Get Ready to Ride!
Provided by Dr. Randel Raub, Purina
Mills, LLC
With the approaching good weather, we’re all getting anxious to get back on our horses and ride! But before we saddle up and hit the trails or the show ring, we need to assess our horse’s overall health.
Whatever our specific interest may be, it’s important that our horse is capable of performing it without causing damage to their health. This means that in addition to a proper immunization and parasite control program, good shoeing and dental care, we also need to make certain that enough calories are being provided for our horse to successfully perform our chosen activity. We also must consider if the work type is aerobic, or anaerobic, in nature. Only then can we determine the best diet to meet caloric demands.
So where do we start? If we consider that our average, mature 1,000 pound horse requires approximately 16,000 calories per day just to maintain normal body functions, we begin to get an idea of how many calories are needed to meet the demands of various lifestyles.
For example, the same average, mature 1,000 pound horse will increase its daily caloric requirements up to 22,000 calories as we begin conditioning for showing. For the horse that resumes a moderate work rate, the caloric needs jump up to about 24,000 calories per day. And, for those strenuous work loads such as race conditioning, etc., our horse may demand as much as 32,000 calories per day!
After we’ve determined our horse’s estimated daily caloric requirement, we then need to consider the best source of those calories.
The basis of the horse’s diet is, of course, forage. Whether it is in the form of hay or pasture, the mature horse’s daily ration needs to consist of no less than 50% forage. When additional energy is required to meet the demands of the horse’s lifestyle, it is provided in the form of fats or carbohydrates.
Research continues to support the benefits of fat in the horse’s diet. It increases the amount of energy without dramatically increasing the volume of feed. This is because there are more calories in a pound of fat than there is in a pound of carbohydrates. We refer to fat as being "calorically dense".
Fat is metabolized differently from carbohydrates and as a result, helps to maintain normal blood sugar levels. This means that the horse doesn’t experience the elevation in blood sugar levels which often occurs after a meal of carbohydrates. (This is where the term "hot" horse originated.) As calmness is a quality many of us prefer in our chosen riding discipline, fat provides the better choice for an energy source.
Many of our recreational horse activities are aerobic (requiring the use of oxygen) and utilize fat for energy production. Interestingly, when fat is included in the horse’s diet it accustoms the body to using stored fat as well. Horses are capable of working a long time off of the fat storage throughout their body.
For those lifestyles that tend to be more anaerobic (not requiring the use of oxygen for energy production),
we can supply necessary calories from carbohydrates in the form of cereal grains. Essentially, the horse is working so hard and so fast, that the body simply is not able to supply blood to the tissues fast enough to keep up with the demand for oxygen, and the horse must utilize energy which is stored in its muscles. This level of activity can only be maintained for a very short period of time.
Some horses will benefit from a combined ration of fats and carbohydrates as an energy source. It’s important to properly determine the specific lifestyle requirements for your horse. Remember, horses are individuals, and it’s necessary to feed them as individuals as well.
If you travel with your horse, start well in advance with the feeding program that you will want to take on-the-road with you. Establishing the horse’s diet at home will help towards the prevention of digestive upset when you begin to travel. Remember to take seven to ten days in changing your feeding program. It’s best to slowly reduce the current feed while slowly increasing the new feed until you’re completely switched over.
You’ll also want to go slowly as you increase the amount of grain that your horse requires. It is recommended to increase no more than one pound per day and feed at that rate for 3-4 days before increasing again, etc.
Feed on a regular schedule at least twice a day. Never feed more than 5 pounds of grain per feeding. Add "lunch" or a "late night snack" if you need to make sure your horse gets its full daily ration. Never feed moldy or spoiled grain, and beware of poor quality hay which is difficult for the horse to digest.
If you’re fortunate enough to have access to good pasture, monitor the condition of the pasture and how nutritious it may be depending upon the time of the year. Spring and fall provide the best pasture growing seasons. You’ll want to adjust the grain portion of your horse’s diet accordingly to prevent the risk of carbohydrate overload and laminitis or colic problems.
As always, make certain your horse always has a constant supply of fresh, clean water and salt. If you’re travelling, you may want to carry some containers of water from home for your horse to encourage him to drink. It’s also a good idea to have electrolytes in your trailer’s storage compartment as well, should you need them.
Good Riding!