36 pageS The latest feeding news and expert advice
Feed Guide 2013 Including l Essential forage facts l How to feed for his workload l The lastest feed news l Finding the right supplement and balancer l Expert answers to your feeding questions
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Contents
Welcome Our horses may come in all shapes, sizes and temperaments, but there’s one thing that unites them and that’s their need for a balanced, healthy diet which allows their bodies to work as nature intended. At the core of every horse’s diet is a need for lots and lots of forage, but how you choose to feed this – and what you give alongside it – is a cause of much debate. Luckily we’re on hand to help guide you through the nutritional maze, with advice from top experts to help you fnd the right diet to meet your horse’s every need. From feeding hay and haylage to the latest products on the market, our 36-page guide has all the tips and information you could wish for. Here’s to a healthy, happy, well fed horse!
The Your Horse team Inside 4
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Fight the Fat! Obesity in horses is a growing risk – fnd out how to win the weight war check his condition Nutritionist Dr Teresa Hollands tells you how to fat score What he needs Equine nutritionist Emma Short’s guide to your horse’s daily essentials Feeding made simple Our guide takes you from hay and haylage to high-tech feed balancers Workload needs Find out how his workload and temperament afect the amount of food your horse needs, with expert help from nutritionist Clare Barfoot Your Feed Woes solved Allen & Page nutritionist Rachel Parrott answers all your feeding questions supplements explained Our guide to the diferent supplements and how they could help your horse top 5 Feeding Facts Essential information to help keep your horse happy and healthy
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Feed Guide
Fight the fat! Obesity brings bigger problems than struggling to fasten your horse’s girth – we bring you the lowdown on the health risks posed by excess weight
A OUR EXPERT ROLY OWERS is an equine vet and chief executive of charity World Horse Welfare (WHW). Find out more about WHW’s Right Weight project at www. worldhorse welfare.org/ Right-Weigh
fter years of fatter being mistaken for healthier, the message is slowly getting across that an overweight horse runs increased health risks, as obesity is recognised as a disease of domestication. From laminitis to equine metabolic syndrome, plus an increased risk of arthritis, OCD, heart disease, lung problems and liver failure, excess fat can have a devastating efect on your horse’s health. We’ve recruited expert Roly Owers to explain how horses have evolved to use fat, how they store it and the dangers associated with excess weight so you have all the facts to fght the equine fab.
Weight in the wild
EXPERT TIP Because we’re all used to seeing fatter horses, it’s easy to think that an overweight horse is in the right condition, but he isn’t. If owners aim to keep their horse slightly on the lean side, they’re more likely to get it right.
EXPERT TIP Don’t put your horse on a crash diet or leave him for long periods without forage. This could lead to hyperlipaemia, which can cause chronic liver failure and death. 4
Horses evolved to be efcient converters of low energy grasses, and in the wild would have grazed large open spaces, moving miles each day and occasionally feeing from predators. They’d also expend lots of energy on the business of life – from growing up to carrying and nursing a foal or mating with and protecting mares. In the summer, the wild horse would eat his fll of the plentiful grass, converting the excess energy into fat stores to see him through the lean winter period. He’d ideally go into winter quite fat, with what we would regard as a fat score of four or above, and end the winter quite thin (a score of two or less), ready to put the weight back on. The typical modern horse doesn’t lose much weight in the winter, and may even put more on thanks to high quality modern feeds, being stabled and rugged against the cold. However, his body is still preparing (to a reduced extent) for the lean
YOUR HORSE FEEDING GUIDE 2013
Excess body fat places a range of strains on equine health
period, and when this doesn’t happen, the resulting metabolic confusion can contribute to equine metabolic syndrome (see next column). Roly says: “There’s no doubt that obesity has signifcant health implications for horses. Some we know about, some we don’t,
but what we do know is that by over-feeding their horses or letting them become overweight, people are unintentionally killing them with kindness. It’s not because they don’t care, quite the opposite, but it’s important to recognise the risks obesity poses.” W W W.YOU R HOR SE .CO.U K
A weighty issue
Glucose in summer grass stays in the bloodstream of horses with EMS
Laminitis Put simply, laminitis sees the delicate laminae structures in a horse’s hoof swell up, causing agonising pain. Roly explains: “Laminitis is a medical emergency and is horrifcally painful. The problem is the hoof is a rigid structure, so the swelling has nowhere to go and everything starts to be crushed within the hoof capsule.” Traditionally, rich spring grass was considered the main culprit, but it’s now known the disease has many causes, including excess weight. “The link between weight and laminitis is complicated, but a fat horse is without doubt more likely to develop it,” says Roly. “It’s actually a year-round disease, with recent research showing it’s most common in June and December. “What a horse is eating is a signifcant driver in its development, as are
Equine metabolic syndrome In laminitis, the rigid hoof wall leaves the swelling with nowhere to go
hormonal factors. The more research we do, the more we realise there’s a lot we don’t know about laminitis. It’s more complicated than people realise, and no horse is immune.”
Where he stores fat
Feel for fat on his crest
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Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is a hormonal imbalance causing a variety of health complications, including obesity, insulin resistance and increasing levels of cortisol (which is known as the stress hormone), and horses diagnosed with it often go on to develop laminitis. Horses and ponies with EMS don’t respond to insulin normally, so glucose stays in their bloodstream rather than entering the cells of the body – as in Type 2 diabetes in humans. Abnormalities in fat metabolism can contribute to EMS too. “Cortisol is produced by fat cells and works against the efects of insulin,” says Roly. “However, because EMS involves a hormone imbalance, there’s the potential to treat it with medication, but weight loss has a part to play.”
FAT SCORING
Head to page 8 to When a horse stores excess energy as fat, it learn about judging takes the form of white adipose tissue (WAT) your horse’s weight which is distributed both on the outside and by fat scoring and the inside of his body. weightaping External WAT is the fat we can see and feel, including that stored just below his skin in places like his neck crest, around the udder or sheath area, and between his muscles. Internal WAT is deposited around his internal organs, including the heart, kidneys, uterus, gastrointestinal tract, and on the walls of the abdomen and thorax.
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Feed Guide Help him lose weight You can’t turn fat into muscle, so if your horse needs to drop a few pounds, you need to keep him healthy by following a balanced diet and exercise routine. Our tips will help you fght the fat: ● Keep him moving with lots of turnout, but restrict grazing safely by using a grazing muzzle which still allows him to drink easily ● Try strip grazing, or fence of a large square in the middle of your feld so he has to walk around the outside, or make a U-shape with his water at the far end ● Feed a low-calorie balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement to balance his forage intake. Most horses get more calories than they need from daily grazing, but still need essential vitamins and minerals ● Consider whether your horse really needs rugging up in winter – if you must use a rug, go for a lightweight one so he’ll burn up some excess fat keeping warm ● Weigh feed and forage at least once a week, as you could be gradually increasing the amounts without realising ● Stay focused and motivated by keeping a diary of your horse and his management. Include his weight, fat score, what you feed and his turnout and exercise regime ● Feed your horse for the work he’s done, not what he’s going to do. Even just walking will help him lose weight, but it must be an active pace so get marching! ● Take photographs when you start and throughout his weight-loss programme. These will show how much progress you’re making and how much healthier he looks ● Keep an eye on the ft of his saddle, as his shape will change as he loses weight
Being overweight increases the strain on a horse’s heart and lungs
Other increased risks There are many other health implications for overweight horses, including an increased risk of arthritis. Roly explains: “Put simply, the body has to cope with more weight than it’s designed for, and the side efect is arthritis because joints are having to work harder than intended and sufer extra wear and tear.” Developmental disorder osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is also exacerbated by extra calories. This sees joints develop cracks in cartilage and bone, resulting in loose fragments and chips which cause swelling and pain. “Horses can be genetically more susceptible to OCD, but if you overfeed a foal there’s increased potential for him to grow rapidly which increases the 6
risk of OCD developing.” Carrying excess fat inside his body can cause a horse heart and lung problems too. “If fat is being laid down around the heart this will impair its efciency,” says Roly. “The circulatory load on the heart of an overweight animal is far greater – it has to work harder to pump blood around the system which has heart and lung implications.” Overweight equines can also sufer from a condition called hyperlipaemia, when excess fat is present in the bloodstream. Roly says: “This can damage internal organs like the liver and kidneys, in some cases fatally. Miniatures and donkeys are most at risk, for reasons we don’t fully understand.”
YOUR HORSE FEEDING GUIDE 2013
A grazing muzzle means he can still enjoy turnout while losing weight
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Feed Guide
Advertising feature
Winter wellbeing The new range of targeted nutrition supplements from T.E.N. will help your horse stay healthy all year round
T
.E.N. is the new range of targeted nutrition supplements brought to you from the makers of SPILLERS®. Created by horse owners, the range includes several products developed to meet the seasonal challenges we face keeping our horses happy and healthy. As we head into autumn and winter, this is a time of change for many horses, which may afect their nutritional requirements. Often the cold weather brings a change in routine, with more
‘I give my pony T.E.N. Winter Pasture’ Verity Beaton is T.E.N.’s product manager. She says: “I have a little Welsh cob who lives out all year round on fresh air. In order to ensure he’s getting a balanced diet I feed T.E.N. Winter Pasture, which he loves as it smells divine.” T.E.N. Winter Pasture is a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement designed to balance a forage-only diet, or for horses and ponies living out on winter grazing. It also includes the highly palatable herbs dandelion, nettles and rosemary. Price: £29.99 for a month’s supply
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time being spent in the stable and hay or haylage making up a larger proportion of the forage ration. This change can cause a reduction in some important nutrients, such as vitamin D that needs sunshine to synthesise, and beta carotene, vitamin E and selenium, that are normally found in fresh green grass. In addition, increased stabling can cause challenges to the lungs due to the dust and mould particles present in stables and the damp winter weather.
Here we look at how the T.E.N. team use supplementation to support their own horses’ nutritional requirements over the winter.
‘I feed T.E.N Stabled Horse’
‘I use T.E.N. Challenged Lungs’
Nicki Smith is T.E.N.’s mobile product specialist. She says: “My Dutch warmblood, Tia, spends more time stabled during the winter. To ensure she’s not missing out when she gets less turnout I feed her T.E.N. Stabled Horse to keep her nutrient levels topped up.” T.E.N. Stabled Horse can be fed to ‘top up’ your horse’s diet to provide the vitamins and minerals he may be lacking when stabled for long periods, such as vitamin D. It contains herbs traditionally found in pasture including nettles and clivers and can be fed alongside your horse’s current diet. Price: £35.99 for a month’s supply
Need advice? Speak to a T.E.N. nutritionist about your horse’s individual needs by calling the Care-Line on 01908 311010 or email advice@tensupplements.co.uk
Claire Dyett is T.E.N.’s marketing manager. She says: “My horse Cello developed a slight cough last winter due to spending more time in his dusty stable so I put him on T.E.N. Challenged Lungs.” T.E.N. Challenged Lungs contains a blend of carefully selected antioxidants including selenium, vitamin E and vitamin C to help reinforce your horse’s natural lung defences. Plus it contains the natural ingredients garlic, rosemary, spinach and broccoli to support his respiratory system. Price: £40.99 for a month’s supply
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Feed Guide
Fat scoring explained
Since it’s pretty tricky getting your horse onto the bathroom scales, fat scoring and weightaping are easy ways to monitor his body condition. Nutritionist Dr Teresa Hollands tells you how
Where to look
OUR EXPERT Dr Teresa HollanDs is senior nutrition manager at Dodson & Horrell. www.dodson andhorrell.co.uk
Horses carry fat on their necks, over their shoulders, backbone, ribs and rump, so these areas are where you need to concentrate when you’re fat scoring him. The easiest way to do this is to divide his body into three sections – neck (everything in front of the
you’re looking to judge whether there’s fat over his skeleton. Keep tabs on his weight by fat scoring no more than once a fortnight, regularly weightaping him and keeping dated notes and photos each month so you can track his weight.
How to fat score Feel each of these areas and give him a score for his neck, middle and bottom zones – use halfscores if the areas within each have diferent scores, for example a score of 3.5 would accurately describe his neck area if he has fat on his crest (4) but you can easily feel his shoulder (3).
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shoulder blade), middle (behind the shoulder blade to the hips), and bottom (hips, pelvis and quarters). Assess and score each area – 0 is seriously underweight while 5 is very fat. Remember you’re scoring for fat cover only, not muscle, so
your horse FeeDING GuIDe 2013
NECK
SHOULDER
Place your hand behind his poll and pinch with your fnger and thumb to fnd the nucheal ligament. Follow this down his neck – anything above this is fat. Run your hand down his neck towards his shoulder blade. You should be able to feel its contour.
Feel around his shoulder blade. You should feel the outline easily where it meets his neck and ribs, and the point of the shoulder. There shouldn’t be fatty deposits behind the shoulder blade, can you pinch the fesh?
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The right weight He is what he eats, so monitor his weight to keep him healthy
FAT FACT Horses don’t store fat on their bellies, unlike us humans!
BACK
RIBS
RUMP
Place your hand across his backbone at 90° to his spine, then let it relax. What shape does it make? It should cup the backbone, not lie fat across his back.
Place your hand fat on his side and run your hand diagonally across his rib cage. Use frm pressure, but not so he moves away from you. You should be able to feel his ribs, specifcally the last three.
Stand behind your horse and place your hand fat on the top of his bottom – can you feel the top of his pelvis? Run your hand from his quarters onto his tail, feeling for his tailbone. Find his hips and curve your hand to feel the outline of his bones.
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Feed Guide Weightaping tips time of day each time to get an accurate and comparable reading. (Turn to page 34 for a quick, easy-to-follow guide to how to weightape your horse.)
WATCH ONLINE
Monitor his vital stats by weightaping
Cut out and keep
see how to fat score your horse at www. yourhorse.co.uk/ fatscoringguide
What the scores mean*
0
VerY Poor A horse with a fat score of zero is in very poor condition. His eye sockets will be deep and he’ll have a narrow ‘ewe’ neck, which is slack at the base, where it joins his body. His skin will be tight over his very visible ribs. The spinous processes (the tops of his vertebrae) will be sharp and easily seen. His pelvis will look angular, his skin will be tight and his rump will be very sunken either side of his croup.
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Poor In poor condition, a horse will have deep eye sockets and a ewe neck, narrow and slack at the base. His ribs will be easily visible and his skin will be sunken on either side of his backbone. The spinous processes will be well defned. His rump will appear sunken but his skin will be supple, his pelvis and croup will be well defned, making an upside-down V from behind.
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GooD A horse in good condition will have a frm, rounded outline to his neck with no crest (unless he’s a stallion) and he’ll have hollows above his eyes. His ribs will be just covered and will be easily felt when you rub your hand down his side. You’ll be able to feel his spinous processes, and his pelvis will be covered by fat. His quarters appear rounded, like an upsidedown C, but you can still cup and feel his hip bones.
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FaT A fat horse will have fat above his nucheal ligament and a visible crest, and his neck will be wide and frm, with no distinction between neck and shoulder blade. The hollows above his eyes will have started to fll in. His ribs will be well covered and you’ll have to use frm pressure to feel them. He’ll have a slight gutter along his backbone, which reaches to the top of his tail. His pelvis will be covered with soft fat, and you’ll only feel it by applying frm pressure.
MoDeraTe In moderate condition, a horse’s neck will be narrow but frm, he’ll have hollows above his eyes and his shoulder blade will be easily felt and visible. His ribs will be just visible, his backbone well covered but you’ll still be able to feel his spinous processes. His rump will slope away fat either side of his backbone, his croup will be well defned with some fat. He’ll look like a slight V-shape from behind.
VerY FaT In very fat condition, a horse will have a marked crest which may be foppy. He’ll have a very wide, frm neck with folds of fat, with no distinction to his shoulder blade. There’ll be no hollows above his eyes as they’ll have flled in. You won’t be able to feel his ribs, and his back will be broad and fat with a deep gutter along the spine. On his pelvis, the gutter will continue to his tail, his skin will be stretched tight and his pelvis buried by fat so you can’t feel it.
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* T. Hollands, J. M Ellis, D. E. Allen and L. Salonen, 2009.
Weightaping your horse once a week or fortnight is a great way to keep an eye on his weight, and to check he’s getting the right amount of food. Make sure you do it at the same
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Feed Guide
Feed essentials
What he needs We enlist the help of equine nutritionist Emma Short to fnd out the daily essentials that are vital for your horse’s health and happiness
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OUR EXPERT Emma Short BSc (honS) has worked for Baileys Horse Feeds for over 10 years. She divides her time between visiting yards, devising bespoke feeding programmes and advising horse owners on what to feed their horses. To find out more visit www. baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk
ater, fbre, vitamins, minerals and protein are the main ingredients of a happy and healthy horse – but how do you get the right amount of these into him? Read on to fnd out. The frst essential is not feed, but water. An average adult horse’s body is made up of 70% water and he’ll consume between a staggering 19 and 38 litres of water every day – so it’ll come as no surprise to hear that your horse needs access to a constant supply of fresh, clean drinking water. If he has plenty of juicy, moist grass then he’s likely to get a large part of his water needs from there, but some horses’ diets contain a lot of hay, straights and compound feeds, which are very low in moisture and likely to encourage him to drink more. However, whether he eats lots of grass or has a diet high in dry forage, he always needs constant access to fresh water both in the feld and his stable.
Fibres such as hay, haylage and grass should form the basis of your horse’s diet
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horses need access to plenty of water
Give ad-lib fbre The best type of fbre comes in the form of forage – grass, hay and haylage. An average horse should receive no less than 1.5-2% of their bodyweight in fbre every day with unlimited access to hay or grazing. Long fbres help to bulk out his intestine, preventing twists and colics and providing essential proteins, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. If you have an older horse who struggles to eat long fbres like hay, search out other fbre sources as a replacement, such as chafs, dried chopped grass or sugar beet. These shorter fbres aren’t quite as good at bulking out his intestines, but provide plenty of digestible fbre for slow release calories and to keep his gut healthy.
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Feed Guide
Feed essentials
Feed plenty of protein Your horse’s body tissues are made up of proteins, as are enzymes, hormones, antibodies and other body components, so it’s no surprise to fnd it’s one of his vital needs. Protein helps to keep your horse’s body healthy – how much he needs will vary, depending on his age and workload. The quality of the protein in his diet can be as important as the quantity. Protein is made up of individual amino acids, some of which are “essential” and must be included in the diet. A shortfall of these may afect his coat, skin and hoof condition as well as compromising muscle building and tissue repair. To help ensure protein needs are met, feed good quality forage and the correct amount of feed or balancer for your horse’s bodyweight and workload. The chosen compound feed should be formulated to suit his workload and good quality, branded feeds are likely to contain better quality protein sources than cheaper or unknown brands.
Branded feeds are likely to contain all the protein your horse needs
If you’re worried about your horse getting enough minerals, try ofering him a mineral lick
Balance his vitamins Vitamins are involved in metabolism and are only required in small amounts. Defciency or excessive amounts of vitamins can cause problems. Vitamins fall into two categories, fat soluble and water soluble. Fat soluble vitamins are stored in fat. Your horse can survive for a period of time on the ones he has stored, but if he over consumes the vitamins, it’s harder to fush them out of his body and toxic levels may be reached. Fat soluble vitamins include A, D, E and K. Water-soluble vitamins, B and C are easily fushed out of his body through his urine, so toxic levels are hard to reach, but if he has a defciency in these vitamins, it’s likely to cause problems sooner. It’s very rare in the UK for a horse to be defcient in one particular vitamin or mineral. A well-balanced diet including a good compound feed or balancer and access to ad-lib, good quality forage is likely to supply him with all he needs. w w w.you r hor se .co.u k
He needs his minerals Your horse only needs minerals in tiny amounts but they’re involved in many physiological functions including the hugely important energy transfer, where your horse takes his food and turns it into usable energy that allows him to function. Feeding the correct amount of a mix, cube or balancer will ensure your horse gets everything he needs, while balancers are a great way to provide a good-doer with everything he needs without added calories. Signs that your horse may be lacking essential minerals include sluggishness, a dull coat or poor hoof health. Broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplements or licks can be fed as alternatives to a compound feed or balancer but do follow the guidelines and take into account what he’s getting in the rest of his diet so that you don’t over feed him.
a well-balanced diet should supply your horse with all he needs
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Feed Guide
Horses need to graze as nature intended, whether they’re stabled or out in the feld
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your horse FeeDING GuIDe 2013
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Fibre and hard feed
Simple feeding
From hay and haylage to high-tech balancers, we guide you through fbre and hard feed
Foraging for answers
Your horse’s digestive system is pretty straightforward – it’s spent the past several thousand years getting rather good at dealing with a steady trickle of high-fbre forage. Upset this balance by replacing ad-lib hay, haylage and grass with starchy bucket feeds and you run the risk of digestive upsets, including colic and ulcers. This is why it’s vital you allow your horse to graze as close to the way nature intended as you can, while taking into account the boundaries imposed by modern day life, enclosed paddocks and stabling. An important fact – and something you should base your horse’s entire feeding regime around – is that he’s designed to chomp his way through 2-3% of his bodyweight in forage each day. That’s at least 10kg a day for an average 500kg horse in the form of grass, hay, haylage or other fbrepacked feeds, such as alfalfa. Even if your horse is on calorie-controlled rations, he should never receive less than 1% of his bodyweight as forage. In light of this, it goes without saying that forage should form the basis of every horse’s diet – but its importance is often overlooked as we owners drown under a sea of bagged feeds and supplements. The key to success? Keep your horse’s diet simple and make sure he has plenty of high-fbre forage to chew on and you’ll be doing your bit to help keep his digestive system ticking over. And if you’re confused as to which types of fbre to feed – especially if your horse has poor teeth and can’t cope with haynets and the like – check out our quick guide to the top fbre providers and forage replacements.
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Fibre and hard feed Grass The staple of many a horse’s diet, grass is high in calories, fbre and protein (especially in summer), but chances are it’s lacking in certain vitamins and minerals, including copper and selenium, which help support healthy hoof growth, among other things. This can be remedied by a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement, fed at the manufacturer’s recommended levels. “There’s no way of guaranteeing that the levels of nutrients in your pasture will meet your horse’s requirements – even day to day, some nutrients will fuctuate,” says Clare Barfoot, of Spillers. “We recommend you give a suitable balancer which will provide a concentrated source of protein, vitamins and minerals, without any additional unwanted calories.” If your horse is prone to laminitis, make sure his access to grass is limited – too much rich grazing can tip an overweight animal into the laminitis danger zone.
Hay Fed ad-lib, hay helps to replicate your horse’s natural grazing behaviour when he’s confned to his stable and stops him from getting bored. However, it’s hugely important to feed good quality, sweet-smelling hay from a trusted source, as dust and mould may harm his respiratory system, and any poisonous plants, such as ragwort, that have been baled with it can prove deadly.
Chaf
Word of warning Silage is for cows, not horses, so if your livery yard is based on a farm and you’re ofered it, just say no! It’s not suitable for horses due to its low fbre content, high acidity and the possibility of bacteria which is spread during the fermentation process.
Haylage High in calories, nutrients, fbre and protein, haylage has a higher water content (and therefore a lower dry matter content) than hay, so you need to feed more to provide enough fbre. As a rule, 15kg of haylage is equivalent to 10kg of hay. Remember too that once opened, a bale will spoil within a few days. Nutritionist Lizzie Drury, of Saracen Horse Feeds, says: “Don’t feed haylage that is old, smells vinegary, is mouldy (white mould is normal), or very wet and dispose of any damaged bales as they can potentially pose serious health risks to your horses.”
Straw
Top Tip Soak your horse’s It’s important hay is good quality and free from dust
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hay for at least 12 hours to reduce its calorie content
Low in calories, oat or barley straw is a great way to bulk up your horse’s haynet if he’s a good-doer, but don’t feed it to horses with poor teeth because of the risk of impaction colic. Always feed it alongside a clean, fresh supply of water (which goes for all types of forage, but especially straw, due to worries over impaction).
Chaf is basically chopped straw, and is used to add low-calorie bulk to feed and increases chewing time, but watch out for hidden calories in the sweeter, molassescoated varieties.
Alfalfa Alfalfa is high in calories, fbre and protein, and can provide as much energy as a cool mix – great if your horse has a tendency to lose weight, but not so good if he’s a little on the chunky side. Studies have also shown it can act as a ‘bufer’ to regulate acid levels, helping to maintain a healthy gut. Older horses beneft from easily digested feeds
Sugar beet A source of easily digestible fbre, sugar beet can be used as a partial forage replacer and is great for veteran horses with poor teeth. Some brands need to be soaked for a full 24 hours, while other ‘quick-soak’ varieties are ready in minutes. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
High fbre nuts Low in energy and balanced with vitamins and minerals, these can be fed (soaked) as a hay replacer to older horses who have trouble chewing long forages, such as hay.
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“With Fibre-Beet I never worry about Owen losing condition over winter, he always looks fantastic.” Kirsty Loveday
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Watch the Fibre-Beet video
Hoof Condition
Fibre and hard feed Time to fetch the bucket? If your horse needs more in the way of calories and nutritional support than he can get from forage alone, you can add a hard feed or balancer. There is a huge range on ofer, so the key to choosing the right product is to be honest about your horse’s workload and energy requirements, and adapt his feeding regime to suit. Whether he’s a poor-doer, or the type to put on weight just looking at the feed room door, will obviously infuence your choice of feed. But as a rough guide follow these guidelines: • If your horse is in light work (for more on what this means see below) and holds his weight well, then a feed balancer, fed at the recommended levels, will give him all the vitamins and minerals he needs, on top of plenty of good quality forage “Feeding a balancer such as Saracen Bio-Life 2000 or Baileys Lo-Cal would be ideal alongside hay and haylage,” says equine nutritionist Lizzie Drury. “These balancers will provide the essential vitamins, minerals and
Pasture and cool mixes are aimed at horses in light work
quality protein to balance the forage.” If your horse is on a calorie-controlled diet, look for a low-calorie balancer • If he needs a bit extra, add Speedi-Beet or a similar sugar beet product, especially in winter, as this will all add to his internal central heating system • If your horse is a poor-doer, you want to boost his energy (or calorie) intake while keeping him calm, so go for a conditioning cube, fed at the recommended amount, supplemented by sugar beet and alfalfa • Pasture and cool mixes are all aimed at leisure horses in light hacking work, but tend to be fairly high in starch, so a conditioning cube is often a better option.
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Top Tip Add soya oil to his hard feed for extra calories (up to a cofee mug full every day).
Expert advice
His workload explained Your horse’s workload will have a huge efect on his diet and what he needs calorie-wise from a feed, but we often have a warped idea of how hard our horses are really working. “A horse’s workload is always difficult to quantify as there are so many variables that afect the amount of energy he uses – for example, the terrain, weather and the weight he’s carrying,” says Katie Williams, from Dengie. “The Nutrient Requirements of Horses, published by the National Research Council (NRC), lists four levels of workload in its latest edition – light, moderate, heavy and very heavy. Based on these guidelines, and my own experience, I suggest: • Light – 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 • Moderate – schooling four to fve times a week and competing
Feed a balancer or hard feed if your horse needs more in the way of calories
every one to two weeks at a level equivalent to affiliated Novice eventing or Elementary level dressage • Heavy – Intermediate level competition or above, high level dressage and 50-mile endurance rides • Very heavy – racing, three-day eventing, polo and top level endurance riding “What’s important to consider is that horses’ feeding needs will be afected by their age, breed and type, etc – a gooddoer in heavy work may require a lower energy ration than a Thoroughbred in light work.” • For more on workload, see p23.
Often the best bet when feeding is to keep things simple, but if you’re unsure of exactly what to feed, or your horse has a specifc problem, contact one of the feed manufacturers’ helplines for expert advice. Type ‘horse feed’ into your internet search engine for contact details, or try the following numbers and websites: • Baileys Horse Feeds, call 01371 850247 or visit www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk • TopSpec, call 01845 565030 or visit www.topspec.com • Dengie, call 0845 345 5115 or visit www.dengie.com • Dodson & Horrell, call 0845 345 2627 or visit www.dodsonandhorrell.com • Saracen, call 01622 718487 or visit www.saracenhorsefeeds.com • Spillers, call 01908 226626 or visit www.spillers-feeds.com • Blue Chip, call 0114 266 6200 or visit www.bluechipfeed.com • Allen & Page, call 01362 822900 or visit www.allenandpage.com • Simple System Horse Feeds, call 01371 870753 or visit www. simplesystemhorsefeeds.co.uk • British Horse Feeds, call 01765 680300 or visit www.britishhorsefeeds.com
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Feed Guide
Does he really need to eat that? Understanding your horse’s feeding needs, based on his workload, personality and quirks, is key to keeping him healthy, as equine nutritionist Clare Barfoot explains
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OUR EXPERT CLARE BARFOOT RNutr is research and development manager at SPILLERS. Find out more at www. spillers-feeds. com or call the Spillers Care-Line on 01908 226626.
hen choosing what to feed our horses we’re rightly told to focus on their condition, workload, temperament, the weather and their grazing. However, we all know that real life always throws us a few curve balls! Out of all the factors we usually consider do you know which is the most important? The one that really gives us the best indication of what to feed? The answer is condition. How much condition your horse is carrying tells you whether his current diet is providing enough calories (energy) to maintain his body condition in his current level of work. A horse who’s gaining weight is receiving more calories than he requires, and a horse who’s losing weight is not getting enough. It really is that simple!
Treat your horse as an individual To truly tailor your horse’s diet to his needs, you have to evaluate them. Just because he’s working at a certain level, for example, regularly competing, this doesn’t necessarily mean he needs a competition feed. Similarly, if your horse is used for light hacking, but is underweight, he’ll need a higher energy feed than his workload suggests. To help illustrate this point, the two horses featured on the opposite page are both ridden by event rider Flora Harris and are working at a similar level, but have very diferent nutritional needs.
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Feeding for workload
The good-doer
Name: Cesano H (or Harry) Height: 16hh Age: Eight Breed: Holstein gelding Competing at: Advanced/CCI** level eventing
Harry started eventing towards the end of 2011 and is now advanced in points. He has had numerous results at Intermediate and CIC2* level, and has just contested his frst advanced. He will be ending the season with a CCI**.
Harry is a very good doer and has quite a cheeky character with plenty of attitude. He thrives on work, but can become a little above himself at times and so a low starch diet suits him perfectly. He has quite a bit of warmblood in him so he has to work hard to keep lean and ft. He adores his jumping and showing of, and has endless scope and a fantastic technique.
Current diet per day: 2kg Spillers Cool Fibre and 500g Spillers Performance Balancer 10kg haylage Turned out every other day for four hours ● Approx calories (energy) 73MJ/day. if you compare this to ‘book’ values, this is equivalent to a horse at maintenance, for example, doing no work.
The stressy mare
Name: Amazing VIII (or Maisie) Height: 16.3hh Age: Nine Breed: Westfalian mare Competing at: Advanced/CIC*** eventing
Just because he competes regularly, doesn’t mean your horse needs a competition feed
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Maisie is naturally quite a lean horse who can run up quite light. She is a little sensitive and can become nervous and tense. She performs best when she’s relaxed and feeling in top condition – she’s a very smart mover who really excels on the fat. She also has a very easy natural gallop covering the ground efortlessly. She started eventing as
a six-year-old and has been very successful throughout her career, though she still likes to keep Flora on her toes with the odd spook! She has just contested her frst advanced and will be competing at CIC*** this autumn. Current diet per day: 4 kg Spillers HDF Power Cubes and 1.5kg Spillers Conditioning Fibre 8kg haylage Turned out every other day for four hours ● Approx calories (energy): 100MJ/day. If you compare this to ‘book’ values, this is equivalent to a horse in medium work.
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Feeding a name I can trust is vital, it can make all the diference in performance Sophie Wells MBE: Paralympic, World and European Gold Medallist
HORSE FEED SPECIALISTS
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Feeding for workload
Why there’s more to the diet than calories
Whatever his discipline, a horse’s temperament may afect his energy requirements
As we can see from the case studies on the previous page, although the two horses are a similar age, size and weight, and doing a similar level of exercise, their energy requirements are very diferent. But why is this?
Temperament Both horses have quite diferent temperaments. Harry is a more confdent character and although he can get quite excited he is probably less of a worrier than Maisie. These character traits may have an impact on their individual energy requirements; just like people with nervous or more anxious dispositions nervous horses can use more energy. This may be because they move about more or are tense in their muscles.
Metabolism Although in people and in horses there’s little evidence that metabolism speed can efect weight gain or loss I think we can all identify with the terms good or poor doer. Ponies, cobs, Arabs and warmbloods all tend to require less calories to maintain their bodyweight than thoroughbreds so there is likely to be a genetic impact on energy requirements too.
Finding a balance Although the energy a diet provides is important to maintain a horse’s condition the diet also has be balanced to keep your horse looking, feeling and performing at his best. So regardless of the energy density of your horse’s diet it needs to provide a balanced source of proteins, vitamins and minerals. If you’re feeding the recommended level of compound feed, you’re unlikely
to require additional supplementation unless you’re feeding a low energy feed to a horse working at a higher level. For situations where you are either feeding a forage only diet, less than the recommended level of compound feed or a low energy feed to a competition
You need to match your horse’s feed to his dietary needs
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horse it is recommended that you add in a feed balancer to top up the levels of vitamins and minerals. This is why Harry has Performance Balancer added to his diet.
The efect of change Flora recently took delivery of an eight-year-old liver chestnut gelding. He’s had some success at Novice level but has recently been quite tricky cross-country. When he arrived with Flora he was being fed a very high starch diet of competition mix and added oats. He was also quite overweight and was very ‘high’ – not in a fzzy, forward way but more in a backward way. His diet was changed to Spillers Cool Fibre and Lay Of cubes and he’s already proving to be more focused, trainable and settled. This is a good lesson in feeding to meet an individual’s requirements and not falling into the trap of feeding based on an activity level without evaluating the horse’s condition and temperament. your horse FeeDING GuIDe 2013
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Feed Guide
Your feeding problems solved As rewarding as it is, horse ownership brings its challenges, not least those presented by diet and nutrition. Here Allen & Page nutritionist Rachel Parrott answers your feeding questions
“I need weight without fzz”
Q
I’m struggling to put weight on my 10-yearold tB cross. I need to feed her something to help her gain weight without becoming too excitable. What can I do? Laura Walmsley, Doncaster OUR EXPERT Rachel PaRRott BSc (hons) is an Allen & Page nutritionist who helps many horse owners through the Allen & Page award winning helpline, call 01362 822902.
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Helping horses to gain, or even just maintain condition without becoming excitable can be a balancing act. First you need to look at where the energy comes from in your feed. Those high in cereal grains and molasses contain good levels of energy, but also high levels of starch and sugar which research has shown can cause horses to become more excitable. Try to ensure your horse has feeds that use highly digestible fbres as the main energy source, rather than starch. Ingredients such as unmolassed sugar beet and grass are good sources of highly digestible, slow release energy, while also being high in calories. When choosing her feed, look at the digestible energy (DE) level (found on the label). This tells you how much energy is contained in the feed and therefore the calorie level – energy and calories are basically the same thing. Feeds with a DE level of 12-13MJ/kg for example are high in calories and are suitable for horses needing to gain weight. In addition to considering the type of feed, you need to make sure your horse is provided with plenty of access to forage. A lack of fbre can often be the reason for weight loss. Check her condition regularly to make sure you don’t miss any subtle changes. Comparing your horse’s shape against a body condition score chart (see page 8 for more on this), as well as checking with a weightape on a regular basis, will help you to assess your horse’s condition and discover any signs of weight loss before it becomes a problem. A suitable feeding plan can then be swiftly implemented.
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a lot of thoroughbreds can struggle to put on weight
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Q&As with
“He struggles to chew”
Q
My elderly horse has very few teeth left and struggles to eat hay and haylage. how can I ensure he gets enough fbre, especially over the winter months? Karen Williams, Essex
If your horse struggles to chew, it’s essential you provide an alternative source of fbre. Horses evolved as trickle feeders, grazing for around 16 to 18 hours a day and therefore fbre should form the foundation of every horse’s diet. Fibre is vital for maintaining digestive health and function and also to help satisfy the horse’s natural ‘foraging’ behaviour. Fermented in the hindgut, fbre produces energy and heat helping your horse to stay warm. A lack of fbre in his diet will mean that he has to use more energy just to keep warm and maintain body condition. Giving him a feed that’s high in fbre and low in starch and soluble sugars that’s soaked to form a soft mash (designed to be a hay
older horses with fewer teeth can really struggle to chew hay or haylage, so feeding short fbres can help
replacer) will help ensure he gets the fbre he needs. A horse with poor teeth is also more at risk of choke, simply because he isn’t able to chew feed properly, making it even more vital to ofer a ‘soaked’ option. If your horse is left without forage for any signifcant time it can contribute to other health problems such as gastric ulcers. To make sure this doesn’t happen, divide up the amount of a hay replacer he needs into separate meals. If he eats too quickly, giving the feed in separate buckets can also help.
Top Tip Make any dietary changes gradually to let microfora in his gut adjust
“How do I know he’s getting a balanced diet?”
Q
What can I feed my horse to ensure he’s getting all the vitamins and minerals he needs? he’s a general all-rounder in light to medium work. Joy Davis, Lancashire
Vitamins and minerals are essential to maintain your horse’s normal bodily functions, including supporting growth, immune function, reproduction and also aiding performance. Horses need a wide range of nutrients, including vitamins A, D and E and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and sodium to name but a few. The amount needed will vary from horse to horse and also depend on age, bodyweight, status and workload. Many leisure horses can maintain weight and w w w.you r hor se .co.u k
receive sufcient energy for work from a diet consisting of forage and grazing alone. However, both pasture and forage can be lacking in essential vitamins and minerals and therefore, not supply the full range of nutrients he needs. For many horses, giving a low-energy, high-fbre feed containing vitamins and minerals will ensure a balanced diet is achieved, as long as you follow the manufacturers’ guidelines. However, if you feed the recommended amounts but fnd your horse gains weight or has too much energy, you can give a reduced amount. In this case, it can be a good idea to add a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement to his diet, to make sure he gets the right levels of nutrients, however much feed he’s getting. your horse FeeDING GuIDe 2013
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Q&As with
“His coat and hooves need some tlc”
Q
My connemara has lost his shiny coat and his hooves are looking cracked and dull – what can I feed him to help both his coat and hooves improve? Carrie Raynor, Cornwall
Poor hoof condition can be a sign of a lack of vitamins and minerals in his diet
Problems such as a dull coat or poor, cracked hooves are often the result of defciencies in nutrients. You need to make sure your horse is getting the correct balance of vitamins and minerals in his diet. You can do this by providing the recommended amount of a hard feed (containing nutrients) or using
an additional broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement. If he’s already getting a balanced diet, your horse may have an additional requirement for certain nutrients. A hoof supplement, usually rich in biotin, can help to supply targeted support for poor feet. For those sufering from a dull coat, providing a feed with good levels of quality oil such as linseed will naturally help to improve coat condition and shine. It’s important to remember, however, that oil is very calorie dense and if your horse is a good doer, you’ll need to monitor his weight carefully.
“What’s the best diet for a veteran horse?”
Q
What should I feed my 18-year-old veteran to keep him ft and happy as he gets older? Poppy Wearing, Aberdeen
As with us humans, there’s a general deterioration in physical wellbeing as horses age although the rate of ageing depends very much on the individual horse. This means there’s no set age to introduce a veteran feed, but common concerns such as a weakened digestive system and weight loss mean you’ll need to pay more attention to his nutritional requirements. The important things to consider in an older horse’s diet are fbre,
vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids (EFAs) and pre and probiotics. These improve the balance of benefcial bacteria in the gut, which can help your horse make the most of the nutrients in his feed. It’s essential his diet provides EFAs (particularly omega 3), as he can’t produce them himself. Many veteran feeds will contain all of these components, often in a soaked form, along with a good calorie level to help weight maintenance and also to provide energy for those still leading an active life. High fbre feeds that contain highly digestible fbre sources can provide the necessary calories in an easy-to-
digest form. If your horse starts to sufer from poor teeth, which may be apparent through symptoms such as quidding, ofering soft leafy forages such as haylage is ideal. For those that even struggle with this, a high fbre soaked feed that can be used as a hay replacement will provide a great alternative. It’s common to see weight loss in veteran horses, but there are also many who don’t struggle to hold their weight. The high calorie count in a veteran feed is unnecessary for these horses. Instead, it’s important to feed according to weight and workload, and a high fbre, low energy feed, balanced with vitamins and minerals would be ideal.
With the right feed, your veteran can carry on enjoying his life
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For more info and nutritional advice
01622 718487
www.saracenhorsefeeds.com
DON’T PANIC
Get the real run down on sugar and starch and ‘safe’ feeding for your horse or pony from Saracen Horse Feeds. Visit our website or call our helpline for professional advice.
FOR PRODUCT REVIEWS AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR RANGE OF FEEDS PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.SARACENHORSEFEEDS.COM
FEED THE DIFFERENCE
Q&As with The right feed is essential for a youngster to make sure he doesn’t develop problems later on
“Can I feed for energy but not calories?”
Q
My 14.3hh 16-year-old cob is lacking in energy. I’d like to get him more forward going but he’s prone to laminitis so I don’t want to give him too many calories. Alison Baker, Penrith
It can be very difcult to provide more energy in his diet when calories need to be monitored, as calories and energy are essentially the same thing. It can be even trickier for laminitic horses and ponies, as their diet must be strictly controlled. The frst consideration is to provide a high fbre, low starch and sugar diet that is suitable for laminitics. Unfortunately, sources of fast release energy such as cereal grains are not suitable for laminitics as they’re too high in starch. As an alternative, energy (calorie) sources such as unmolassed sugar beet and linseed oil can be used. Unmolassed sugar beet not only contains a high level of stamina giving energy but is also high in
It’s hard to provide oomph without calories
fbre and low in starch. Linseed is also an excellent source of slow release energy and is low in starch and sugar. More energy in your horse’s diet will provide more calories, which can present a challenging situation. The feed won’t result in weight gain however, if your horse uses up the calories during exercise. You need to ensure he’s ft enough for the job being asked of him - a ftter horse will also have better energy levels. To avoid unnecessary calories elsewhere in the diet, hay can be soaked to help reduce soluble sugars and calories.
“How can I help my competition horse?” What should I give my yearling?
Q
What should I be feeding my yearling? He’s got a lovely temperament and is looking well, but with a lot of growing still to do, I worry that he needs a little extra. Jenny Bean, Gloucester
When feeding youngsters, your main focus should be on achieving a steady rate of growth and development. His diet needs to contain essential protein, vitamins and minerals and trace elements. Once a youngster has reached his frst year, he’s done the majority of his growing, so the type of feed, and its energy level, will largely depend on the type of breed he is and how well he’s maintaining weight. Good-doer breeds will need considerably less than fast-growing Thoroughbreds for example, although it’s still important to ensure a balanced diet is always provided. The most important factor is to prevent a young horse from becoming overweight as this puts them at a greater risk of developing health problems later in life and as they grow. As your young horse begins his training, behaviour will become increasingly important so feeds that are low in starch and high in fbre are ideal. Feeds that also contain probiotics can be benefcial. Probiotics help to maintain healthy digestive function in times of stress, such as when the young horse is being weaned and broken in. W W W.YOU R HOR SE .CO.U K
Q
My competition horse and I are about to move up to Novice level eventing this year and I don’t know what to feed him. He’s naturally a good-doer and doesn’t get much in the way of hard feed. He gets turned out as much as possible and he’s looking really well, but I’m concerned he might be missing out on certain minerals. Yasmin Walker, Yorkshire
To ensure he’s getting a balanced diet, you need to provide a high fbre feed which contains the correct nutrients at suitable levels for your horse’s size and workload. Fibre feeds provide sources of highly digestible fbre and low to high levels of stamina energy for the working horse, depending on their energy requirements. If you fnd your horse now requires more ‘oomph’ type energy, feeds containing a portion of quick release energy can provide this. If your horse is competing, working hard and sweating up on a regular basis, electrolyte loss can be signifcant, requiring an additional supplement. A lack of electrolytes can cause problems such as dehydration which impacts on performance. Using a balanced electrolyte supplement, which can often be added to your horse’s water or feed, will ensure the balance is restored. Competition horses may need an electrolyte supplement
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Feed Guide
A little extra help Go into any feed shop and you’ll see shelves full of supplements, all designed to help diferent problems. Our guide will help you decide which, if any, your horse needs
Supplements are easy to feed and can be given in powder, liquid or lick form
Feeding supplements
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particular hooves and coat. To improve hoof quality, look for supplements that supply at least 15mg per day of biotin and 60mg per day to improve growth. Other key ingredients in hoof supplements are essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine. You should also look for copper and sulphur as they help form keratin, a key structural protein found in hooves.
ometimes, even when your horse is on the best grass and hard feed, he may still need a little extra help. If he’s got stif joints, crumbly hooves or his behaviour is unpredictable, there’s a supplement designed to help. However, supplements aren’t miracle cures, and you need to be realistic about what they can do for your horse. Here T.E.N. product manager Verity Beaton BSc (Hons) helps us understand a little bit more about six popular types of supplement.
Shiny coat
Supple joints Whether you’re the owner of a retired veteran or a competition horse, the way he moves is something you should be constantly aware of. Sound, supple joints are essential to his health and performance, and a good joint supplement should help if he’s having any problems. There are several main ingredients to look for in a good joint supplement including glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate, hyaluronic acid and MSM (methyl sulphonyl methane). These and the other ingredients in these supplements are believed to provide the building blocks that will help repair the joint components. If you have an older horse, he may be less able to repair his joints and in this case it may be better to look for a supplement that includes ingredients which aim to make him more comfortable, such as omega 3, devil’s claw, boswellia and rosehips.
Keep him calm Owning and riding a horse can bring a lot of enjoyment, but it can be very frustrating, not to say scary, if your horse is spooky, fzzy, or excitable. Calmers, as the name suggests, aim to reduce stress and excitable behaviour. Most are fed on a daily basis for long-term efects, but there are some which are given in ‘one shot’ and are designed to be used just before competition or other stressful event. There are three main types of calmers. The frst contain herbs that have been used for centuries for their perceived calming and anti-anxiety properties, such as chamomile, passifora incarnata, lemon balm and hops. Then there are supplements that contain live yeast and probiotics, designed to help horses with upset digestive systems believed to cause excitable behaviour. Finally, magnesium is widely used for its calming properties so supplements that contain this and herbs will act as a two pronged approach. W W W.YOU R HOR SE .CO.U K
The right supplement can help your horse deal with a variety of health problems
Help his breathing Respiratory supplements aim to soothe and support your horse’s airways. They can be useful if your horse is stabled for long periods and exposed to a dusty environment or prone to problems that may afect his breathing, such as a pollen allergy. A healthy respiratory system is vitally important for the overall wellbeing of your horse; even minor respiratory challenges or breathing problems can afect his health and performance. His lungs are particularly susceptible to oxidant damage, so you should look for supplements that contain antioxidants such as selenium, vitamin E, grape seed, spinach, broccoli and vitamin C. Other ingredients which may help support his immune system and therefore promote healthily lungs are ginseng, glutamine and garlic.
Healthy hooves We’ve all heard the saying ‘no hoof, no horse’ and there’s never been a more accurate line. A balanced diet is crucial for strong, healthy hooves. However, there are times when horses and ponies need a little extra targeted nutrition in the form of a supplement. Biotin is one of the few ingredients where research has shown its efcacy in the horse, in
A shiny coat and healthy skin can’t be achieved with just grooming – a true shine comes from within. Your horse or pony’s skin is a good indication of his inner health as well as being an important protective barrier. However, his diet alone may not be enough and he may need a supplement. If you’re looking for a supplement to give a shiny glossy coat, consider ingredients to help with protein formation such as biotin and essential amino acids like methionine and arginine, plus vitamin C which is important in collagen production. If, however, you need a skin and coat supplement because your horse sufers with a skin condition such as sweet itch or mud fever, then you’ll also need immune type ingredients such as omega 3 fatty acids or herbs like chamomile, clivers and nettle.
Improve digestion Our horses’ digestive systems are surprisingly delicate and can be compromised relatively easily. From loose droppings to more worrying conditions, there are times when every horse could do with a little extra digestive support. Horses tend to fall into two diferent categories, those with stomach issues and those with hind gut issues. Stomach problems are often caused by gastric ulcers and supplements for these tend to focus on reducing gastric acid with bufers such as sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate and prebiotics such as fructooligosaccharides. Other ingredients to look for are those that support the digestive system lining, such as threonine, lecithin, liquorice root, fenugreek and apple pectin. Supplements for hind gut problems should focus on promoting a healthy hind gut bacteria population with ingredients such as live yeast, fructooligosaccharides and mannanoligosaccharides. As with gastric supplements, ingredients which support the digestive lining may also be benefcial. YOUR HORSE FEEDING GUIDE 2013
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Feed Guide
Top 5
feeding facts Essential information to help keep your horse happy and healthy
1. Accuracy counts It’s important to know your horse’s weight to be able to judge accurately how much feed he needs, and to monitor his condition. An easy formula to work out his weight is: • Girth (cm2) x length (cm) = his approximate bodyweight in kg To measure your horse’s girth, measure around his body where the girth would normally sit, making sure the tape passes over the lowest point of his withers and just behind his elbow (see pic, below). To measure his length, measure from the point of his shoulder to the point of his buttock, following the curve of his body (again, see pic below).
2. Soaking hay really works… …but you don’t need to soak it for more than 30 minutes unless you’re trying to leach out the calories (as the longer it’s soaked the more nutrients, including
energy, are lost). Recent research by feed companies has shown that soaking hay for between 20-30 minutes is the most efective time frame. This gives all the dust-reducing benefts, while keeping nutrient loss to a minimum.
3. Never starve an overweight horse You might want to take extreme action with an overweight, laminitic pony, but trying to starve the weight of him may well send his body into panic mode. A disease called hyperlipaemia – where fat stores are broken down rapidly, clogging up the liver – is a serious concern. You can help prevent this, and other issues, by ofering him a steady supply of low-calorie forage, given in a small-holed net to slow down chewing time. Try oat straw or coarse, fbrous hay that’s been soaked for 12 hours to reduce its calorie content.
Horses need a steady supply of forage, so make sure it’s on the menu if your horse is stabled
4. ‘18’ is the magic number This is the length of time (in hours) your horse’s body is designed to graze for over any 24-hour period. He’ll manage this if he’s turned out on good grazing. If he’s stabled for long periods, you need to replicate this natural urge to graze by ofering lots of high-Ƈbre forage (think hay, haylage or a lower-calorie hay/oat straw mix).
5. Choke is a danger to every horse
Girth
34
your horse FeeDING GuIDe 2013
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Sadly, it’s not only the preserve of the greedy pony. An alarming condition where food gets stuck in your horse’s throat or food pipe, choke is usually the result of him eating something that’s too dry or coarse, bolting his food too quickly or trying to swallow it before it’s been sufciently chewed. To help prevent choke, try adding chaf to his hard feed to force him to spend longer chewing, put a large brick in his bucket (which he has to eat round), and make sure his teeth stay in good condition with regular visits from an equine dental technician every nine to 12 months. w w w.you r hor se .co.u k
This
horse is Cool & Collected
Roanna Hamilton and Elwyn
Cool & Collected® – Part of the Barley & Molasses Free Range “Since Elwyn has been on Cool & Collected he has relaxed a lot more in ridden work and at shows, whilst keeping in great condition with a glossy shine to his coat.” – Roanna Hamilton
✓
Cool & Collected®
Winners of the 2013 HAYGAIN Nutritional Helpline of the Year Award, for excellent advice and customer service
Barley free – low starch, molasses free – low sugar*
✓
For horses and ponies at rest or in light to medium work
✓
Ideal for horses and ponies that suffer from feed related behaviour issues
✓
Contains Ceregest GLC 1, a unique pre and probiotic for good digestive health
✓
Highly digestible with high fibre energy sources
QUICK SOAK less than
3
minutes!
PLEASE NOTE: To get the best results from Cool & Collected®, please make sure that you do not feed any other products that contain barley or molasses. Many traditional feeds contain barley and/or molasses which can cause excitability in some horses. Even horses that do not become fizzy as a result of these ingredients can benefit from a low starch and sugar feed* such as Cool & Collected®. To get the full benefit from this feed it must be fed according to recommended guidelines.
For friendly and helpful advice, contact our award-winning nutrition helpline today on 01362 822 902, email helpline@allenandpage.co.uk or visit www.allenandpage.com When compared to traditional diets with comparative energy levels. Quote Advert: Cool527
*
Feed from our experience You want your horse or pony to stay in the best of health. So do we. For over 50 years, SPILLERS® research and development in equine nutrition and feeding has shaped best practice worldwide. SPILLERS® has become synonymous with proven feed formulations and expertise. For competition performance or leisure enjoyment, feed from our experience.
www.spillers-feeds.com
For more information contact SPILLERS® Care-Line on 01908 226626 or visit www.spillers-feeds.com ®MARS and SPILLERS are Registered Trademarks. ©MARS Horsecare UK Ltd 2013.