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Some horses wrestle to deal with the stress of competing, whether or not or not it’s the journey or the competitors setting itself. This can result in weight reduction, however what are you able to do to assist your horse maintain situation with out making them too fizzy to journey? Nutritionist Jo Palmer shares her experience.
Your horse wants a feed to help their physique situation and vitality to assist them work — however with out an excessive amount of of the fast-release vitality that may trigger fizzy behaviour.
Feeds to search for are people who include high quality protein to help their muscle improvement, oil to assist with situation and stamina, and specialised fibre to help a wholesome digestive system, vitality for work and physique situation.
A high-calorie conditioning feed could be applicable to your horse as it’ll present slow-release vitality to gasoline their workload, assist them acquire weight and keep a super physique situation rating, whereas not including to their pure excitability.
Boost digestion
Always keep in mind that vitality and energy are the identical factor, and it isn’t potential to feed a high-calorie feed to advertise weight acquire with out giving your horse extra vitality. It is nevertheless the components throughout the feed which can be vital on the subject of figuring out the kind of vitality that’s offered and whether or not the feed might add to their stressy nature.
Look for a feed that’s free from components that may trigger fizzy behaviour, similar to entire cereal grains and molasses, and as an alternative incorporates fibre and oil-based components to supply slow-release vitality — perfect for horses with an inclination to be fizzy and excitable.
Feeds that include a excessive proportion of cereals must be prevented to your horse as they’ll have considerably larger starch ranges and can provide fast-release vitality.
Not solely can a excessive starch eating regimen trigger fizzy and excitable behaviour, however it’s also harder for the horse to digest and might enhance the chance of issues similar to colic, laminitis and Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS).
Little and sometimes
To assist your horse keep their situation when they’re vulnerable to weight reduction on account of stress, be certain that their routine of workdays stays the identical and unfold their feed and hay all through the day into a number of small meals and one other after they go in at evening.
Along with their feed and hay, utilizing a heat soaked fibre feed every day might help them to take care of physique situation. There are partial fibre replacers in the marketplace that may assist enhance fibre ranges every day, serving to to take care of physique weight.
Going to a contest?
Make positive your horse is fed early on the day of journey and provide a heat mash, similar to your selection of partial fibre replacer, to assist keep excessive fibre ranges of their digestive system. Adding salt to their feed will enhance the flavours, so assist them to eat, and also will assist exchange among the misplaced electrolytes if they’re vulnerable to turn into sweaty when travelling within the lorry.
Meet the professional: Jo Palmer has a BSc (Hons) in agriculture with animal science and is a member of the Allen & Page vitamin crew. Her expertise as a nutritionist helps information horse house owners on feeds and feeding.
This content material is delivered to you in partnership with Allen & Page, proud sponsors of Your Horse’s Ask The Experts. For a free tailor-made feeding plan to your horse or pony, contact the Allen & Page vitamin crew on 01362 822902 or e-mail helpline@allenandpage.co.uk
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