Horse Nutrition 101

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Gina T.

Horse nutrition is confusing! So many things to consider for your horse, and then on top of that, every horse has different needs…Where is a new horse owner, or even someone who has been around horses for a while that is now interested in nutrition, to begin?

Here’s a quick list of past blog posts that will give you the basics – a “Horse Nutrition 101″ class list, so to speak!

Determining How Much Should Your Horse Eat:

Basic Needs:

Understanding Horse Feeds:

There is much more beyond just these topics, but horse owners should all have a good handle on the basics to keep their horses happy and healthy!

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Feeding HYPP Horses

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Gina T.

HYPP horses need low potassium diets when compared to “normal” horses – less than 1% potassium in total diet including hay + grain.  But, a percentage in a feed is really only a percentage and doesn’t tell you what you really need to know – which is, how much potassium your horse is actually getting in the total diet.  This number will depend on the percent of potassium in each feedstuff, and how much of each feedstuff is being fed. 

Hay Selection:  Hay makes up the majority of the diet so typically contributes the most potassium. It’s best to have your hay tested if possible, but if you can’t do that, keep in mind the following:

  • Oat hay and grass hay are the lowest in potassium
  • Orchard grass is high in potassium so stay away from that.

Feed Selection:

  • Textured/whole grain based feeds tend to be lower in potassium then pelleted feeds, since whole grains are naturally low in potassium, where some ingredients used in pellets tend to be higher potassium sources.
    • “Sweet” feeds may or may not use a lot of molasses, which is high in potassium. The “wetness” of a sweet feed may come from vegetable oils rather than molasses, so don’t automatically rule sweet feeds out. 
    • Some pelleted feeds can be a good choice if the horse is N/H and doesn’t have many episodes, but may not work for horses that are H/H and have severe or many episodes.   
  • Higher fat and calorie feeds may allow you to feed less, and this can lower total potassium as well when you can feed less to maintain body condition.
  • Do not feed electrolytes containing potassium. 
  • Do not use high levels of cane, molasses, or bran mashes because they may be high in potassium.

Doing the math: To determine how much potassium is in your HYPP horse’s total diet, you’ll need to do some good old fashioned math!

To check for total potassium in the diet:

(Pounds of hay x percent potassium in hay) + (pounds of grain x percent potassium in grain) / total lbs of feed

Example: If you feed 15 lbs of hay at 1% potassium and 6 lbs of grain  at 0.8% the calculation would be:

((15 x .01) + (6 x .008))/21 lbs of total feed = 0.942% potassium in total diet

From this example, the horse should do well on this diet.  If the horse can maintain body condition on less hay or grain, or if the hay tested lower in potassium, then that would be less potassium in the total diet as well. 

Other Considerations:

  • Starch Intake: It is a misconception that HYPP horse need low starch.  They actually need sufficient starch as a source of glucose, because glucose stimulates the release of insulin and this promotes potassium uptake by the cells.
  • Management:  HYPP horses should be turned out as much as possible and/or placed on a regular exercise program. 
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Around the Barn: Winter Preparations

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Emily L.

Even though this is a horse nutrition blog, nutrition is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to keeping your horses happy and healthy.  As we head in to cold winter months, I thought I’d share some of my favorite tips for prepping your horse and some of the gear that goes with him!

  • Blanketing:  In general, horses adapt well to decreasing temperatures by growing an insulating hair coat.  As long as they have shelter to get out of wind and precipitation, and are able to meet their increased energy (calorie) requirement, they do quite well and can tolerate sub-zero temperatures. 
    • Keep in mind, the insulating value of the hair coat is compromised if it gets wet.  As temperatures drop below the critical temperature which is around 50°F on average, horses require more energy to stay warm, which is best provided by increasing the forage in their diet, not grain. 
    • Blanketing may be a good option if:
      • There is no shelter during turn out
      • The horse’s hair coat is clipped
      • You have a very young or very old horse that might not be efficient at maintaining body temperature
      • The horse is under-conditioned or under weight
    • Finding a blanket that fits well, is waterproof, breathable, and the proper weight (light, medium, heavy fill) based on the conditions are important considerations. 
    • If you already own blankets, dig them out before you need them and check to ensure they are clean, in good repair, and still fit your horse properly. 
    • Never blanket a wet horse, or put a wet or damp blanket on a horse.
  • Don’t forget to periodically remove the blanket and assess body condition, and check for any rub marks that the blanket may be causing.
  • Winterizing the barn and trailer: Fall is a good time to prepare your barn and trailer for colder weather.  Cleaning, installing or checking insulation, replacing screens with windows, ensuring ventilation is adequate, insulating water sources, cleaning and safety-checking heaters and electrical systems, are recommended.  
    • In the barn:
      • Check the roof for structural integrity and leaks
      • Clean gutters and install snow slides if needed
      • Plan for snow removal and de-icing walkways, if applicable.
    • In the trailer: 
      • Check the floor, lights, brakes, and tires and replace or provide maintenance as needed. 
      • Put together an emergency kit for you and your horse in the event of a break-down in winter weather. 
      • If you are on the road frequently, consider road-side-service for equestrians in the event of an emergency. 

Good luck, stay safe, and take a moment to enjoy the site of your horse playing in the snow if you are lucky enough to see some!

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Hay Shortage Has Horse Owners Looking at Alternatives

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Gina T.

Severe drought leaves hayfields and pastures brown and dry, and animal owners searching for replacement options.

Following the most extensive drought in 25 years, horse owners are facing hay shortages, increased prices and pastures in poor condition.1 We asked an equine nutrition expert about alternatives to feeding hay and what horse owners can do to help fill the gap left by these unusual and difficult conditions.

To get a complete picture of why hay is important to horses’ diets, Jolene Wright, Consumer Service Specialist, Nutrena, responded to some commonly asked questions.

Q. What does hay in a horse’s diet provide?

A. Hays and forages make up the majority of a horse’s diet and provide necessary complex carbohydrates they need, as well as protein and vitamins and minerals. Complex carbohydrates include hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin. These complex carbohydrates form in the cell wall in plants and provide fiber in the horse’s diet.

Q. How much hay does a horse need?

A. Horses require one to two percent of their body weight in forage daily, depending on their activity level and life stage. For a 1,000-pound horse, that would translate to 10 to 20 pounds of hay per day. Growing, breeding and working horses need additional supplementation to meet daily nutrient requirements.

Q. Is any hay okay, or are there things a horse owner should look for when choosing hay?

A. Horse owners should always seek out good quality hay. If it is coarse and stemmy, it’s a sign that the hay was baled when it was too mature and has high levels of lignin, which is not readily digested and has no nutritional value. This can increase the risk of gastric disturbances and distension of the digestive tract.

Q. Why has the drought impacted the hay crop?

A. When there is insufficient rain, the plant doesn’t get enough growth to cut at the proper stage for optimum nutrient levels. Cutting and baling hay at the proper nutrient stage varies from one type of forage plant to another and is also dependent on the climate and weather.

Q. What are some alternatives if I can’t find good hay that’s affordable in my area?

A. First, because hay provides long-stem forage which is ideal for the  horse’s digestive system, it is better to stretch the existing hay source instead of feeding all the hay first and then switching to a hay replacement product. There are many products available that can provide the fiber, protein, and vitamins and minerals a horse needs every day. Other forage options include hay cubes, hay pellets, compressed hay, chopped hay in bags and complete feeds with high levels of fiber that can be fed as a sole ration.

Q. Is there anything I need to do when adding one of these replacement type feeds to my horse’s diet?

A. It’s best to consult with your veterinarian to ensure a seamless transition. Then, make the changes gradually over seven to 10 days, following recommended feeding rates for the horse’s individual weight and activity level.

Q. In warmer climates where the grass doesn’t go dormant, can that make up for a lesser amount of hay?

A. Winter pasture can provide a level of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. The quantity and quality of winter pasture will determine the amount of additional hay or hay replacement type product that a horse will need. Too many horses on a small amount of pasture will reduce the amount available to the horse and can deplete nutrient yield. Horse owners can get the suggested minimum number of acres per horse from the local agriculture extension agent for their specific area. For horses on winter pasture, it’s important for the horse owner to assess the body condition score of the horses and monitor their body condition through winter months. This will help determine if they are getting enough dry matter intake from winter pasture.

 

Jolene Wright has a master’s degree in Animal Science from West Texas A & M University, a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business and Equine Industries from West Texas A & M, and two associate degrees in Equestrian Science and horse Science Technology from Black Hawk College. Wright is a two-time American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World Champion and was a member of the West Texas A & M and Black Hawk College AQHA World Championship Horse Judging Team, West Texas A & M National Reining Horse Association Championship Horse Judging Team and West Texas A & M National Champion Equestrian Team.

©2013 Merial Limited, Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. EQUILGN1232

1United States Department of Agriculture. U.S. Drought 2012: Farm and Food Impacts. Available at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/in-the-news/us-drought-2012-farm-and-food-impacts.aspx. Accessed November 20, 2012.

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Horse Nutrition Tips Heading in to Winter

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Emily L.
Cooper and Ferris in a snowstorm

Ferris and Cooper enjoy turnout in the winter months; it keeps them fit and happy.

This is my favorite time of year!  It is a time of reflection and relaxation after the show season, when I have time to hit the trails and enjoy the fall colors without the bugs tagging along.   The leaves have changed and like it or not, Old Man Winter is right around the corner.  Shorter days and cooler temperatures are signaling our horses to grow their winter hair coats. 

With these seasonal changes, there are a few good management practices and considerations that can facilitate a smooth and stress free transition into the cooler months of the year. 

  • Salt: Make sure loose white salt along with fresh clean water is available to your horse(s) at all times.  Meeting this requirement helps keep your horse drinking, and may help prevent seasonally related colic episodes due to reduction in water consumption as the days get colder. 
    • Loose salt is preferable to a block, as horses are not partial to licking a cold block as temperatures fall, and may not consume enough to meet requirements.  However, a salt block is preferable to no salt at all.
  • Water: Provide water in an insulated or heated bucket/tub.  Research suggests that water kept between 40 – 65°F is preferable to cold water, and helps maximize consumption.  Make sure your water source is insulated or heated to prevent ice formation when temps dip down below freezing.
    • Check electrical wires and grounding to ensure everything is working properly and is safe.  All wires should be protected to prevent chewing or disconnection from the power supply.
  • Hay: Providing hay as an alternative to fresh pasture as grass goes dormant is a common practice to meet forage and increased energy requirements as it gets colder.  Stock up now!  Having a reliable source of good quality hay that will get you through the winter months is important. 
    • Long stemmed forage is the best, however hay cubes, complete feeds, hay stretchers or replacers can be good solutions if hay is scarce, too expensive, or of poor quality. 
  • Foot care: Having a chat with your farrier about your goals and your horses’ specific needs over the winter is advisable.  You may want to consider non-slip solutions or snow pads for horses that are shod, or potentially taking off shoes, and letting your horse go barefoot for a few months.  In any case, regular trimming and balancing should be continued throughout the winter months although frequency may go down due to slower rate of hoof growth during this time of year.
  • Check in with your veterinarian:  Fall is a good time to check in with your vet to make sure your horse is up to date on recommended vaccinations, dental care, and de-worming.

With a little extra preparation and effort, you and your horse can enjoy a wonderful winter together!

Your thoughts? Please leave a comment.

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Changing Hay Sources for Horses

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Emily L.

As a horse owner, I have moved quite a few horses around and recently moved my gelding to a new boarding facility, so thought this would be a good opportunity to share one aspect of my experience. 

To help maintain as much consistency in his routine as possible, I made sure that I had 2 weeks’ worth of hay to take with me to help keep his diet consistent throughout the move and to allow for a gradual transition to the new hay. 

When I told the barn managers at the new facility that I was bringing a few bales of hay over, they seemed a little surprised at this and told me not to worry about it, because they had really high quality hay.  I asked them if they would recommend a sudden change in a horse’s grain ration, and immediately they said of course not, due to colic risk. I replied, “Then why would you switch their hay cold turkey, when it makes up 60 – 70% of the horses diet?” and watched their expressions as they realized the point I was making.

As a result, along with keeping his grain ration and meal times consistent with the previous routine, a gradual transition from the previous hay to the new hay was done over a 2 week period.  For the first couple of days he received his “old” hay only, and over time we incrementally replaced a small portion of his “old hay” with the “new hay” so that at 2 weeks post-move, he was completely switched over without any problems or decline in performance. 

As horse owners, it is important to keep in mind that ANY sudden changes in diet, including fresh pasture and hay, can disrupt the environment in the gut where communities of microbes reside.  Consequently, this disruption in the microbial population and digestive process can put the horse at risk for GI upsets (e.g. excessive gas production, colic, diarrhea, discomfort, etc.). The energy and nutrient content in hay can vary drastically depending on the plant species, geography, soil conditions, plant maturity at harvest, climate conditions, baling and storage methods, etc.  Even hay that comes out of the same field from consecutive cuttings can have large differences in quality and nutrient content that should be considered. 

It takes approximately 3 weeks for the microbes in a horses gut to adapt to dietary changes, thus making slow, gradual transitions over a 2 – 3 week period important to help prevent GI upset.  When it isn’t possible to make a full two week transition, then allow for as much of a gradual transition as possible even if is only over 2 – 3 days.  Providing dietary pre- and probiotics can also help support gut microbes through dietary changes especially if they are rapid.

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Posted in Care and Management, Hay/Pasture
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Is it the Feed, or Something Else?

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Gayle R.

A farm owner recently called me and asked if I could come out and evaluate his feeding program. The farm was experiencing an increase in colic and choke, which the owner felt was feed related.

As we reviewed the horses, their weights and body conditions were good. In fact a few horses appeared to be on the heavy side. The farm was feeding a first cutting hay. It was fair quality, and the horses appeared to find it palatable. Each horse was receiving 1.5 to 2% of their body weight per day in forage.

The concentrate was a high fat, high fiber pellet with mid line fortification of vitamins and minerals. In addition, pasture was available on a daily basis. With the amount of fiber in the horses diet, I found it interesting that the farm was experiencing increased colic.

I started to investigate other management issues.

    • The feeding schedule was two feedings per day, with the a.m. feeding at 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. I had suggested spreading out the feedings into 3, if possible, with a final offering of hay at closing time in the evening, about 10:00 p.m.
    • Salt blocks were available in each stall.
    • Each horse had two water buckets.

It was then that I noticed the water buckets were very discolored and smelled bad. The owner informed me that he was using water from a pond on the farm. He had the water tested, and felt it came back safe for equine consumption. It quickly became obvious that the horses were not consuming enough water on a daily basis, even though it was available to them. I suggested the owner begin cleaning the water buckets on a daily basis to increase consumption .

When I talked with him last, he was not happy with the added labor, but admitted the horses were consuming more water and he did not have any choke or colic in the past two weeks.

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Flash Fred – Our Inherited Horse

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Tiffany T.

We inherited Flash Fred (my daughter has a creative naming process) from a friend of ours. This horse was slowing down in his old age and could no longer keep up with the rigorous lifestyle required on a full scale cattle ranch. In return for a good place to live out his last years we obtained this 20 year old (give or take a few years) sweet and gentle gelding for our girls. For us it was the perfect arrangement.

The horses that help our kids love horses are truly priceless.

Fred arrived in the middle of July and he was in surprisingly good body condition; I rated him about a 4.75. The problem was, we didn’t know anything about what he had been eating or what his previous history was, other than when we picked him up he was in a partial drylot but had just come in off of dryland pasture.

We decided to start Fred off slow. We had some irrigated grass pasture that we wanted to utilize but we didn’t want to turn him loose on it until we saw how he handled feed. For the first week he stayed in a drylot pen at our barn – he had plenty of room to wander around and get used to his new surroundings. We also gave him free choice plain white salt and plenty of clean, fresh water. For feed he got 2% of his bodyweight in medium quality grass hay and a ration balancer with a full vitamin and mineral package. He tolerated all this well (he also tolerated our 2 and 4 year old pretty well, which was great news!), so after the first week we worked on turning him out to pasture.

This was a slow process – many times new horses have a long history that new owners know nothing about: a tendency to colic, a predisposition to laminitis, allergies to certain leaves or weeds,  and the list goes on and on.

We didn’t want to take any chances with Fred, so his first taste of freedom in the irrigated green grass was a measly 20 minutes. He looked at me like I was crazy when I caught him right back up and put him in his pen! The next day he was out for a little bit longer, and gradually as the days went by we increased his time on grass by 20 minute increments until we had a good idea that he was doing well and not having any digestive upsets. To get him on a full day’s turn out took over two weeks – but keeping him healthy was definitely worth it. We continue to make sure that he always has access to clean, fresh water, plain salt and we give him a small flake (about 5 lbs.) of hay when we bring him in at night along with the maintenance ration of balancer. We score his body condition once a month, and so far the grass is agreeing with him! 

Today Fred is thriving – he is enjoying his relaxing grass pasture and our little girls are enjoying him! As the weather turns cold and the grass goes away, we will get him going on a senior type feed – so stayed tuned for that journey!

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Posted in Care and Management, Changing Horse Feed, Feeding Management, Hay/Pasture, Living the Horse Life, Senior Horses
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Adding Oil to a Horse’s Diet

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Roy J.

Healthy, inside and out

Adding vegetable oil to equine feeds or to equine diets has been a standard practice for literally hundreds of years.  Old horse traders knew that adding oil could help slick up a horse for sale long before the science of measuring digestible energy was developed.

There are multiple ways that vegetable oils are added to horse diets.  A common practice among horse owners is to add various quantities of oil on top of an existing diet.  A cup of oil will weigh about 8 ounces and contain about 2,045 Kcal (Calories).  A 500 kg (1100 lb) horse at light work requires about 20 Mcal or 20,000 Kcal, so that oil would provide about 10% of the required DE per day.  For comparison, a pound of oats, as fed, provides about 1,320 Kcal, so adding oil provides a lot of Calories in a small package.

A key element to consider in adding oil on top of an existing diet is that oil adds only Calories (crude/unrefined oils may also contain some Vitamin E), so it is possible to alter the nutrient to Calorie ratios in a diet.  With the addition of moderate quantities of oil, this is unlikely to create issues.  If a substantial amount of oil is added on top of an existing diet, the diet may no longer be meeting the horse’s requirements for other nutrients.  Corn oil, soy oil and other vegetable oils may be used for top dressing diets.

Feed companies also add oil to formulated feeds and will declare the minimum amount of crude fat on the tag.  This is primarily from the oil in the grain and the added oil if above 3-3.5%.  A feed that is tagged at 7%  will generally contain about 3-4% added oil.  Internal formulations systems will also calculate the total DE of the feed, which includes energy from fat as well as from NDF (neutral detergent fiber), NFC (non-fiber carbohydrates) and protein.   This allows the company to maintain the balance of energy sources as well as appropriate nutrient to Calorie ratios.

If a product refers to Omega 3 or Omega 6 fatty acids, the actual quantity or % of each fatty acid may also be declared on the tag or on the bag.  The ingredient listing will generally identify the oil or oils that may be included in the product. 

Top dressing with oil is a common practice, which can be done successfully, when done in moderation with a careful eye on meeting the total nutrient requirements of the horse as well as the energy requirements.  Adding too much may result in other nutrient issues.

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Posted in Ingredients in Horse Feed, Supplements
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Are All Oils the Same for Feeding to Horses?

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Roy J.

Adding oil or fat to horse diets was a common practice long before research determined the many benefits of added oil diets.  Horse traders hundreds of years ago knew that if they wanted a horse to gain weight and develop a slick hair coat, adding oil to the diet was one way to do it.

Are all oils the same? 

Like many questions in the equine world, the answer is yes and no. The common vegetable oils used in horse feeds are corn oil, soy oil and flax oil (linseed oil).  Canola oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil and palm oil are also used, but less frequently.  Animal fats, excluding fish oil, are not currently used very commonly in horse feeds in the United States due to customer concern, and potential palatability concerns.

What is the difference between fat and oil?   

There are multiple chapters in nutrition books written about fats and oils.  Animal Feeding & Nutrition, Tenth Addition, by Jurgens and Bregendahl is a standard text.  For simple practical purposes, a fat is solid at room temperature and oil is liquid due to the differences in composition.  For those of you who like the full science, fats and oils are:

  • Also referred to as lipids or ether extracts
  • Insoluble in water and soluble in organic solvents
  • Contain about 77% carbon, 12% hydrogen and 11% oxygen. 
  • They all contain about the same energy, 9.45 Mcal/kg or 4,290 Kcal/lb. 
    • This is about 2.25 times the energy content of carbohydrates.

What’s all the talk about Omega Fatty Acids?

There may be substantial differences in the Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acid profiles of different oils, particularly in the content of the essential fatty acids (EFAs) linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6),  linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) and arachidonic acid(C20:4 n-6)  Arachidonic acid can be synthesized from linoleic acid and is essential if linoleic acid is not present.

  • Corn oil will be higher in linoleic acid, an n-6 or Omega 6 fatty acid. 
  • Soy oil, particularly mechanically extracted, will contain more linolenic acid, an n-3 or Omega 3 fatty acid, than corn oil. 
  • Linseed oil, from flax, contains the highest % of linolenic fatty acid. 
  • Fish oil from certain cold water sources is the highest in Omega 3 fatty acids, although it may present some palatability issues.

How are they made?

Vegetable oils come from the seed of the plant with most being in the germ.  They are produced by either solvent extraction or mechanical (squeezing or crushing the seeds) extraction.  They can either be refined or in crude form, depending on the processing. All of the vegetable oils contain essentially the same amount of energy and are generally palatable if processed and stored properly.

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