The rules of feeding
Whether we learnt them at Pony Club, or read them in a magazine, we all know the Rules of Feeding.
They have been set in stone of what seems like centuries, but were developed through a combined understanding of horse behaviour and how the horse's digestive system works. Following these rules for years has shown that the horse will thrive and perform better if we respect his psychological and physiological needs.
The 10 rules of feeding
1. Feed little and often
Remember the horse is a "trickle feeder" with a proportionally small stomach which is fairly rigid. A large feed will pass through the stomach more quickly, before the digestive process in the stomach is complete. This can cause problems further down the digestive tract.
It is best to feed your horse smaller feeds but more often, as it is much more natural and encourages more efficient digestion.
2. Feed plenty of forage
As the horses natural diet is fibre, his gut requires a constant supply of forage in order to function correctly. Feeding plenty of forage to a stabled horse helps satisfy his need to chew and also to relieve boredom, reducing the risk of behavioural problems, such as weaving or wind-sucking.
3. Avoid making sudden changes to diet
A gradual change in your horses diet allows the bacteria to adapt and minimise the risk of metabolic or digestive upsets, which can cause problems such as Laminitis and Colic.
It is recommended that you introduce a new feed over the period of 7 – 10 days to allow the horses gut to adjust to the new food.
4. Keep feed buckets and scoops clean
The main reason for this is the risk of cross contamination where a number of horses are involved and one or more is receiving medication, especially if competing under FEI rules.
Just think, you wouldn’t want to eat from a dirty plate every day!
5. Provide a constant clean, fresh water supply
Water is the most important nutrient - a lack of it will kill a horse far quicker than any other nutrient.
65-75% of a horse's bodyweight is water and it is needed to maintain body temperature, to lubricate joints and to transport nutrients around the body. It is also a constituent of saliva and other digestive juices.
6. Do not work immediately after a full feed
A full stomach may restrict the area in which the lungs can expand.
After a feed, it's best to wait at least 1 hour before strenuous exercise/riding, otherwise the blood supply will be diverted away from the digestive tract to the muscles resulting in compromised digestion.
7. Feed according to the horse’s condition, workload, breed, age and temperament.
Whilst the basis of each horse's diet should be forage, their requirements will vary according to work load, temperament, age, breed and general condition.
A good doer in light work will have completely different requirements from an anxious Thoroughbred in hard work. The art is to achieve a balanced diet which meets the horse's requirements for work whilst maintaining healthy condition.
8. Feed something succulent everyday
Succulents will help to encourage a fussy eater to finish his feed and they will provide a natural source of minerals and vitamins.
9. Choose good quality feed and forage
Forage should be mould and dust free to reduce the risk of respiratory disease. Hay can be soaked to lower the dust content. Compound feed should be stored in clean, dry conditions out of direct sunlight and protected from contamination by vermin such as rats and mice.
It is recommended that you should feed products produced by reputable manufacturers.
10. Routine feeding
The horses’ digestive system is not designed to be empty for any length of time. If a horse cannot have "ad lib" access to forage then feeding at regular intervals with be sufficient.
It is known that horses thrive on a routine and are happier knowing when and where their next meal is coming from!
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