Feeding and Watering
Work based level 1
10 Rules of Feeding and Watering
1. Feed little and often
Remember the horse is a "trickle feeder" with a proportionally small stomach
which is also fairly rigid. A large feed will simply pass through the stomach more
quickly, before the digestive process in the stomach is complete and risks
causing problems further down the digestive tract. Dividing the total daily
compound feed into as many smaller feeds as possible is much more natural and
encourages more efficient digestion.
2. Feed plenty of forage
As the horse has evolved to live on fibre from vegetation, his gut needs a
constant supply of forage in order to function correctly. Horses have evolved to
spend a long time eating and forage in particular takes a long time to chew.
Feeding plenty of forage to a stabled horse helps satisfy his need to chew and
also to relieve boredom, reducing the risk of behavioural abnormalities, known
as "abnormal" behaviour , such as weaving or wind-sucking developing.
3. Avoid making sudden changes to diet
The microbial population of the horse's gut comprises a balance of various
species, each responsible for digesting different elements of the horse's diet.
If a sudden change is made to the diet this microbial population can be
disrupted resulting in the production of toxins from bacteria which die. These
toxins can cause metabolic disorders (e.g. laminitis) and digestive efficiency can
be compromised, leading to colic or diarrhoea. A gradual change allows the
bacteria to adapt and minimises the risk of metabolic or digestive upsets.
4. Keep feed buckets and scoops clean
Obvious really - smelly buckets put horses off eating! More seriously though,
there is a risk of cross contamination where a number of horses are involved
and one or more is receiving medication and especially if competing under
Jockey Club or FEI rules.
5. Provide a 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. Horses are notoriously fussy and sometimes choose not to drink rather
than to drink dirty water. With constant access they will rarely over drink.
6. Allow time after feeding before working
After a feed of compound 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 impaired digestion. A full
Feeding and Watering
Work based level 1
stomach may also restrict the area in which the lungs can expand, reducing
cardio-vascular efficiency.
7. Feed each horse as an individual
Whilst the basis of each horse's diet should be forage, their requirements will
vary according to work load, temperament, breed, height, weight, age and how
efficiently they utilise their feed. A good doer in light work will have completely
different requirements from a nervous 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. Choose good quality feed and forage
Forage should be mould and dust free to reduce the risk of respiratory disease.
Hay may be soaked or haylage may be chosen for higher moisture, lower 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.
Products produced by reputable manufacturers are often more cost effective
as their quality ingredients are cooked to ensure maximum digestibility.
9. Look after the system
Sharp edges on teeth make chewing difficult so the horse will swallow larger
particles of food, resulting in choke in some cases, and reducing the efficiency
of the digestion process. The horse may also waste food by dropping it from his
mouth or "quidding". Worm damage results in scar tissue which can accumulate
over a number of years, reducing the area available for the absorption of
nutrients and making it difficult for the horse to maintain its weight and
condition. Regular worming assists in promoting good condition throughout the
horse's life.
10. Feed at regular intervals
The 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
helps reduce the length of time the system is empty. Horses also thrive on
routine and are happier knowing when and where their next meal is coming from!
Compound feed
A general term used to mean the fully balanced products that are produced as
cubes or mixes to feed to horses alongside forage. They are also referred to as
concentrate or hard feed. These types of feeds are more widely used in modern
times. – REMEMBER, hard feed must be dampened to allow horse to eat and
swallow it easily!
Straights
A term used to refer to cereals or their components when fed individually and
not part of a pre-prepared, nutritionally balanced mix or cube e.g. Oats, barley,
Feeding and Watering
Work based level 1
bran, maize, peas and beans. Due to them being deficient in some nutrients they
are best fed alongside a balancer. Adding straights to an already balanced
ration will cause an imbalance and should be avoided. Using straights is a
traditional way to feed horses and is not very widely used in modern times.
TASK
Look on the internet for different types of compound feeds, straights and
roughage.
Roughage
Grass
The most natural food for horses is good quality pasture. Most mature pleasure
horses doing light work will do well on pasture alone if they have sufficient
grazing. However, horses are selective grazers and need a large area to meet
their nutritional needs. Just because a field is green does not mean it contains
sufficient grazing for a horse, and depending on where you live, for a large part
of the year pasture is not available.
You can optimize the amount of grazing available by dividing your pasture into
sections and rotating your horses through the different paddocks. That way,
you give the grass a chance to grow back and can pick up the manure.
Hay
Seed Hay
Seed hay is taken from pasture grown especially for hay making from grass
seed, has a higher nutritional value than meadow hay, and is lighter in colour.
Meadow Hay
Meadow hay is taken from permanent pasture and may contain a wider variety of
grasses than seed hay as well as clover, herbs and wild flowers. Meadow hay is
more easily digested than seed hay.
Haylage
Haylage is taken from early cut semi-wilted grass and is a lot richer than hay so
should be fed more sparingly. It is compressed and wrapped in a thick plastic
wrapper that is heat sealed to retain the moisture. Mild fermentation occurs
that prevents fungal spores developing. Haylage should be used within 2-4 days
(summer-winter) once the wrapper is opened.
Feeding and Watering
Work based level 1
TASK
Look up different types of food, roughage and water containers, note down
name, use, advantages and disadvantages.