Notions on horse nutrition

Feed a horse at first, nothing is easier. A meadow, grass, water and go. Yes, but who can boast of meadow meadows all year round with enough surface to properly feed a horse? And how to combine this natural diet with the use of the horse, whether in sport, leisure or reproduction? The impact of man's use of the horse on his diet is enormous and requires significant management and solid knowledge in this area. Let's see here some basic notions, essential to the well being of our companions.

I would not describe here the different types of possible feeding or the precise functioning of the digestive tract of the horse, but I would give you some indications to understand the overall functioning of the diet, to avoid common mistakes and to limit the risks of colic and other problems for your companion.

The impact of poorly managed feed on the horse

Diet is a crucial point in the management of horse care. Indeed, the horse is an animal extremely sensitive to diseases related to food; and its diet will depend on its physical abilities and its performance.

The horse is an animal that can not throw up!

Non-ruminant herbivore, you must know that the horse can not vomit; he will therefore suffer from any indigestion or food poisoning without being able to eliminate it. These pains felt in the stomach are called colics; whatever their origin, they are very dangerous for the horse, and can even lead to death.

No foot no horse

A poorly managed diet often creates foot problems, such as laminitis, or diffuse aseptic pododermatitis. This inflammatory congestion of the tissues causes the tilting of the third phalanx forwards, which may go as far as perforation of the sole in very serious cases. This disease causes extreme horse pains. It is very often due to an excess of food, a diet too rich or overweight.

A bowl of pure air

The horse eats a lot for a long time, especially the forage rations that he nibbles for hours. The nose in his hay or grain, the horse breathes all the dust it contains. It must therefore be ensured that these foods are as dust-free as possible in order to avoid respiratory diseases, such as pulmonary emphysema, which can easily become chronic in horses exposed to these irritating particles for a long time. If the food is too dusty do not hesitate to wet before distributing it. Distribution is also encouraged in a feeder or hay net to avoid ingestion of sand and dust on the ground. For the same reasons, you attach the horse far from his boxing before shaking the straw clean when you do the litter again.

Eat little but often

In the natural state, a horse grazes grass all day long and ingest small amounts of food. This mode of feeding is difficult to reproduce with a horse living in the stable.

The intestinal ballast

A horse living in boxing or paddock will be fed ideally with fodder, which will replace the grass giving it a proper source of energy and bring the intestinal ballast it needs. Indeed the intestinal tract of the horse is made to be filled almost continuously. Even by bringing the amount of nutrients necessary for its survival, the horse will suffer from the lack of "filling", or intestinal weight, of his digestive tract. It is also the role played by the straw that is put in the boxes like litter, besides helping the horse to deceive its boredom it brings the intestinal ballast to zero calories.

Split to better digest
For the same reasons, and whatever type of food you have chosen, avoid giving the grain ration at one time. Split as much as possible, in 2, 3 or 4 meals; it will only be better assimilated by the horse and avoid causing traffic jams and other worries.

Each turn

Always to improve feed assimilation, always distribute the feed first, at least 2 hours before the grain, and both will be better digested.

We do not eat anything

All horse foods have different energy values, as for us where 100 grams of salad do not bring the same thing as 100 grams of potatoes.

The hay

Forages come in different forms, alfalfa, meadow hay, sainfoin ... These different hays do not all bring the same energy value to the horse; It is therefore essential to be well informed about the composition of the fodder you buy and its nutritional intake. Indeed the amount of a ration of hay can go from simple to double depending on its nutrient content. Too much energy hay distributed in large quantities can cause serious digestive problems.

The seed

Similarly, grains and pellets of equal weight do not bring the same energy. So you choose your complementary concentrate carefully and you dose it according to the work and body condition of your horse. Overdose can be as harmful as lack, remember it.

Irreproachable quality

Very sensitive, the horse will often refuse a poorly preserved or damaged food. But he is as greedy as gourmet and will sometimes throw himself greedily on his ration at the expense of his health.

Eat healthy

The concentrated foods that most often cause colic are industrial granules, sometimes given in too large quantities at once, and the poorly preserved cereals that fermented. It is also well to know that a whole grain of cereal will be much less well digested than a flattened or crushed grain; as proof, these whole grains are often found in dung. The best is to give the horse a mix granules / cereals or granules / flock, it will tend to find more attractive and better assimilate.

In the same way for fodder and straw it is necessary to avoid wet or weathered storage places; they must remain perfectly dry, the moisture would quickly rot them. If you notice on a bunch of fodder an unusual odor or heat, or folds presenting a kind of white cottony dust, do not distribute them to your horse, this could make him sick because they are signs of maceration and rot.

In a healthy place

Since the horse can not vomit, and is very sensitive to any bad bacteria, always make sure to provide healthy food in a healthy place. Feeder and trough clean are de rigueur. Avoid areas that are too dusty or muddy, feeding on the ground in an earthen paddock for example is not recommended. Also make sure that the food storage area is clean; they must be dry and cool, protected from mice and other pests that can contaminate them.

Change is progressive

We must also talk about horses grazing. Those who are on the grass all year long take almost no risk of colic, except possibly for the most sensitive when the grass is very wet after the rain for example. The main danger is for horses that have only been grazed for a few hours a day, or just at a time of the year (often during the summer).

Indeed, the digestive system of the horse is not designed to experience sudden changes in diet. The same is true if you change the brand of concentrates or type of hay. In pasture a horse can develop colic and laminitis in a few hours. We must therefore always ensure a change of food in a progressive manner, by mixing the old pellets with new ones for a few days for example, or by putting it in the pre half an hour at the beginning and then increasing this period gradually.

Complements

Ideally it is good to leave within reach of the horse a salt stone or other food supplement bringing him the mineral elements he needs to live. Often these supplements also contain vitamins. If your horse tends to spend the day licking his salt stone and finishes it quickly, you can give him the salt in small doses by adding about a tablespoon of fine salt in his ration of grain or sprinkle it on his hay.

Any other supplement (oil, garlic, vitamins, biotin, electrolytes, industrial supplements ...) must be distributed in the ration of grain or at least mixed with some of its wet. As always, take care of their good preservation.

To drink

Quoted last but still essential, water must be a priority in the management of the horse's diet. A horse drinks about 40L of water a day; so always make sure that it has fresh, clear water available, especially after meals. Regularly clean the bins and troughs by scrubbing the walls with a brush to prevent the formation of algae. Little trick for large water tanks in the parks, some goldfish will ideally maintain the walls and eat the larvae of insects!

If you have any doubts or questions, take the time to leave a comment!

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