Maintaining Condition
Winter brings with it a different set of feeding problems, with the colder weather your horse will be using more energy to keep warm. For hardy, native types this may not be so much of a problem but for thoroughbred type horses this may mean that they require extra food to replace energy expended keeping warm.
Winter usually means that horses and ponies will be spending more of their time stabled, turning out regularly, even if it is just for a few hours each day, is very important not only for exercise, but also to relax and socialise. Horses like to pick at the available grass, yet it is likely to be of low nutritive value and additional supplementary forage will be needed to help to satisfy appetite, avoid boredom, and maintain a healthy digestive system.
Your horse’s workload can change quite substantially with the winter weather for some horses it may mean that they are only being ridden at weekends while for others such as hunters they will be working hard and the amount and type of feed you are giving should reflect this.
Some horses can lose weight quite dramatically once the weather turns colder so it is important to check your horse’s condition regularly. Remember to take rugs off and make sure you can check your horse over in good light it is all too easy to miss subtle changes otherwise. Run your hands over your horse’s ribcage, as a rule of thumb you should be able to feel your horse’s ribs but not see them, other important areas to check are over your horse’s quarters, back and withers. If your horse is losing weight what should you do? The most important thing is to determine what is causing the weight loss is it simply the cold weather and lack of grass? Is your worming programme up to date? Have your horse’s teeth been checked lately? Once the cause has been determined and any necessary action taken it is time to look at your horse’s diet.
Feeding as much forage as possible, in the form of grass, hay or haylage, mimics the way your horse has evolved to eat and should also help to keep him calm. However, unless your horse is an incredibly 'good doer' then forage alone will seldom be enough to maintain his condition and give him enough energy for the work he is doing in winter.
When it comes to feeding concentrate feeds, remember it is not just the amount you feed but your choice of feed product which will make a difference to your horse. If your horse or pony tends to be the type that only needs to look at food to put on weight, a low calorie, high fibre feed is ideal. This will provide him with the vitamins and minerals he needs to stay healthy without adding too many calories to his diet. There are now many feeds on the market that cater for the good doer, but it is worth checking the ingredients to make sure that they are low in sugars and starches, especially if you have a horse or pony that is prone to laminitis.
For the majority of horses and ponies who maintain their weight reasonably well a low to medium energy mix, depending on their workload, is ideal. This should provide sufficient calories to maintain condition and also to provide enough energy for the work they are being asked to do. If your horse is working particularly hard or is competing regularly it may be that he will need a competition type feed. A feed that is high in fibre but low in starch such as Allen & Page’s Sustain that provides slow release energy is ideal for horses that require stamina while a fast release energy feed such as Allen & Page’s Light Competition Mix will better suit a horse that requires more instant type energy.
Some of the most difficult horses to feed are those which tend to react to mixes or feeds which contain a lot of cereal, but are difficult to keep weight on. They should be fed plenty of good quality forage and are better on high fibre, high oil feeds which are low in starch, and don’t contain much cereal. Choose your conditioning feed carefully as many of them contain a lot of cereal – great for putting on weight, but not if your horse is already too sharp! Cubed products are generally lower in cereals than mixes by their very nature, as mixes usually contain a combination of barley, maize, and oats. A feed that is high in good quality oil such as Soya and linseed is also great for promoting healthy coat and skin condition, such as Allen & Page’s Calm & Condition. When choosing a feed it is worth looking for one that contains probiotics and/or prebiotics, these helps to maintain a healthy balance of microflora in the gut.
Older horses can also pose a problem too, using a feed specially designed for the older horse will help to boost their calorie intake and it is important to keep an eye on their teeth, all too often the actual amount of fibre they are eating is overlooked. If your horse struggles to eat hay or haylage using a soft chaff or a high fibre feed such as Allen & Page’s Fast Fibre can help to ‘top up’ fibre levels which in turn will help to maintain your horse’s weight.
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