News
Winter Feeding Rules 2006
Thursday 30th November 2006
Rule Number One: Provide Enough Fibre
A horse should ideally have at least 1.5% of its bodyweight as fibre per day to keep its digestive system healthy; for a 500kg horse this would equate to 7.5kg. After the last flush in the autumn, grass growth slows and eventually stops as the weather gets colder. From this time onwards the grass your horse eats is only replaced very slowly, which is why at this time of year grass disappears. Provide additional hay/haylage out in the field to keep your horse's fibre intake up, but remember to change it daily especially if it is getting wet in the field.
Rule Number Two: Sparkle not Fizz?
Winter stabling and inconsistent workload often means that at this time of year a horse's temperament can change from lazy to fizzy or visa versa. To avoid fizzy behaviour make the most of fibre in the horses ration such as Dengie's Alfa-A Oil as this provides a source of 'slow release' energy. Reduce the quantity of feeds based on 'quick release' energy sources like cereal grains that may further add to over-exuberant behaviour. Increasing the energy level of the ration for lazy horses in some cases promotes a more enthusiastic ride, as long as the horse is not already overweight.
Rule Number Three: How to Keep Up Appearances
Feeding conserved forage that is already around 5-6 months old to stabled horses combined with limited grazing often means that horses are likely to be deficient in a number of important vitamins and minerals. Even minor deficiencies of certain nutrients can lead to a lack lustre coat appearance. Use a feed such as Alfa A Oil for good coat condition and top up on vitamins and minerals with a broad-spectrum supplement such as Dengie Optimum. Horses that live out are equally likely to be deficient so don't forget to top up here as well. Apart from that it's just lots of elbow grease!
Rule Number Four: Keep your Horse Busy
Naturally horses will graze for around 16-18 hours per day in the wild, but unfortunately if stabled there may be times when a horse is stood around with nothing to eat. Providing ad-lib forage, or feeding little and often for good doers, is one way to help keep your horse occupied for longer. It's not just the amount of forage, but also the variety of fibre sources that seem to be important so providing hay alongside haylage, or straw for good doers, and a bucket of chop is an excellent way to encourage foraging behaviour.
Rule Number Five: Avoiding Respiratory Challenges
Horses that have respiratory problems need a well-ventilated environment so in most cases living out is good option. For horses that have to be stabled the key is good ventilation, a clean stable, low dust bedding or rubber matting and the best possible forage. Completely immerse hay in water before feeding to literally stick the dust to the hay, but feed immediately so it does not dry out. Haylage is a good alternative to hay for some horses and because of its higher moisture content does not tend to be as dusty. Dengie Hi Fi Senior is an excellent hay replacer or offered as an alternative for variety and to keep the stabled horse busy.
