Diet Planning Managing the Fizz

Tracey Hammond M.Sc. (Dist)

Sunshine after a long dull winter certainly does help to lift the spirits and not just our own with more than a few horses feeling a little bit ‘fresh’ at this time of year. With workload as variable as the weather and that feel good factor generated by a little sunshine on the back and more time at grass it’s not surprising that our horses can occasionally become a little more exuberant than usual. Here we give you our advice for managing the fizzy horse.

What is fizziness?

The term fizzy is usually applied to horses and ponies that display over-exuberant behaviour when being ridden. This may be evident as them wanting to go everywhere at a faster speed than the rider who, when they try to restrain them, is rewarded with jogging and possibly spooking, bucking and rearing. Ultimately it usually means that the rider is worn out trying to keep the horse under control and fizzy behaviour can also be detrimental to performance. There are a number of factors that can result in fizzy behaviour and it is important to explore all possibilities including feeding.

Management Factors

The first step is to ensure that the horse isn’t in pain when being ridden. Ill-fitting tack, tooth abscesses and back or limb injuries are all examples of reasons why some horses become difficult to ride. A thorough examination of the horse and the tack should be carried out by experienced professionals to ensure that pain isn’t the cause of the problem.

The environment is often a contributing factor with windy days increasing the chance of even the calmest horse shying away from a plastic bag in the hedge. Excitement generated by being in a different environment such as away at a show or out on a hack can also be the cause of many problems.

Limited exercise and stabling for long periods are also common reasons for a horse to exhibit fizzy behaviour. If this is the case addressing the underlying issue by turning out for longer or increasing the amount of exercise is usually the most effective way of solving the problem. However, this isn’t always possible and so ensuring that the diet is based on ‘slow-release’ energy sources such as the Dengie fibre based feeds rather than ‘quick-release’ energy sources is essential for health and behaviour.

Consider the amount of energy supplied and the type of energy source

There are two areas to consider when feeding fizzy horses; the first is how much energy is consumed and the second is the type of energy sources supplied by the ration.

Energy Supply

Providing more energy than your horse needs regardless of the energy source can result in over-exuberant behaviour and longer term weight gain in some horses and ponies. At this time of year the longer evenings and generally better weather means that we tend to gradually increase our horse’s workload. It is important not to automatically assume that an increase in workload means that the energy or ‘calorie’ level of the ration needs to be increased, especially if your horse is otherwise looking and performing well.

As a general rule increase your horse’s workload first and then continue to monitor your horse’s bodyweight and performance to determine if a higher energy ration is necessary. It is also important to remember that grass growth begins in earnest at this time of year and so it makes more of a contribution to your horse’s ration and therefore overall energy intake. This increase in energy intake may mean that some horses that have required additional rations in the winter start to thrive and may actually may need their rations reduced or changed to a lower energy feed to avoid the over-supply of energy intake and risk of over-exuberance. To help you decide which Dengie fibre feed is most suitable for your horse click here to view our fibre feed finder.

Energy Source

For fizzy horses and ponies the main feeding advice regarding the type of energy sources used is to base the ration on ‘slow-release’ or ‘non-heating’ energy sources rather than those based of ‘quick-release’ or ‘heating’ energy sources.

Sources of quick release energy are starch and sugars, which are rapidly broken down in the horse’s digestive system releasing energy quickly. The main source of starch in horses’ diets tends to be cereal grains. Starch is rapidly broken down to glucose which passes from the digestive system into the bloodstream. The resulting peak in blood glucose is thought to be why fizzy behaviour ensues and so keeping starch intake to a minimum is essential.

It may surprise you to learn that the most abundant source of sugar in the horse’s diet is grass and so other sources of sugar that are fed in much smaller quantities such as molasses shouldn’t always be assumed to be the cause of fizzy behaviour. An excessive intake of sugar such as when the horse consumes a lot of fresh spring grass, when naturally the levels of sugar are very high, can result in more over-exuberant behaviour at this time of year.

Did you know 1kg of grass can supply in the region of 400g of sugar at this time of year, 1kg of hay will typically supply 100g of sugar and 1kg of Dengie Hi-Fi Lite 50g of sugar. However a horse at grass is more likely to easily consume within the region of 4kg of sugar in a day from grass alone – that’s equivalent to 4 bags!

Sources of ‘slow-release’ energy are those based on fibre and oil which are broken down slowly in the horse’s digestive system so you don’t get the associated large peak in blood glucose as you would with starches and sugars. Many people typically underestimate how much energy fibre can contribute to the ration even for horses in work and it is important to remember that not all fibre sources are the same.

Straw is very fibrous and therefore not very digestible. This makes straw very useful for horses and ponies that maintain weight very well, but for those in work or that struggle to maintain weight a more digestible fibre source such as alfalfa or unmolassed sugar beet would be more valuable. Alfalfa naturally has a similar energy or calorie level as a Cool or Pasture Mix, but without the starch which means that you can feed a fibre based feed and still meet the energy requirements of most horses and ponies. For more information about Dengie alfalfa click here .

Oil contains lots of energy or calories and so is a useful way of increasing the horse’s energy intake and is a safer alternative to cereals for horses and ponies prone to laminitis or muscle problems such as ERS. As oil provides slow release energy it is ideal for fizzy horses that require additional energy for work or weight gain.

Suitable Feeds for Fizzy Horses

As fibre and oil provide slow release energy they should form the basis of rations for fizzy horses and ponies. For those in light work that are good doers Dengie Hi-Fi Lite alongside a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement such as Dengie Natural Vitality Leisure Vits & Mins, or feed balancer such as Dengie Hi-Fi Balancer would provide a balanced high fibre diet that is low in starch, sugars and energy.

For horses in work or those needing to put on weight and condition Dengie Alfa-A Lite or Alfa-A Oil alongside Dengie Alfa-A Balancer would be suitable. Dengie Alfa-A Oil is the ultimate form of slow release energy combining alfalfa with a GM free soya oil coating plus added vitamin E. With an energy level comparable to a conditioning mix but without cereals that provide quick release energy, Alfa-A Oil is the ideal conditioning feed for horses prone to being over-excitable.

Research has shown that feeding alfalfa and sugar beet together increases the digestibility of the alfalfa so that the horse is able to obtain even more energy from it. As alfalfa and sugar beet both provide slow release energy, Dengie Alfa-Beet which combines both without any other additives or molasses, is another way of increasing the energy intake without using feeds that contain high levels of starch or sugars.

Maximising Digestion

Fizzy horses that are prone to weight loss can be difficult to manage as increasing their energy intake just seems to make them fizzier rather than put on weight. In these situations it is worth trying to help the horse get more out of the feed they receive so that hopefully, less can be fed. Research has shown that yeast which is found in Dengie Natural Vitality Digestive Health, improves fibre digestion. Yeast needs to be fed every day to maintain the effect but is fed at relatively small amounts and so is cost-effective to use long term with a 1kg tub lasting one hundred days.

Fizzy horses can also be very “stressy” individuals which may be apparent as loose droppings when travelling and competing. These are also the horses that tend to lose weight easily. In these situations a more comprehensive digestive supplement may be beneficial such as Natural Vitality Digestive Health Plus. This combines probiotics, prebiotics and yeast with the aim of maintaining a healthy digestive system at times of stress. It can be used long term but may also be effective when used for a few days before, during and after a period of stress.

Top tips for feeding fizzy horses

• Don’t always assume that feeding is the case of the problem and so check out other management factors as well
• Don’t supply more energy that your horse needs to maintain weight at the level of work that you are doing
• Base the ration on ‘slow-release’ energy sources such as the Dengie fibre feeds. Just choose a fibre feed according to bodyweight and workload and then top up with a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement from the Natural Vitality range or alternatively New Dengie Alfa-A or Hi-Fi Balancer.
• If you need to promote weight gain then feed little and often, very gradually increasing the energy or ‘calorie’ content of the ration
• Consider the use of digestive supplements to maximise fibre digestion for poor doers

For friendly feeding advice call the Dengie Feedline 0845 345 5115 or click here to send us an e-mail.