

n addition to his waistline and lifestyle, your horse’s workload will infuence his forage needs – but when it comes to describing what constitutes a hard working life for our horses it seems opinions difer from yard to yard and owner to owner. You might think your horse has worked hard because he’s just come back from a leisurely two-hour hack, snacking en route on trees and shrubs in passing, whereas a three-day eventer may be nearer the mark as they take their horse back to the stables fresh from galloping over a four-star cross-country course. “A horse’s workload is difcult to quantify as they’re all individuals and there are so many variables that afect the amount of energy they use,” says Katie Williams, MSc (Dist), senior nutritionist at Dengie. “Their age, breed and type, the weather and the weight they’re carrying all play a part. “However, based on The Nutrient

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Requirements of Horses, published by the National Research Council (NRC), as well as my own experience, I’d suggest a light workload would be low intensity hacking for one to two hours four or fve times a week, as well as schooling two to three times a week and occasional riding club-level competitions. “A moderate workload would be schooling four to fve times a week and competing every one to two weeks at a level equivalent to afliated Novice eventing or Elementary level dressage. Heavy would be competing at Intermediate level or above, 50-mile endurance rides and high level dressage, while very heavy is racing, three-day eventing, polo and top level endurance riding.” So if this has forced you to re-evaluate your horse’s feeding regime (your horse might kid you that it’s hard work being hacked out every day, but it’s not true) it’s time to take a cold, hard look at the

nutrition he needs and, importantly, avoid wasting your money on forage, hard feed and supplements he doesn’t. “If you’re as old as me the analogy of forage and two- and fve-star petrol will make sense,” adds Teresa Hollands. “Working on the Isle of Man at Conrhenny Equestrian Centre, my mode of transport was the equivalent of a laidback cob – a one-gear yellow moped – and I was often overtaken by the equivalent of the performance horse, namely fast sports cars and bikes practising for the TT races. “In those days I wouldn’t have wasted my money on fve-star petrol for my trusty steed, and there was absolutely no way the TT boys would have used one-star – so when did we start to think we should feed leisure horses along the same lines as performance horses? The two are completely diferent beasts, yet the lines have merged in recent years from a nutritional perspective.” FeeD GuIDe 2012 your horse 9

What’s New Sports Horse Mix from Chestnut Horse Feeds £15 for 20kg For details, call 01455 558808 or visit www.chestnuthorsefeeds.co.uk Chestnut Horse Feeds’ Sports Horse Mix is a high fbre, natural, complete feed that provides an optimal balance between quick and slow releasing energy to ensure there’s always ‘fuel in the tank’. Suitable for a range of horses in demanding work, including sports such as polo, eventing, show jumping, driving, endurance and dressage, Sports Horse Mix is a moderate energy, high oil feed, which helps maintain condition and provide sufcient energy without over exuberance. The palatable, nutrient-rich formula includes long chop alfalfa, cereals, high fbre pellets and soya oil, as well as a full vitamin and mineral package. It helps balance the nutrient defciencies in cut forage and grazing, and helps support muscle function during exercise.

Grass without soil from Fodder Solutions Olympic three-day event riders Clayton and Lucinda Fredericks are among those using Fodder Solutions to feed their team of competition horses. This is a hydroponic (or soil-less) feeding system that grows fresh ‘grass mats’, usually from barley seed, though sunfower, lupin or mung beans can be added to the seed mix. “We trialled the system for several months,” says Clayton. “At frst it was the cost beneft that attracted me and I looked at it as something that would make a good feed basis for the yard, even if it turned out to be not for my top horses. A few months on, however, I’m a convert and have seen the benefts all-round, including with our Olympic horses. “I’m fnding that the horses are not only stronger and more supple, but are relaxed in their minds. They feel much softer through their backs, and as the new forage is the only thing that has changed

Clayton and Lucinda Fredericks feed their horses Fodder Solutions

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Tucking into a mat of Fodder Solutions grass

in their regimes, it has to be the reason for their improvement. “What also appeals is that by altering the seed mix, I can increase the protein in their diets to build muscle, without the risk of tying up. For me, it’s the perfect way to feed horses naturally and give them all the fuel they need to be elite athletes. All we need now is a version for riders!” ● Fodder Solutions system will produce 25kg of feed per day and feeding three horses costs around £4,500. The running

costs, including the seeds, electricity and water needed, are under £1 per horse, per day. The manufacturer claims the units will more than pay for themselves in two to three years, and there are many diferent sizes of units available, producing up to 500kg of fresh green feed per day. An average horse will eat one mat per day – half in the morning and half in the evening. Find out more at www.foddersolutions. co.uk or call 024 7660 8088.

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Feed Guide 2012

Feeding facts Understanding your horse’s complex digestive system will help you formulate a feeding plan that keeps him ft and well

he reasons why horses are kept may have changed a huge deal over the centuries, but from a physiological viewpoint horses are exactly the same as they’ve always been – and their digestive system still needs a very similar diet to their

primitive ancestors, namely a high fbre, low carbohydrate, forage-based mix of feeds. Equine nutritionist Rachel Parrott explains what makes your horse’s digestive system tick, and how to keep him on the dietary straight and narrow.

OUR ExpERt

RacHel PaRRott

BSc (Hons) is a nutritionist at Allen & Page. Find out more about its range of feeds at www.allenandpage. com or call the friendly nutrition helpline on 01362 822902.

Digestion explained As herbivores, horses digest fbre by fermentation – not in their stomachs, but in their hindgut, which is part of the large intestine. The hindgut consists of the caecum and the small and large colon, and living within this are millions of small organisms, or microfora, which carry out fermentation. These organisms work by breaking down fbre and producing volatile fatty acids, or VFAs – and it’s these VFAs that provide energy for the horse.

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Horses digest fbre by hindgut fermentation

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Feeding facts

Feed Guide 2012

the dangers of a starch overdose Starch is a carbohydrate found in cereal grains such as barley, maize and oats and is a good source of fast-release energy – meaning the energy is made rapidly available to your horse. While starch is not necessarily ‘bad’ for him in small quantities, it can cause problems if he eats too much in one meal. Starch is digested in the small intestine, but if large meals are fed there’s a risk some of the feed won’t be digested here and will instead pass into the hindgut,

Why fibre is essential

where fbre’s digested. This will cause the bacterial balance in the hindgut to be upset and bacteria that prefer starch will take over from the fbredigesting bacteria. As a consequence, the hindgut will become more acidic, leading to the death of fbre-digesting bacteria and causing toxins to be released. This acidic environment also makes the gut wall more at risk to toxins entering the blood stream, which can lead to laminitis.

BOB LAngRISH

Fibre is essential for your horse’s health

a high-starch diet can lead to laminitis

‘SuPeR’ FIbReS Although there is a wide variety of microfora inside your horse’s gut, the majority are fbre-digesting bacteria. These digest diferent types of fbre at diferent rates, and the easier it is for the bacteria to ferment the fbre, the more energy your horse will get from it. This is where ‘super Sugar beet is easily digested

Why yeast’s not just for breadmaking … Fibre is important for maintaining the delicate balance within the hindgut, but the addition of pre- and probiotics can help to promote good digestion. Probiotics are live yeast cells which, when fed to your horse, aid the breakdown of fbre in the large intestine. Yeasts promote good digestive function in a number of ways. First, they use any oxygen that may have found its way into the

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fbres’, such as sugar beet, come in. Highly digestible, these super fbres produce good amounts of energy, without upsetting the balance of fbre-loving microfora. A high fbre diet is not only suitable for horses in light work or at rest, but also for those competing at a high level. Regardless of how much energy your horse needs, his digestive system still works in the same way. With the addition of super fbres to provide energy, a fbre-rich diet can easily provide enough energy for hard-working horses. However, if your horse needs a little more energy, an additional energy source may be needed. Instead of carbohydrates such as starch and sugar, oils can be a good alternative, providing excellent sources of slow release sustainable energy that will not upset the environment of the hindgut.

Fibre is vital for a healthy digestive system and also provides the horse with excellent levels of slow-release energy. Fibre in the form of hay, haylage and grass should always form the majority of the diet. One of the functions of fbre is to provide a consistent supply of food to keep the population of microfora healthy, and there are a number of ways to encourage this: ● ensure good quality forage is ofered, either free access or, if weight is an issue, over a longer period of time. Eating can be slowed down by using a small-holed haynet when stabled, or if grazing, by using a muzzle a grazing muzzle can reduce calorie intake

● Make any dietary changes gradually to allow the microfora in the gut to adjust ● If the horse is unable to eat long stem forage, high fbre soaked feeds, which can be used as a hay replacement, are ideal

caecum, the junction of the small and large intestines. This is important as benefcial bacteria in the intestines cannot thrive in the presence of oxygen. Yeast’s second action is to provide somewhere for the bacteria to attach to. Bacteria can only break down fbre if they’re attached to a surface, so by adding yeast you increase the opportunities for bacteria to bond to a surface. Finally, yeast also protects the caecum from becoming too acidic – an acidic hindgut kills bacteria, reducing fbre breakdown.

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Supplements

A little someth Whether your horse needs added vitamins and minerals, or something to boost his hoof health, our guide to the supplements on ofer will help you choose wisely

Joint supplements Old or hard-working joints may beneft from a specifc supplement that contains the essential nutrients required for joint health and function. Common ingredients include chondroitin, glucosamine, MSM and hyaluronic acid, but products vary in their concentration of these elements, so ask your vet to recommend a supplement or ring one of the feed helplines for product advice.

Products include… ● Equine Cortafex from Equine America visit www.equine-america.co.uk ● Aviform’s Suppleaze Gold visit www.aviform.co.uk ● Newmarket Equine Joint Supplement visit www.petmeds.co.uk ● GWF Nutrition’s Joint Aid Plus for Horses + Omega 3 visit www.gwfnutrition.com

Calmers Calmers, as the name suggests, aim to soothe fragile nerves and reduce stress and excitability. Some are given in ‘one shot’ and are designed to be used before a competition or other exciting event, while others have been developed to be fed on an ongoing basis to highly strung horses. If you feel you need to use one before a show, make sure it doesn’t contain any banned substances – most products will state this on the packaging. Products include… ● Animalife Vetrocalm, contains easily absorbed magnesium, (known as the anti-stress mineral). Can be used with Equine Oxyshot for extra instant calming. Visit www.animalife.co.uk ● Day Son & Hewitt Feel Good 30 Science Formula Calming, a B-complex vitamin and magnesium supplement with lecithin. Visit www. supplementsolutions.co.uk ● Blue Chip Karma, which contains a water-soluble magnesium and L-tryptophan, an essential amino acid required for the formation of proteins and some hormones, including serotonin – or the ‘feel-good’ hormone. Visit www.bluechipfeed.com 20 your horse feed guide 2012

● NAF Magic, a magnesium-based herbal formula that helps to reduce tension in tight muscles and boost concentration. Visit www.naf-uk.com ● Net-Tex Carl Hester Pro-Mag Calm Boost, a syringe calmer designed to be given before stressful situations, such as travelling or clipping. Visit www.net-tex. co.uk/carlhester ● TopSpec Calmer, an apple-favoured supplement that can be mixed into feed, with added yeast, B vitamins and magnesium. Visit www.topspec.com

Respiratory aids Supplements that aim to soothe a horse’s respiratory system are usually designed to be added to feed, in either a liquid or powder form. They work to help maintain and support the airways and lungs and reduce fatigue. They can be useful if your horse is stabled in a dusty environment or prone to problems that will afect breathing, such as a pollen allergy. Products include… ● Aviform’s Breatheasy Natural Equine Respiratory Aid visit www.aviform.co.uk ● Airways Solution and Airways Xtra Strength Powder from Equine America visit www.equine-america.co.uk ● Breathe-Free from Dodson & Horrell visit www.dodsonandhorrell.com ● NAF Respirator Boost visit www.naf-equine.eu

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Feed Guide 2012

ing extra… Digestive aids Prebiotics are thought to help to support gut function by maintaining the balance between benefcial and harmful species of gut bacteria – and are particularly useful during times of potential stress, such as when your horse is travelling, competing or moving yards. Prebiotics difer from probiotics in that they stimulate the good bacteria already present. Probiotics, on the other hand, contain live bacteria, which prevent harmful ones from being established through ‘competitive exclusion’. Generally speaking,

Dazzling in the show ring

probiotics should be fed as a short-term strategy, while prebiotics can be used longer term if necessary. Products include… ● Dengie’s Natural Vitality Digestive Health Plus, which contains a mix of probiotics, prebiotics and yeast. Visit www.dengie.com ● Biotal Equine Gold, which contains a live yeast supplement. Visit www.biotal.co.uk ● Baileys Digest Plus, a prebiotic supplement. Visit www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk

Lynn with Baileys Horse Feeds Coruus

Show rider and producer Lynn Russell is best known for producing champion show cobs, but her expertise also includes ridden hunters and Racehorse to Riding horse classes. All her horses live out and are fed products from the Baileys range. “The cobs get three smaller feeds – and as we have loads of grass, they get Everyday High Fibre, both the cubes and mix versions, with Baileys Outshine and chaf,” says Lynn. “The Thoroughbreds get four feeds a day. They’re fed Everyday High Fibre Mix as well as Outshine, and I change that to All-Round Endurance Mix for one or two of their feeds a day, as it’s a source of slow release energy, so helps keep condition on. I give all the horses Digest Plus as well as this helps to keep their guts healthy.”

Hoof supplements Hooves need to ‘feed’ on a complex balance of trace minerals in order to grow ft and strong, and while some horses will have naturally better feet than others, those with poor ones may well beneft from a boost in these mineral essentials. When buying a supplement look for zinc (an important nutrient for strong skin, hair, and hoof) and biotin (a key player in hoof health). Check that the supplement contains biotin levels of at least 15-20 mg per day. Look too for essential amino acids, including methionine and lysine. Products include: ● Farrier’s Formula, a supplement that provides the nutrient support horses need to build strong connective tissue proteins. Visit www.lifedatalabs.co.uk ● NAF ProFeet, available in a powder or liquid form to support strong, healthy hooves. Visit www.naf-equine.eu ● Keratex Feed Supplement For Hooves, which contains everything your horse needs for improved hoof growth. Visit www.keratex.com

Healthy hooves Horslyx has developed a unique ‘Healthy Hooves’ package, which provides a cost efective, all-in-one method of providing the necessary building blocks to maintain strong, healthy feet as every Horslyx product contains a mix of nutrients, including biotin, methionine and zinc. Find out more about its Healthy Hooves Challenge at www.horslyx.co.uk

Balancers

‘He’s going better than ever’

Balancers, as their name suggests, serve to ‘balance’ the diet and provide all the essential vitamins and minerals your horse needs in a concentrated form, so you don’t have to feed much of the product to give him his daily ration. Low-calorie balancers, such as TopSpec Lite and Blue Chip Lami-Light, are great for good-doers as a small amount can be added to some unmolassed chaf to provide a slim-line meal. However, there are balancers to suit all horses, including competition horses (such as Blue Chip Pro), and veterans (such as Spillers Senior Balancer or Horse and Pony Direct’s Veteran Feed Balancer).

Para dressage rider Kathryn Gallagher from Nottinghamshire has had huge success with her horse Waragon (or Dreamer as he’s known at home). Currently competing at Medium level, the Para Grade IV rider is used to nine-year-old Dreamer’s energetic take on life, but wanted a feed that would keep him looking great, but not exacerbate his natural exuberance. She started feeding TopSpec Lite feed balancer – and the pair have never looked back. “Dreamer has built so much more muscle and is going better than ever,” she

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says. “His skin and coat look fabulous and he’s on great form. It’s wonderful to know he is getting all the nutrients he needs to compete and train at his best.”

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Hard feed

Feed Guide 2012

Fetch the bucket… Your horse may need extra calories to ensure he has the energy to perform at his best. We help you fnd the right hard feed to suit his age and workload – and help to balance any behavioural quirks

ometimes a diet that consists largely of forage, chaff and vital vitamins and minerals just isn’t enough. But don’t worry, there’ll be a hard feed to suit your horse’s requirements, with mixes and cubes designed for every workload, age and character. The biggest problem is the choice is endless and deciding what to feed can be confusing. The key is to keep it simple, contact one of the feed manufacturers’ helplines for free expert advice if you’re worried (see page 15 for a list of useful contact details), and remember the high fbre rule. Continue to keep the forage-toconcentrate ratio weighted in favour of forage sources and you’ll be well on the way to a happy, healthy horse who has the energy to do what you want.

Guarantee a sprinG in His step

Huge amounts of research and expert input go into every new feed that’s developed, with products on the market to suit leisure horses, competition animals, broodmares, veterans and every type in between. It pays to do your homework and choose one that’s tailored towards your horse’s workload and discipline – and the frst thing to ascertain is what he needs, nutritionally speaking, in order to perform at his best. “The level your horse is working at is important to consider as this will determine the type of energy he requires,” explains Dengie’s Katie Williams. “For example, some cerealbased feed may be required to provide the quick-release energy needed for the

step on the scales…

It’s a good idea to monitor your horse’s weight every two weeks and take regular pictures, too, as this will act as a visual guide as to whether he’s getting a cresty neck (something a weightape won’t detect). Visit www.dodsonandhorrell. com for advice on fat scoring and using a weightape – click on the ‘weight loss and gain’ link. You can buy a D&H weightape Hy forthyt £7.85 htyt htyt hty thty thty thth ty – call 01832 737300. w w w.you r hor se .c o.u k

feed guide 2012 your horse 23

Hard feed the golden rules of feeding ● it may be the oldest rule in the feed book, but always feed little and often so you can replicate your horse’s need to trickle feed (this may mean dividing your horse’s daily hard feed ration into three or four meals if possible) ● Don’t waste your money – and potentially compromise your horse’s gut health – by giving him an extra big tea. Research has shown any concentrate meals that weigh more than 2kg increase the chances of the enzymes in the small intestine being unable to digest such a high amount of cereals and starch. This can lead to conditions such as colic, laminitis and tying up ● always make sure the bulk of your horse’s daily feed intake is foragebased (at least 80%) to satisfy his need to graze ● Feed only good quality forage, as dusty, mouldy hay or haylage can lead to Xxxxxx respiratory problems

● Help prevent stress and digestive problems by feeding at the same time every day, and making only gradual changes to what’s fed ● allow your horse free access to clean water throughout the day (an average horse will drink around 18 litres a day) ● Don’t leave your horse stabled for long periods without anything to eat, or try to ‘starve’ weight of him as this will only lead to health problems. Instead, feed a regular supply of low-calorie ‘fller’ fbre (see page 6 for more on this) ● Don’t exercise your horse straight after you’ve fed him, instead leave at least an hour ● Don’t over-feed high energy mixes and cubes. Not only will your horse’s digestive system struggle to cope with a sudden cereal ‘hit’, the fast-release energy that ingredients such as barley, maize and oats release can lead to excitable behaviour and obesity the level your horse is working at – and the discipline – will determine the type of energy he requires

explosive efort of sports such as show jumping. “If your horse is competing regularly, supplementing his diet with oil will further help to improve his stamina and provide an energy source that can be used for low-intensity schooling and warming up. This should mean the stores of glycogen in the muscles are spared for when the horse moves into more intense work.” As Katie explains, fbre and oil are ideal energy sources for those with lots of natural speed and enthusiasm. For more laidback individuals, some quick-release energy from cereals may be required to generate a bit more sparkle. Sports such as endurance are where the most oil is fed as this provides slow-release energy and is very energy dense, helping to meet the high energy demands of long distances. Fibre is also important for providing slow release energy and acting as a fuid reservoir in the gut – high quality fbre such as sugar beet and alfalfa are essential for this. But what if your horse is less of a competitive animal and more a fun hack? “Horses who are hacking regularly can largely be maintained on a fbre-based diet,” says Katie. “Quality fbres such as alfalfa and sugar beet provide as much energy as a cool mix and so there’s no reason why horses in light to moderate work can’t be fed on a solely fbre diet. This has many benefts for gut health, as well as reducing the risk of over-excitable behaviour. Oil can be added if additional energy is required.”

DaVID SauNDERS

Veteran feeds

24 your horse feed guide 2012

If your horse is in his late teens, choosing a hard feed that’s been specially formulated for veterans can help to keep him in good health. Older horses are prone to weight and muscle loss and often need extra calories, but due to a decrease in workload may not need as much energy. So look for a feed that’s low in starch, but high in highly digestible fbre. Products to look out for include: ● Dodson & Horrell’s sixteen plus – a high fbre, high oil, low starch and sugar feed with added MSM, biotin, glucosamine and prebiotics, plus a blend of veteran antioxidants for immune support and quality protein to minimise muscle wastage. Visit www.dodsonandhorrell.com ● British Horse Feeds’ Veteran Care Mix – a high fbre feed with a mix of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and natural ingredients to boost health and help balance the efects of ageing. Visit www.britishhorsefeeds.com ● Veteran Mix from saracen Horse Feeds – a low starch, oat-free feed that uses Saracen’s ‘Super Fibres’ technology to provide a controlled energy release. It also contains E-Max Ester, a natural source of vitamin E (essential for muscle function). Visit www.saracen-horse-feeds.co.uk

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Your feeding issues solved

Whatever your problem, our experts are guaranteed to have an answer to help you and your horse

He won’t put weight on

Help a stabled horse keep grazing for longer…

I’m struggling to keep weight on my eight-year-old, 16.2hh TBx. Is there anything I can feed that’s high in fbre and not cereal-based, as I don’t want him to become too excitable? Allison Short

Dr Tom SHurlock of BriTiSH HorSe feeDS SaYS

A horse’s condition is determined by the relationship between his muscle and fat, within the context of his general alertness, normal behaviour and stamina. Don’t assume that increasing the weight of an underweight horse improves his condition. Feeding to improve condition can be a complex afair, dependent on: • His energy intake • Protein levels in the diet • His carbohydrate intake • His fat intake • The minerals, trace elements and vitamins in the diet • And, most importantly, the intake of the correct type of forage Simply increasing the fat or carbohydrate levels of your horse’s ration will increase the energy levels – but this energy intake over output will result in fat deposition, not improved condition. Instead, the process requires a 26 your horse FeeD GuIDe 2012

make sure he gets a balance diet

balanced intake of nutrients, allowing your horse’s metabolism to build protein and deposit reasonable amounts of fat, while still providing energy for maintaining his biochemical systems. The best way of improving condition is to obtain more energy from natural feedstufs such as Fibre-Beet. This is designed to improve the overall intake and consistency of fbre. It’s a long-term condition improver and maintainer, which benefts from micronised sugar beet and enables: • Improved nutrient availability in the small intestine to increase the uptake of protein, minerals and fat • Improved fermentation and nutrient availability in the hindgut due to increased microbial activity In terms of feeding, replacing a portion of hay/grass with Fibre-Beet will enhance your horse’s nutrient availability and improve his overall condition and weight. For a 16.2hh Thoroughbred type, 1kg of Fibre-Beet per day should give him benefcial results.

If circumstances or the weather force your horse indoors for long periods there’s lots you can do to extend his eating time and help keep him entertained. Putting his hard feed in a snack ball, rather than a bucket, so it dribbles out slowly while he ‘plays’ is a good idea, and you can get creative, hiding apples in his haynet and hanging a swede on a rope for him to chew. keep him busy – put apples in his haynet

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Feed Guide 2012 Feeding for healthy feet

My 16.1hh, 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Ridge Boy (above), has very fat feet and because of all the wet weather we’ve had they’re very soft. He keeps losing shoes, and is recovering from an abscess after a nail penetrated his foot when he twisted a shoe. What should I be looking for in a feed to support hoof growth? Anna Howlett

Lizzie Drury oF Saracen HorSe FeeDS SayS

The old saying ‘no hoof, no horse’ still applies today. Many horses have great potential, but can’t succeed because of poor hoof health. Hoof quality is dependent on balanced nutrition, and the correct building blocks need to be present in your horse’s diet. To be sure it’s nutritionally balanced, I’d recommend evaluating his ration, looking at all aspects of what you’re feeding,

including forage and grazing, to determine if there are any issues that may be afecting his hoof quality and can easily be addressed. It might be as straightforward as changing his current ration to include a more nutrient-dense feed, such as a feed balancer like Saracen Bio-Life 2000, or perhaps increasing the amount of feed if you’re not feeding enough for his body weight and work rate. When poor hooves are a problem, an important factor to consider is whether you’re feeding enough energy. When a horse expends more energy than he receives in feed each day, it’s reserved for important body functions such as growth, maintenance and repair of body tissues, rather than hoof growth. Balanced trace minerals are essential for healthy growth of hooves as well as your horse’s overall health. Zinc is

involved specifcally with skin, hair, and hoof quality, and is essential in a diet designed for hoof health. If you use a hoof supplement as a quick fx, without the correct balance of the other trace minerals, you’re unlikely to see the desired results. The vitamin biotin is also well known as a key player in hoof health. Studies show that biotin levels of 15-20 mg per day have positive efects on the hoof wall. These efects take approximately six to nine months to fully manifest, so you do have to be patient and persistent with your hoof repair strategy. Balanced nutrition plays a large role in promoting sound hooves. Once you’ve addressed any dietary imbalances and have double-checked the work of your farrier, if your horse’s hooves are still in poor shape, a well-fortifed hoof supplement will supply essential nutrients for their growth.

inside your horse’s hoof The hoof wall is made up mostly of protein. Proteins consist of amino acids, and there are a few specifc amino acids that are essential in forming strong healthy hooves. Methionine and lysine, two important amino acids, can be defcient in horses’ diets. Without these building blocks, hoof growth is restricted and hoof integrity is likely to be poor.

Diet and good shoeing are both essential to hoof health

a feeding holiday…

I’m planning to go travelling for a month and my 14.3hh cob will be having a holiday. He’s quite ft at the moment as we do lots of fast hacking, so he gets hard feed, but while I’m away I was wondering if it would be safe to stop the hard feed and just let him have forage. He lives out, so should I continue his once-a-day bucket feed routine and ask someone to give him a smaller feed? Lucy Ferreday

Katie WiLLiamS oF Dengie SayS

The general rule of feeding is to make changes to the diet gradually, so I’d suggest that, once you know when you’re leaving to go travelling, you start w w w.you r hor se .c o.u k

lick in the feld so your horse can top up to ease down your horse’s workload on any nutrients if he chooses. Examples and feeding. of licks include Dengie LiteLick Garlic and If he is a reasonably good-doer and, Rockies Field & Stable Block. depending on what time of year you’re travelling, you might fnd that grass and/or hay in the feld will Don’t make be sufcient to maintain his diet changes suddenly weight. However, it’s still important that he receives a balanced diet while you’re away to maintain the condition of his coat and hooves, etc. So it would be ideal if someone could feed him once a day with a balancer or supplement mixed with a handful or two of chaf. Examples of products you can use include Baileys Lo-Cal and Dengie’s Hi-Fi Balancer. You could also put out a mineralised feed guide 2012 your horse 27

Feeding Q&A feeding a yearling

I’m very proud of my yearling who’s growing into a lovely chap. He’s not overweight but shooting up quickly – should I should be giving him any extra feed? At the moment his diet consists of largely forage. Wendy Swales

TereSa HollanDS of DoDSon & Horrell SaYS

Firstly I’m delighted to hear your yearling’s not overweight and by that I’m going to assume you mean that: • You can see his ribs when he breathes in and feel them easily • He has no fat above his nucheal ligament (ie a cresty neck) • You can feel his backbone, pelvis and hip bones easily Secondly it’s really important at this stage of his development and beyond, that you can always feel, but not necessarily see, his skeleton. Do get into the habit of running your hands over the outline of his shoulder, hips, pelvis, ribs and backbone on a fortnightly basis. Thirdly, you’re right to question whether yearlings should be fed more than just forage – the answer is yes. Forage should be the foundation of any horse’s diet, but even the adult good-doer will be malnourished on just forage.

graSS rooTS aDvice

If the main fbre source your yearling is getting is grass, this will provide him with more than adequate calories (energy) and in some situations enough protein. However research undertaken by

elderly ponies need extra calories in winter

once a fortnight, check you can feel your young horse’s skeleton

Louise Jones from Dodson & Horrell and published at BEVA showed that even the best managed pastures were defcient in certain minerals in spring and summer. Some of these minerals were those associated with bone development and growth. So it’s vital that all youngstock have supplementary micronutrients in their diet. As he’s growing well, I’d suggest only a small adjustment in the form of a low-intake, nutrient-rich feed, such as Ultimate Balancer, Suregrow, Grow ’n’ Win Stud Balancer or a high specifcation vitamin and mineral pellet/supplement to provide those vital nutrients for growth. In winter, when your horse’s forage will be largely hay, he’ll need some more calories, a little more protein and the vital vitamins and minerals while he’s growing. All youngstock feeds will provide the micronutrients. Check the recommended intake of feed on the back of the bags, multiply this

by the digestible energy and see how many calories the feed will provide, then choose the one that gives the right level of calories dependent on whether you need weight gain, loss or to keep him as he is.

fibre boost for an oaP

throughout the winter as they have to burn more calories to stay warm. Grass is often the main contributor of calories in a horse’s diet, so as the grass reduces in quality and quantity throughout winter, you’ll need to provide your mare with additional forage to maintain her fbre intake and provide enough calories to maintain her condition. If she’s struggling to eat hay and haylage then you may need to feed a short chopped fbre product that’s designed to be fed as a complete replacement for hay. If you fnd she also struggles, I recommend feeding High Fibre Cubes as these can be soaked in warm (not hot) water to form a mash. As her workload has now decreased, she’ll begin to lose some of her muscle tone and topline, which will therefore change her shape. But as long as she’s healthy and maintaining a good covering I wouldn’t worry about it.

My elderly pony struggles to eat hay and haylage, but I’m worried she won’t get enough fbre from her bucket feed. I give her lots of chaf and she’s out during the day and in at night. She’s not ridden any more, so her body’s changed shape through lack of ftness, but she does tend to hold weight well, despite her age (she’s 27). What should I be giving her, especially over winter when the grass deteriorates? Sonia Stubbs

HannaH BriarS of SPillerS SaYS

It’s great to hear your mare holds her weight well, as some horses, especially the more elderly ones, can fnd it harder to maintain weight 28 your horse FeeD GuIDe 2012

latest research

“There is a massive amount of new and exciting research looking at the study of epigenetics – which is how diet both in the womb and through life can alter genes,” says Teresa. “Across all species there’s an increasing trend to be over-fed (white bread and cakes) but undernourished (inadequate protein, vitamins and minerals) and this is what triggers the changes. Some of the adverse efects are diabetes, insulin resistance and developmental bone problems.”

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Feeding Q&A Balancing the feed

What is a feed balancer – and should I be using one? My 16hh Thoroughbred cross is a naturally good-doer and in medium work as we event at Novice level. She doesn’t get too much in the way of hard feed and lives mainly on grass in summer. She appears well, but I’m worried she may be missing out on certain minerals. Jo Patrick

liz BulBrook of BaileYS HorSe feeDS SaYS

Horses need essential nutrients to recover from work

As your mare is a good-doer it’s likely that, up to now, she’s been getting all the calories she needs to maintain condition from grass and hay. As pasture and forage quality varies, we can’t be certain of the levels of other nutrients she’s receiving (protein, vitamins and minerals), so to ensure she’s not missing out, I’d advise supplementing her diet year-round with a balancer, like Baileys Lo-Cal or Performance Balancer. These provide essential nutrients, including quality protein for muscle tone and tissue integrity, plus all-important vitamins and minerals – but without any additional calories. If you’re happy with her condition at the moment, feed this at a rate of just three cofee mugs per day

(675g), with a little chaf if desired, alongside your mare’s forage. As grass quality and quantity wanes towards the end of the summer, you’ll need to assess whether your mare’s calorie requirements can continue to be met by forage alone. If you feel she could do with some more energy for work, choose a compound feed formulated for moderate work such as Baileys No.2 Working Horse & Pony Cubes and introduce it gradually alongside the balancer. Because your mare is a good-doer, you may not need the full recommended amount of your chosen feed to provide the additional calories but, since underfeeding it would also mean your mare missing out on essential nutrients, it is wise to continue to feed the balancer

High-cal forage

because less time is needed to ‘make’ it. This tends to make them more digestible, so your horse is likely to do better on haylage. Researchers at the conference also said that most haylages are too dry to go through a fermentation process. This means they’re essentially wrapped hays, and the sugar and fatty acid levels are much the same as hay. So haylage shouldn’t have an adverse efect on a horse’s behaviour. The next step in establishing a highfbre ration to promote weight gain is to see if you can help your horse get more out of the fbre she’s consuming by using a digestive enhancer. Research shows adding yeast to the ration increases fbre digestion. Products such as Dengie Natural Vitality Digestive Health and Saracen Yea-Sacc would be suitable. You can also use ƌbrous feeds in your mare’s bucket feed that provide just as many calories as conditioning mixes. Dengie Alfa-A Oil supplies 12.5MJ DE per

What are the best high-calorie forage options to help put weight on, but won’t cause my mare to explode? She’s quite highly strung and doesn’t hold weight well, but I don’t want to fzz her up more with lots of high-energy feed. Laura Thomas

kaTie WilliamS of Dengie SaYS

There are several high-calorie fbrous feeds that you can use. For poor doers, it’s sensible to fnd the best quality haylage or hay you can and feed it ad-lib. This means your horse should always have access to grass, hay or haylage whatever the time of day or night. Higher-calorie forages tend to be those that are harvested earlier, which makes them more digestible as the plants aren’t as mature at the time of harvest. At the recent European Workshop on Nutrition, it was suggested there’s no diference between the digestibility of hay and haylage if they’re harvested at the same time. However, in the UK, haylages tend to be harvested earlier w w w.you r hor se .c o.u k

at the same time. As a guide, if you fnd that you only need half the recommended amount of mix or cube, keep half the recommended amount of balancer in your mare’s diet – 1½ mugs. Keeping your mare’s diet fully balanced will help her stay ft and healthy and capable of meeting her workload. Using a balancer to ensure she’s not missing out on essential nutrients will help keep consistent healthy hoof growth and muscle tone, as well as maintaining internal nutrient (not fat) reserves to help her recover from exertion. Should her condition dictate you require the full recommended amount of your chosen compound feed, you can cut out the balancer – but always ensure the feed you select is formulated for the workload your mare is performing.

choose an alfalfa mix that’s high in oil

kg, which is the same as many conditioning feeds. The calories are coming from oil rather than cereals, so provide slow-release energy. Alongside this, you can add sugar beet in an unmolassed form, such as Dengie Alfa Beet or Speedi Beet. Because these are straight feeds, they don’t have added vitamins and minerals, so add a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement or balancer to ensure the diet provides essential nutrients. Examples include Dengie Natural Vitality Leisure Vits & Mins and Feedmark’s Benevit. FeeD GuIDe 2012 your horse 33