Posts Tagged ‘horse feeding’

A good sound knowledge in horse feeding is important for any horse owner. Even if your horse is stabled and fed by the staff at a yard, you ought to have a basic understanding of horse nutrition. A healthy horse fed a proper diet is a horse that will have the balanced energy to suit you.

If your horse is lacking in energy he may seem lazy to you, but have you looked at his diet? Are you feeding him enough of the right food? A diet consisting mainly of hay or grass is good for a horse living out in a pasture. Of course if that same horse is exercised on a regular basis that hay should be of high quality, good protein, and no doubt he would be having a grain too.

Besides low energy, a horse on an incorrect diet would lose weight, or gain too much weight. Both can lead to health concerns and problems, which usually would result in a veterinary visit and fee.

Feeding a horse more than hay obviously costs more, but you truly save on money in the long run. Horses that are worked need more than hay to replenish lost calories, to maintain his health and to repair the body. No different than humans who are not simply couch potatoes.

Pleasure horses that are ridden infrequently still benefit from grain. You can purchase grain or pellets that are best suited to your horses needs. Today feed bags have several labels which tell you the type of food and ingredients. Foods have been specifically developed for broodmares, senior and junior horses just to mention a few.

Knowledgeable staff at a yard and your veterinarian can further assist you in choosing the correct diet. You want a content, happy horse, but perhaps not a highly strung, spirited race horse between your legs…

Depending on your horse’s lifestyle, whether a competition horse, a companion horse or a pleasure horse there is a diet to match. Diets help you get the best performance from your horse. Supplements may or may not be necessary, if you are competing in a showing class on a regular basis, your horse may very well benefit from a supplement that adds benefits to his coat.

Feeding truly makes a difference to horses from birth up. You want a good healthy happy horse, read up on horse nutrition and find the correct diet.

Horses. Get information on buying, owning and caring for your horse, learn about Feeding Your Horse. Learn about your horses anatomy.

Author: Benjamin Wise
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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You have probably heard the saying that “you are what you eat” and the fact is that this doesn’t just apply to humans. The saying applies to all beings and that means horses as well. If you want to keep your horse in its best possible health and shape you must know what you can and can not feed it, when the right time for feed is and what the right amount of food would be. There are some rules to follow to make sure you meet the horse’s nutritional needs and they are simple. But even so they will need to be followed consistently to have the optimal effect.

First Rule:
Find out how much your horse weigh because this must be reflected in the amount of food it will need for a optimal nutritional balance. But do try to make your horse stand on your bathroom weight because it won’t work. An easy way to measure the weight of a horse is to measure the hearth girth with a horse tape. An alternative option will be to take it to a weight for live animals. Some of the larger farms have them for their cattle.

Second Rule:
Hay is a very important ingredient for your horse but you will know how much you will need to feed it. The best possible mix will consist of a high percentage of bulk and a low percentage of grain. An often used measurement is to feed your horse with 1.5 pounds of hay per 100 pounds of the horse’s body weight. Depending on how many times a day you feed your horse you will have to divide the grain into equal portions. It is extremely important that you do not give your horse to much grain. Make sure to weigh the horse flakes as they can vary much in weight.

Third Rule:
Next step is to determine your horse’s need for grain and for the most part young and growing horses will need it in their diets. Horses that work heavily will also need grain to keep up the ability to work hard. When feeding grain you need to weigh it because every type of grain weighs differently. Corn as an example is much lighter than bran and if you in doubt then ask your veterinarian.

Fourth Rule:
Overfeeding your horse will need to more pain than pleasure for both of you and even though it is said that the way to a horses heart is through food the results of overeating can be founder and colic. Remember to have any additional food locked away because as horse that starts eating grain will not stop until is has finished or becomes sick.

Fifth Rule:
On the other hand underfeeding a horse can be just a much dangerous as overfeeding because it will leave your horse vulnerable to illnesses. A horse that lacks energy and has a weak immune system might be suffering from lack of food so pay attention.

Sixth Rule:
Fresh water is just as important to a horse as it is to humans. Without good clean water in fair amounts it is hard for anyone to maintain a good health. Colic is one of the many things that can be caused by the lack of water. If you live in an area of the world where winters are very cold you need to remember to give your horse easy access to sufficient water.

If you follow these six basic rules you will be able to have a healthy and powerful horse for many years to come.

If you want to know more about feeding your horse you must come visit us at HorseTrailerUniverse where you will find everything from horse trailer insurance over used horse trailers to horse nutrition.

Author: Hank Westwood
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Due to the number of questions and concerns I field from horse owners unable to maintain weight on the horses I’ve written the following to explain feeding guidelines found on feed bags. Also, how to determine what amount your particular horse needs.

Typical Guidelines call for:

Recommended feeding amount is to 1 pound of feed per 100 pound bodyweight.

Feeding amounts may be adjusted slightly to meet the needs of the horse.

Feeding amounts should be split into 2 or more feedings per day.

I.e. a 900 pound horse would need to be fed 4 to 9 pounds per day.

Now comes the tricky part

I know you’ve all probably heard the terms “easy keeper” and “hard keeper”. What that boils down to is the metabolism and energy level of that particular horse. You also have to factor in the size of your horse. A taller horse will weigh more than a shorter or smaller horse. If you have a low energy low metabolism horse you’d go toward the low end. If you have high energy high metabolism horse you’d go toward the high end. The average person is not good at guessing the weight of their horse nor the proper weight their horse should be.

The best judge of your horse is you. If your horse is getting to heavy or losing weight look at the nutritional needs of your horse and see if they are within the guidelines. Use a body scoring chart to see if your horse is within optimum weight range.

I’ve had people with a small, average and large horse ask me why one is doing well, one is doing okay and one is losing weight. When I ask what they are feeding they answer “one scoop”. Here lies the problem.

Different feed weighs different amounts. Also, some people fill the scoop to different levels. You should scoop out your feed and weigh it. Find out exactly what you have been feeding. Then compare that to the guidelines.

In the example above an 800 pound horse, a 1000 pound horse and a 1200 pound horse were being fed 6 pounds of feed daily. It was the appropriate amount for the smaller horse but way to low for the others. The 1200 pound horse guidelines call for 6 to 12 pounds per day. I recommend splitting the difference and seeing how the horse does then increase or decrease according to body condition. If your horse is underweight go to the high end. Just remember, do it gradually and increase their feed no more than 1 pound per meal.

Quick Reference Table Chart

Horses weight _____________Feed bag rec________________Amount to feed horse

800………………………………………… 4-8 pounds daily ……………………………………6 pounds per day

1000…………………………………….. 5-10 pounds daily…………………………………7-8 pounds per day

1200………………………………………6-12 pounds daily………………………………….. 9 pounds per day

This is based on an average horse. If your horse is high energy you go to the high side, low energy to the low side average you fall in the middle. Start out with the mid range and adjust accordingly.

Feeding Need To Knows

• An average horse can not utilize more than 5 pounds of feed at one meal. Anything more they are basically just pooping out without being able to utilize the nutrients. This is why feeding horses must be broken down into 2 or more feedings per day.
• In order to achieve the nutrient value on a bag of feed the horse has to consume the pounds required for their size and metabolism or their nutrients are falling short.
• Do not increase a horses feed ration more than 1 pound per meal over a course of a week..
• Do not change a horses feed without mixing it with the new feed for at least 7 to 10 days. Feed changes must be made gradually.
• Do not feed less hay than feed. If a horse is getting 6 pounds of feed they need a minimum of 6 pounds of hay.
• Typically, the average horse should consume 1 bag of feed and 2 bales of hay a week.

Conclusion

The best judge of your horse is you. Feed your horse according to their needs. Stop being of the “scoop” mind and get “pound” wise. Listen to your horse, they can tell you a lot. Don’t be afraid to ask questions from someone. If your horse doesn’t appear to be doing well to you they probably are not. Get in the habit of observing horses body condition. Rate horses based on a body condition scoring guide. Rate your horse and other horses. Get to know your horse and your horses individual needs.

Horses do not fit into a nice tidy package. They are as different as us in their nutritional needs. Obviously a 5 foot tall person is not going to have to eat as much as a 6 foot tall person to maintain their optimum weight. So goes it with horses. Also, we’ve all met that person with the high metabolism that seems to be able to eat anything they want and they stay skinny or the person that watches everything they eat and still gains weight. Again, so goes it with horses.

Author: Melody Baum
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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A horse’s nutritional requirements and his digestive system have not changed since the time he was first domesticated thousands of years ago. However, due to a lack of knowledge, convenience considerations and an over-zealous adoption of the scientific claims of the feed industry, the way we feed a horse has changed dramatically. Often, these methods contradict what natural horsemanship tells us about feeding and result in health problems for the horse and management problems for owner.

Certain principles of natural horsemanship can be applied to choosing a proper feeding program for the horse. Just as we studied aspects of horse physiology and psychology when approaching training techniques, it is beneficial to think in these terms when we decide how to feed our horses. This will tell us both what to feed and how to feed.

It doesn’t take an expert in natural horsemanship or equine nutrition to understand that feeding flakes of alfalfa and grain supplements twice a day to a horse in a stall is not what Mother Nature intended. Indeed, that approach completely ignores a few basic principles that every horse owner should know about their four-legged charges.

A horse’s digestive system is designed to obtain the maximum nutritional benefit from a diet of high-fiber and low-energy grasses. The foundation of a healthy, natural diet for a modern, domesticated horse is grass and grass hay. A horse in his natural environment will spend many hours a day grazing. Most experts say that a horse needs to consume at least 1.5 – 2 lb. of good quality hay and grain for every 100 lbs of body weight. Much will depend upon the metabolism of the horse. Horses that are heavily worked, pregnant and lactating mares will consume up to 3 lbs of dry matter for every 100 lbs. of body weight.

Grass hay is much preferable to alfalfa for the bulk for the horse’s diet for several reasons. Alfalfa is a very rich or “hot” feed for the horse. It contains approximately 50% more protein and energy per pound than grass hay. Its phosphorous to calcium ratio is also too high for a horse’s requirements. When fed with grain, as alfalfa often is, numerous digestive problems including colic may result. Alfalfa may be fed but only in small quantities almost as a supplement, not as the predominant feed component.

Not all hay is the same. The nutritional content of hay depends not only on the variety of grass grown, but also on the soil and amount and type of fertilizer used. Hay quality also can vary and should be examined prior to purchasing. Good hay exhibits the following qualities:

1. Should be leafy as opposed to containing too many stems. Most of hay’s protein is contained in the leaves.

2. Good-quality hay should exhibit a light green color. If it is too yellow or brown, it might have been harvested too late and may not contain proper nutrients.

3. The hay should smell fresh and sweet. Hay that smells moldy or musty should be avoided. Feeding moldy hay can result in colic.

4. Check for weeds and other non-hay matter. Good horse hay should contain a bare minimum of weeds, sticks and debris.

Unfortunately, hay comes without supermarket labels specifying nutritional content, but often a reputable hay supplier will have a laboratory analysis available for a particular cutting of hay he is selling. Parameters to look for include:

1. Moisture: usually averages around 10%. Higher than 13% may result in palatability problems and even mold proliferation.

2. Crude protein: Legume hay will run 20% or more. High quality grass hay might run as high as 12-15%. A minimum should be at least 8%.

3. Digestible energy (DE): This is an estimate of the amount of energy available to the horse from the hay. This figure will vary depending upon the stage of growth at which the grass was cut and harvested. Young grass will have a higher DE. As the crop matures, DE decreases as the lignin content increases. A DE reading of less than 1.65 Mcal/kilogram indicates a high level of indigestibility and should not be fed to horses. This could cause impaction colic.

4. Acid detergent fibre (ADF: Indicates the digestibility of fiber in the hay. ADF levels above 45% indicate poor nutritional levels, while values less than 31% indicate excellent quality hay.

When horses ran wild, their food supply consisted of different kinds of grasses grown in one pasture or field. Today we have lost that natural variety. An improved pasture is more than likely to contain just one variety of hay grass. Feeding just one type of hay can limit the nutritional value of the horse’s ration, especially trace minerals. Several different kinds of hay, ideally, should be fed. This will not only provide a more balanced diet but will also vary taste and texture characteristics of the feed as well.

A horse will also nibble eagerly on all kinds of vegetable matter. A good idea is to provide your horse with tree branches with leaves to chew on. He will not only be able to derive needed nutrients but will use his teeth and wear them down naturally. A horse’s teeth are continually growing, and because of domestication and modern feeding techniques, usually need to be rasped down once a year. In the wild the horse is apt to feed in such a way that the growth of his teeth is naturally kept under control.

In addition to being perfectly suited to extracting maximum nutritional value from grasses, a horse’s digestive system has other requirements which are often ignored by owners. The relatively small size of the stomach limits the amount of feed that can be safely consumed at one time. A horse is unable to vomit or belch. Eating a large volume of hay and grain concentrate twice a day, as most horses do, can be unhealthy and even dangerous. A horse should eat small amounts, many times a day.

One of the unique features of the horse’s digestive system is that even though he has but one stomach compartment, as opposed to ruminants like cows, there is a large microbial population in the cecum and colon. These microbes have the ability to break down and utilize the nutrients contained in forage. The peculiar shape of the colon which bends back upon itself numerous times reduces the rate at which digested food is able to pass. This allows more efficient utilization of roughages in the horse’s feed, but also can cause digestive problems when the horse is not fed correctly.

If you observe a horse eating in a barn situation, you can readily see that he prefers to eat off the ground. Most feeders require a horse to eat with their necks extended and their heads raised. This is an unnatural position for a horse to eat. Grass particles and debris fall back into his face and eyes. The horse cannot properly chew his food, and respiratory problems can result when the horse constantly inhales dust from the hay. It’s better to place hay on the ground in small amounts and in different places.

A diet of high-quality grass and hay should provide all the energy and protein needs non-working horses require. However, if a horse is in training, shows in performance classes or is ridden frequently, you might want to supplement with grain. Although this might be considered a departure from a purely natural approach to feeding, riding and working a horse is a complete departure from what nature intended as well.

In his natural environment as a wild, prey animal, a horse consumed very little grain. His very limited grain consumption took place in the fall from natural grasses that had gone to seed. This probably served to put on extra weight before winter. However, our energy demands on a horse have changed nutritional demands on him as well.

If a horse needs more energy, fat and protein in his diet than he is receiving from a grass and hay-based diet, there are several ways you can get him that additional nutrition. It’s a good idea to avoid feeding the quantity of sugar and molasses present in many commercial sweet feeds. Just as in humans, the ingestion of large amounts of sugar can play havoc with the horse’s insulin-regulating mechanism. Compounded grain products may also contain other undesirable ingredients such as fish and animal by-products.

You can get your horse the extra energy he needs through supplementing with rice and wheat bran or oats and barley. Limit the horse’s intake of prepared rations of grain except for pregnant and lactating mares and young foals. We want to feed naturally but we don’t want to reject out of hand advances in feed science. Educate yourself and choose supplements based on your horse’s true needs. Do not overfeed grain, however.

Natural supplements that are useful to include in a horse’s daily ration include flaxseed. Flaxseed is a good source for important Omega-3 fatty acids that are so important in human diets too. Omega-3 fatty acids can play a role in alleviating chronic inflammation and strengthen the immune system. They can improve the condition of a horse’s coat and hooves.

Food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) supplements is a lesser-known source of trace minerals, internal and external parasite control, improved feed utilization and fly control. DE is a desiccant and can be used as a feed supplement or can be spread around stalls and the barn and will kill 75% of flies, fleas and mites that come into contact with it. Horse owners who use DE religiously claim that feeding DE to their foals and grown horses eliminates the need for chemical worming.

Horses themselves can be a judge of what trace minerals they need to consume. Have you ever seen a horse digging in the ground and begin to lick some special rock they’ve found? He seems to know instinctively what minerals he is lacking and where he can get them. This probably pertains more to a wild and varied environment than to a controlled and limited pasture environment. For that reason, it is a good idea to provide a free-choice salt and trace mineral product especially formulated for horses.

When horses are first offered this feeding option, they will initially consume a considerable amount but begin self-regulating very quickly. A supply of salt is essential to a horse’s health and well-being. In the wintertime salt should be manually added to a horse’s feed in order to ensure that he drinks the proper amount of water. Be sure to make available to the horse an unlimited supply of fresh, clean water.

Author: Anita Lamb
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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