Posts Tagged ‘Nutrients’

I love to hear my horse whinny to me. The sound of his satisfied munching is another reward I find in horse ownership. Of all the things we enjoy doing for our horses, feeding can be one of the most emotionally rewarding. Sometimes we can be guilty of “over-kill” when it comes to feeding our horse.

In order to avoid causing damaging imbalances when feeding our horse we need to calculate the nutrients the horse is receiving from his basic feed ration in the first place. Once that is established then a decision to add supplements to his diet can be made. Supplements can be beneficial to our horses if they need them. Overloading nutrients can be harmful when we are feeding our beloved equines and must be avoided.

When feeding our horse we must not overlook the significance of availability of fresh water at all times. Having access to fresh clean water will reduce the chances of impaction colic. This is very important for horses kept mainly on dried forage. The horse will drink more often if he is offered fresh clean water. This will help prevent dehydration in the horse also. In cold weather heated water will encourage horses to keep drinking water. Heaters for water tanks are available commercially that keep the drinking water at a palatable temperature. This will encourage them to drink more water during cooler weather. Often decreased water consumption as the temperatures drop can lead to colic.         

Another consideration if you have more than one horse make sure there is more than one source for water and easily accessible to all of the horses. When feeding more than one horse sometimes horses will bully others. More than one water source can help this situation.

When feeding horses we must not overlook salt. Sodium and chloride (salt) is essential to many bodily functions.  Not naturally present in grasses and grains salt is a vital nutrient that we need to add to our horses’ diet. Horses lose salt when sweating and it is necessary for it to be replaced. A block of salt may be placed in your horses pasture. It will be available to him when he needs it. If the horse has a balanced diet a mineralized salt block will not be necessary when adding salt to his diet.  In the winter additional salt (no more than a tablespoon) to your horse’s food at night will encourage drinking as nighttime temperatures drop. This can aid in preventing colic that sometimes occurs as temperatures become cold outside.

If given an opportunity horses will consume the salt they need. Horses have a natural appetite for it. Sometimes horses kept in stalls will get bored and consume too much salt. There is a solution for this. When feeding such a horse loose salt, an ounce or two may be added to the diet. Table salt may be used if the horse already has a balanced diet. 

As we give our horses food we must make sure our desire to care for them does not conflict with their need to graze and roam. We must make sure we do not create imbalances in their nourishment. After all the time and money we put into our horses we want to enjoy them for many years to come. When we are feeding our horses right we are well on our way to obtain that goal.

For additional information about practical horse management please go to http://wcf-ltd.com/horse/ to learn more about how to care for your horse.

Author: Fran Mullens
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Feeding a stabled horse is slightly different than feeding a horse that lives on a pasture. A stabled horse will spend more time in a stall and will require a somewhat different feeding regime. This is because the stabled horse does not have access to the same amount of roughage that the pastured horse receives. The stabled horse will also eat a lot of high-energy feed, but then have nowhere to release that energy. This is why it is important that you understand what and why you are feeding the horse to ensure that he is receiving all of the nutrients the horse requires.

Exercise must be considered when developing a feeding program for your horse. The horse’s age, gender and size will all play a determining role in how much the horse is fed. A horse that is four years old or older and is only ridden on the weekends or one hour per day will only require a maintenance ration. If the horse is not working extremely hard, then the horse is considered to be lightly worked. In this case, it does not matter what gender the horse is and a maintenance ration will be sufficient. You will need to fee the horse approximately one percent of his body weight in hay per day and then use your feed tag to help you determine what percentage of the horse’s body weight should be fed in grain. A horse that is on a very good pasture may not even require a grain supplementation until the cooler months.

Horses that are used for events such as jumping, roping, cutting, polo or racing are going to require a more customized feeding program. These horses will still require about one percent of their body weight in hay per day, but they may require a higher protein ration. Some horses may also need a fat added ration depending on how much energy they are burning in their work and if it is causing them to lose weight. A good general rule of thumb is that if the horse needs more energy then you should gradually increase the amount of feed that the horse is receiving. Racehorses and polo ponies may require fat added diets because they need to sustain their glucose levels throughout their competition.

The mature adult horse requires eight percent protein for daily maintenance. This means that a horse on very good pasture or alfalfa hay will not require supplementation from grain. Younger horses will require a ten to twelve percent daily protein depending on how quickly they are growing. High performance horses may require 14 percent protein depending on the amount of work they are doing. Owners should consider purchasing a well balanced sweet feed with a good hay, either alfalfa or grass, to meet their horse’s nutritional needs.

Once your horse is feed go inside and enjoy your horse home dcor.

Author: Jo Thompson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Horse health care is one thing. Caring for a horse who has a history of ulcers is something else altogether. Owners of horses who have had ulcers in the past are super-sensitive to any signs of possible new ulcers forming, whether it be a horse leaving his feed or experiencing a mild colic.

These owners all want to know: “What should I do if I think my horse is possibly developing another ulcer?”

Luckily, the answer is simple and cost-effective:

Prevention

Treating Possible Horse Ulcers with Prevention

Once a horse has fully recovered from an ulcer, the best way to prevent the formation of new ulcers is to put him on a nutritional maintenance program that will keep him healthy.

The simplest and most effective nutritional supplement I have found to keep ulcer-prone horses healthy is the Essentials from Simplexity Health. The Essentials are convenient daily packs of supplements that include:

2 forms of blue-green algae (with and without the cell wall)

acidophilus

bifidus

enzymes

When fed on a daily basis, this balanced mix of supplements keeps a horse’s gut healthy. The probiotics (acidophilus and bifidus) keep the population of “good bacteria,” or gut flora, in the horse’s small and large intestines flourishing. This is important because healthy gut flora prevents foreign invaders from taking over and causing ulcers. Probiotics also play a big role in healthy digestion.

The enzymes also play a crucial role in digestion, especially for horses who have trouble assimilating nutrients or have inherently poor digestion. Finally, the two forms of blue-green algae provide a nutrient-dense supply of vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals. These nutrients help to heal horse ulcers as soon as they start to form.

In short, the Essentials provide your horse’s body with everything it needs to maintain a healthy gut, and repair any ulcers that may begin to form. For maintenance, I recommend 1-2 packets of Simplexity Essentials daily, depending on the horse’s temperament.

Preventing Horse Ulcers When a Horse is Stressed

Feeding the Simplexity Essentials is an excellent way to prevent horse ulcers when a horse is in his normal routine. However, if a horse with a history of ulcers is going to be stressed, I recommend feeding additional supplements to prevent the formation of new ulcers.

Horses can be stressed by any number of factors, including travel, horse shows, heavy training, a new environment, or an abrupt change in weather. As a horse owner, you know best which factors stress your horse. If you know that you horse is going to be stressed, you can prevent him from developing new ulcers by supplementing his feed with ulcer-preventive substances beforehand.

For instance, if you know that your horse is stressed by long trips, in addition to feeding the Essentials, you might add green clay, Stomach Soother, SUCCEED, or KLPP and UF to his diet a day or two before you leave. The key is to feed him whatever nutritional supplement helped him heal from his original ulcer.

Depending on what kind of ulcers your horse is prone to, the supplement of choice could range from slippery elm and aloe to green clay or Stomach Soother. Not all horse ulcers are the same, so they can’t all be treated the same way.

Treating Different Types of Horse Ulcers

Because you know your horse best, you know which kinds of ulcers he is most prone to and what supplements work best for him. Keep these supplements on hand to feed before you stress him, or at the first sign of a newly developing ulcer. If, for example, your horse has a mild colic because of a weather change, and he responds well to Stomach Soother, add that to his diet for a few days until his symptoms subside. When paired with the Essentials, the Stomach Soother will prevent the formation of new ulcers… and save you a big vet bill in the process.

Prevention Really is the Best Medicine

I’ve compared case studies of horse ulcers treated with conventional medicine and holistic care. Over and over again, I see that the horses who are treated with holistic care, which focuses on a solid nutritional program and preventative care, are not only happier and healthier over all, but cost their owners less money in the long run.

A solid nutritional program that is designed specifically for your horse’s nutritional and temperamental needs is definitely a form of prevention against horse ulcers and all kinds of other acute and chronic health conditions. While the ongoing monthly costs of this kind of program may seem a bit higher than a “no frills grass hay” diet, ultimately a nutritional program like this will save you money and heartache.

++++ Order Essentials and Ulcer Supplements Online ++++

We are proud to be a one-stop online shop for horse owners interested in holistic care. If you have an ulcer-prone horse, we invite you to visit our online store, designed with your horse in mind.

Madalyn Ward, DVM, is a recognized author and veterinarian in the field of holistic horsekeeping. For free tips on horse health, horse personality types, and horse nutrition, plus one-stop shopping on holistic horse products, visit http://www.BuyHolisticHorse.com.

Author: Madalyn Ward, DVM
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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