Posts Tagged ‘digestive system’

Many of our horses live a much different life than they used to. Horses once lived on the plains traveling in herds and grazing all day. This was what they were intended to do by nature. Today, however, we like to show our horses and we like to keep them in the barn for easy access. Our horses have begun to live in stalls or small pens most of their lives and because of this they have had to adjust. Many horses have adapted to this type of lifestyle, but it has not been without any healthy effects. Colic is one of the most common health issues that horse owners have to worry about today.

Colic is a fairly broad term, but essentially it is a stomachache. The horse’s digestive system is very unique and they’re stomachs are incredibly small of their size. They are designed to eat multiple small meals per day, but we have adjusted that to fit our daily schedules and many horses get two rather large meals per day. The horse also does not have the constant flow of fiber that he once had when he was able to roam the range. Instead, they also receive two rather large flakes of hay per day. There are some horses that are lucky enough to have constant access to hay via round bales, but many horses receive their forage with their meal. This means that a horse may be shocking his system because he is receiving so much food at one time. Horses are unable to tell when they are “full” and this means that they will continue to eat whether they need to or not.

A horse is unable to digest a large amount of feed in such a small amount of time. As the horse eats too much he is overloading his stomach and killing off the helpful bacteria that live in the hindgut of the horse. Because there are no bacteria to help ferment and digest the feed, the feed sits there in the hindgut and causes a toxic problem that produces founder to occur. The toxins begin to build up in the horse’s blood stream and eventually the horse begins to not only show signs of colic but founder as well.

The horse may begin to roll continuously. The horse will get up and lie down and roll over and over. The horse may also develop a fever and begin to sweat. Some horses will act as though they can barely stand up. In severe cases of colic a horse will sit back on his hind feet to avoid putting pressure on his front feet. These are the signs of founder beginning to set into the horse’s feet. When a horse is found colicking, a veterinarian should be alerted as soon as possible and the horse should be walked until the veterinarian arrives. Horses who are allowed to roll may twist a gut and cause more severe internal problems.

Jo loves horses and everything related to horses including merry go rounds

Author: Jo Thompson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Do you use guesswork to decide what and how much to feed your horse? Do you believe it’s too hard to modify your horses’ feed as their workload changes or as the seasons change? For many of the ten years that I’ve been managing the feed for the horses we breed and train, I had been doing just this. The horses seemed healthy and in good condition. Little did I know how much money I was wasting by feeding the horses too much of the wrong stuff! For just one of our horses I was feeding 20% more energy and 30% more protein than he needed! As he was an Australian Stock Horse Stallion, he wasn’t getting fat. Instead he ‘sweated up’ easily and he always seemed hyperactive. We just put this down to him being a stallion. What could we have saved? Annually this 20% represented more than $200, for just one horse!

The purpose of this article is to, for those of you who are also relying on guesswork when putting together your horses’ feed, open your eyes to how easy it is to calculate the right diet for your horse. You need to know this before even thinking about going in to the local horse feed store to choose a commercial feed from the huge range that is on offer.

Before we get into the details of calculating what to feed your horse there are a few points you need to understand about horses in general.

1) Horses have been designed by nature as grazing animals. While grazing they may also eat some grass seed (grain), but this wasn’t meant to make up a large part of their diet. So, if possible, always try to make up as much of your horses’ feed from good quality pasture and hay.

2) A horses’ digestive system can process only a limited amount of feed per day. This includes pasture, hay, and any feed mixes (‘hard feed’) you provide. The general rule is that total weight of feed eaten should be between 1.5% and 2% of the horses’ bodyweight (e.g. 500kg horse = 10kg total feed per day).

3) The amount of feed a horse needs is dependent on three main factors. These are the weight of your horse, how much work they do, and the weather. This last factor assumes your horse is kept in an open paddock or field (i.e. not kept in a stable). This also assumes your horse is already in good condition (body, teeth, worming, etc), and is in good health. In general, the bigger they are, the more work they do, and the colder the weather, the more energy they will need – but still within the limits mentioned in point (2).

What are the basic guidelines for working out what to feed your horse? Your horses’ overall diet must contain balanced amounts of;

1) Digestible Energy (from carbohydrates, sugars, and fats);

2) Protein;

3) Crude Fibre; and,

4) Vitamins and Minerals.

To quickly estimate the correct amounts for your horse, use the following. References to BW refer to your horses’ bodyweight.

1) Resting Horse (no work): 15MJ DE (energy) per 100kg BW, 150g Protein per 100kg BW, minimum of 1% BW in crude fibre, between 1.5% and 1.75% BW total feed weight (including pasture).

2) Horse in Light Work (20-30 min per day): 18MJ DE (energy) per 100kg BW, 180g Protein per 100kg BW, minimum of 1% BW in crude fibre, approximately 2% BW total feed weight (including pasture).

Vitamins and minerals have not been included as this is a complex area that deserves its own article. Worry about getting the first three right and then deal with vitamins and minerals later.

Given the above information, what you now need to do is work out the right balance of feed that provides the correct levels of energy, protein, and crude fibre, while staying under the maximum consumption weight. Generally the steps are;

1) Work out how much pasture your horse eats and the energy and protein value of this pasture. This is determined by how long they are in the paddock/field and the quality of the grass. If you live in areas where the temperature drops down to 5 to 12 degrees Celsius, in the Winter, the energy value of pasture is at least 15% lower than during mid to late Spring.

2) Calculate the remaining amounts your horse needs and decide whether this can be made entirely from good quality hay.

3) If your horse still needs more Energy and Protein, you now need to go looking for commercial feed mixes that meet the remaining requirements of your horse.

You may think that all of this appears to be a complicated balancing act. This is probably why a lot of us avoid accurately calculating our horses’ feed. However, there are now some good feed calculators, available on the Internet, that makes this all very simple. It’s easier if you use a calculator that takes a holistic approach by including the pasture and hay available to your horse, and provides generic advice that is not linked to a particular feed manufacturer. If it includes pictures of pasture types, and already includes the energy and protein values of the feed brands available to you at your local horse feed supplier, you’ll save a lot of time.

You now know the basics of what your horse needs. There are numerous tools online that will help you calculate the exact amounts required. Make use of them today, eliminate the guesswork, and save money at the same time!

Erik Durow
http://www.horsesfeed.com.au
Practical Horse Feeding Information for Recreational Riders
Visit the above website for more information and resources.

Author: Erik Durow
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Even more essential to horses than humans, a steady supply of good food and water is vital to horse health. Horses naturally spend most of their time chewing, swallowing, and digesting. As with most herd animals, the equine digestive system is meant to be constantly on the go and to process vast quantities of fibrous food that we would find utterly impossible. To give your horse the best chance at a happy, long life, I will outline the basics of food and water for your horse.

Food for Your Horse

There are understandable disagreements about the best food for a horse. After all, there are so many factors to consider, and each horse is unique within different environments. Individual horses have different nutritional requirements. Where and how the horse lives, the age of the horse, what kind of work the horse does, and the horse’s own physiology affects the optimal diet. In general, horses that are ridden hard in demanding disciplines, such as cattle work, need more calories than horses used for casual trail use. Therefore, the advice below will provide you with a solid understanding of the needs of most horses. Horse veterinarians will be your best source for your horse’s specific food requirements. He’ll have access to the horse’s records, and will be familiar with his nutritional needs. He will also be more aware of the types of locally available hay for your animal. What is plentiful in one part of the country may be far too expensive in another.

Hay is basically composed of plants that have been cut, dried, and baled. There are two types of hay, legumes and grasses. Alfalfa, rich in protein, calcium, and other nutrients, is the legume horses most commonly eat, though some vets believe it’s far too rich for horses, and should be left for cattle. The most common grass hays are timothy, orchard, and bermuda. Hay is a proper stable food for a horse. It provides roughage in addition to nutrition. Roughage is vital to keep the horse’s digestive system working properly and also satisfies the horse’s natural tendency to chew.

Hay cubes are concentrated blocks of hay. Hay cubes tend to be cheaper than hay and are good for older horses with worn-down teeth. This is because the cubes break apart easily when chewed. Cubes are less dusty, as well, so it’s easier on horses that may have respiratory problems. Cubes are also ideal for horses who have trouble maintaining a good weight. Nonetheless, most horses prefer baled hay to cubes because the normal hay gives them plenty on which to chew.

Pasture grass is the ideal staple food if there is enough volume and diversity of its content. Horses are happiest in pastures, and follow their instincts honed over thousands of years of browsing. You can verify that your pasture is of good quality by calling your local agricultural office. Ask an expert to inspect your pasture, and to help you analyze its nutritional content. Otherwise, supplementation of ordinary hay may be required. If it is less than optimal, measures can taken for fortify and improve a horse pasture. If you don’t have pasture land, and wish to create it, don’t begin without contacting a local agricultural agent for knowledge and help. Be forewarned; starting and maintaining a quality horse pasture can be a big undertaking.

Watering Your Horse

I can’t overemphasize the importance of providing plenty of clean, fresh water as part your horse’s daily care. Humans unwisely do without it daily, but a horse’s need for water is even more acute. The horse’s health and digestive ability heavily depends upon it. An automatic watering device that can be set up in the horse’s stall is best. A large bucket that you refill several times a day is an alternative, or a trough that holds enough water for a day or two at a time.

If you stable your horse where temperatures fall below freezing, you need to keep your horse’s water supply from turning to ice. Consider using a heating element made especially to work with horse watering devices or manually break the ice whenever it forms. Cold water doesn’t do horses any good. I recommend the heating element because it requires less work on your part and also keeps the water at a warmer temperature, encouraging your horse to drink.

Tanya Vorgan believes in the easiest way to learn — to teach others as she is learning. Her many interests have lead her to many exciting experiences, but sometimes nothing compares to the richness of quiet moments in which to reflect and grow. Tanya is also among those committed to the never-ending quest for the perfect cup of coffee, which for her begins with the best bar none Bunn coffee makers.

If you already own a Bunn, always use Bunn coffee filters to prevent overflow and to remove all chances of a bitter or papery taste in your coffee.

Author: Tanya Vorgan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Colic is the most common cause of pre-mature death in domestic horses. It is also the most frequent cause of major veterinary bills. However, the vast majority of colic cases could be easily prevented through correct management. A study of the existing research into this illness, including case studies covering thousands of cases of horse colic, which has identified the most common causes of colic, is the basis for the following recommendations.

Worming. Ensure that the horse is on a regular deworming schedule. All other horses which share the same pasture should be on a synchronized deworming schedule, to prevent cross-reinfection. If a horse has a heavy infestation of worms to start with (e.g. if it has not been dewormed for a long time), then the actual deworming itself can be dangerous, so one should use a laxative to reduce the worm population prior to starting a deworming schedule. 

Food and Pasture. Horses have evolved to eat and digest throughout the day. Their digestive systems are based on ‘continuous processing’, rather than periodic feedings (such as one finds in people or large carnivores). Consequently, restricting them to feedings only twice or even a few times per day is unnatural and places a strain on their system. The ideal situation is for the horse to spend the majority of its time on pasture, constantly eating and moving. If this is not possible, it should be fed as often as possible so that one comes as close as possible to the ‘continuous processing’ it has evolved for. One should never feed food which has gone off (e.g. moldy, fermented).

Hay before Grain. The horse digestive system is designed for ‘high volume, low calorie’ food such as grass and hay; foods which are ‘low volume, high calorie’ such as grain do not provide the volume they require and can lead to various medical conditions (in particular, ulcers). Consequently, use high-roughage foods in preference to grains, unless there are specific reasons otherwise (e.g. for intensive sports, grain may be necessary).

Furthermore, if one is providing both hay and grain, the hay should be fed first. One reason for this is that by reducing appetite with hay, it is less likely that the horse will ‘bolt’ the grain (see ‘bolting’ below). Another reason is that there is evidence that hay following by grain is digested much better than grain followed by hay.

Soak Pelleted Food. It is advisable to soak pelleted food before feeding to horses. The main reason for this is that pelleted food expands in contact with water, so if a horse ‘bolts’ a large quantity of dry pelleted food, it can rapidly expand to an excessive volume upon contact with fluids in the stomach. By pre-soaking the pellets, the food is expanded before it is eaten. This also reduces the rate at which the horse eats, reduces the risk of choke and ensures that additional water is ingested (for horses that are poor drinkers).

Excessive Feed. Horses sometimes manage to get into the feed stores (e.g. where you store grain or other high-calorie food) and stuff themselves, which can result in colic. It is wise to keep the room with feed locked, so that if a horse gets out of its stable or pasture, it will not be able to get into the feed room.

Bolting. If your horse ‘bolts’ (swallows without chewing) its food, discuss options with your veterinarian. For example, with hay pellets one can pre-soak them in water.

Water. Ensure that the horse has access to water at all times. If for some reason the horse has not had water for some time, provide water in small amounts at first rather than allowing it to drink a large amount at one go (particularly after exercise). Likewise, if a horse has not been drinking for some time (horses often refuse to drink during transport), ensure that when it resumes drinking that it is gradual.

During winter, try to provide warm drinking water. A study by the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Veterinary Medicine determined that this increased water consumption by 40% (warm water compared to near freezing water). As inadequate water consumption is an important cause of colic (impaction colic), providing warm water is advisable. Further, there is strong anecdotal evidence that consumption of large quantities of cold water in a short time (e.g. after exercise or after water deprivation) can cause colic.

Exercise. Colic can be caused by inadequate exercise (e.g. horse spends most of day in stall), excessive exercise (especially if horse is out of condition), or rapid changes in the amount of exercise. Consequently, one should avoid these extremes.

Bedding. Ensure that the horse does not eat its bedding, certainly not in large quantities. If it persists in eating its bedding, change to another bedding type which it does not eat.

Sand and Dirt. Do not feed the horse on sand or dirt surfaces. Avoid stabling the horse on sand or dirt. Do not leave a horse on over-grazed pasture.

Dental Care. Correct and periodic dental care (e.g. annual examination, with work if required) will minimize the risk of horses not chewing their food properly due to dental pain.

Trapped. A horse will sometimes lie down or roll so that its back is against a fence or wall, with the result that it cannot get up. Remaining in this position for a lengthy period risks serious colic (e.g. movement of colon into a dangerous position), so if one sees a ‘trapped’ horse one should quickly move it, taking care to avoid accidental injury to oneself. Likewise, a horse that lies down in a paddock sometimes gets its legs trapped under or in the fence rails and needs to be freed.

Temperature. Extreme temperatures (very high or very low) and rapid temperature changes can cause stress on a horse, particularly those which are weak (old or sick). During extreme weather, consider keeping the horses in their stalls. Alternatively, there are a range of horse jackets to protect from rain and/or cold. These should be used if there are sudden extreme changes in weather or if a horse is weak. In addition, although stables should have good ventilation, they should not be drafty (in general, drafts are more of a risk than simple cold).

Change. Finally, one should be aware that horses do not react well to change or stress. One should minimise these as much as possible; if a period of change or stress is necessary (e.g. long distance transport, changes to feed), one needs to monitor the horse much more closely than normal and take special care of it. The ways in which change can affect a horse negatively are numerous. For example, horses will often stop drinking during periods of stress or if they are moved to another area where the water tastes different. As another example, adding or removing a horse from a herd can upset the herd social dynamics, resulting in considerable stress.

Colic is a complex illness, with many different causes. Currently, there is no management programme which has 100% success in avoiding it. However, following the above guidelines will greatly reduce the risk of colic.

Dr. Stewart is the owner of Horse Care. The above article is an extract from his detailed study at Horse Colic.

Author: Doug M Stewart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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A geriatric or senior horse is typically one that is twenty years old or older. They often begin needing specialized care around this part of their life, because things simply begin to wear out. Just like humans, things start to not work as well as they once did. Their eyes, teeth, joints, liver, gut and kidneys all begin to lose their functionality. These are the areas of the older horse that you must begin to pay more attention to.

Older horses may have a hard time breathing; they may also have a hard time walking if they are becoming arthritic. Not being able to walk as well means that it is harder to walk to the pasture and back to the barn to get a drink and then back out to the pasture. If your gut is wearing out, it becomes harder to absorb all of the nutrients that your body requires. This is where owners need to step in and make life a little easier.

You will first want to have your vet check your horses liver and kidney function. They will do some blood work on your horse and check to see if there are any diseases or if they are malfunctioning. If there are any problems, your veterinarian will set you up with medication and a new diet for your horse. Your vet will then check your horses teeth. They will file down any sharp edges and look to see if they are missing any. You should have their teeth checked at least once a year.

From there you will want to move on to your horses digestive tract. As your horse gets older, he will have less efficiency in his digestive system and may require supplements to make up for any nutrients that he is not able to absorb properly. Generally, switching your horse to a senior diet will help him immensely as the nutrients are easier for the horse to digest. Senior feeds also have higher amounts of nutrients as well so that your horse has ample time to digest them. The key is finding one that your horse likes and then sticking with it. You will also want to evaluate the hay that your horse is eating. The best forage for your horse is grass as it is seventy percent water and hay is ninety percent dry matter. Most horse owners rely on hay for their horses forage, but you may need to get better and higher-quality hay for your senior horse. Hay cubes and beet pulp are excellent sources of fiber and may be soaked in water for senior horses with teeth problems.

The horse should be on a regular deworming schedule for his whole life. This will prevent any parasite problems in the long run. You will want to be sure that your program that you used while the horse was a youngster is still efficient for him as a senior.

Most senior horses will begin losing weight, as they are unable to chew as well. By adjusting their diet, you should be able to help them begin gaining weight. Senior horses are, however, prone to choke. Choke is an esophagus impaction due to not chewing their feed and hay all of the way. For these horses, you will want to find ways to make them eat slower. Placing rocks in their feed trough will help to slow them down. You also never want to feed pellets to a horse that has a history of choke without adding water to them. So, some horses may require senior horse soup. You dont want your horse to gain too much weight, as their bones are becoming more brittle and they cannot withstand the extra weight.

Colic is another common problem in senior horses. Many horses will colic due to being unable to chew their food all of the way or if they dont drink enough water. Some senior horses will not make the necessary trips to the water trough if they have to walk all the way across a large pasture. You may consider placing other sources of water in the pasture to aid your senior horse and insure that he doesnt colic due to dehydration.

Proper trimming is also an absolute must for the senior horse. Their bodies are getting old and you dont want them tripping over their long feet. You will also want to ensure that the younger horses in the pasture are allowing the senior horses to eat and drink. Many young horses will push them to the side at the feed trough or not allow them to stand under the shade tree. Vaccinations must also be followed on a regular basis to keep them from developing any other unnecessary stresses on their old bodies.

By following these simple guidelines, you will be able to have a happy senior horse that is still a little spry and ready for his occasional carrot.

Author: Ron Petracek
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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