Feeding and Diet of the Performance Horse
Remember, by pushing him you’re putting a strain and adding stress to his body. He requires not only a different diet but chances are a strong supplement program as well.
Nutritional requirements for work depend on many factors such as speed of work, duration of work, terrain, incline, the weight of the horse, the horse’s fitness, rider/driver ability, environmental temperature and humidity, horses’ soundness and conformation.
Time of feeding: high concentrate meals should be fed no less than four hours before competition. Blood glucose levels are lowest 90 minutes after feeding and if exercising at this time, fatigue comes on sooner. Roughage intake should be a minimum of 1% of bodyweight and available at all times to meet the psychological need to chew, reduce risk of stomach ulcers and maintain gut health.
Protein: the quality of amino acid composition of the protein in the diet is important. Of the 22 amino acids required by horses, 10 must be supplied in the diet and hence are called “essential amino acids”. Muscle development, the ability to repair and rebuild muscles after work and protein losses in sweat, create a need for quality, highly digestible protein. Ideally protein is digested in the small intestine. Digestion in the large intestine ferments the feed to yield ammonia. Feed processing methods determine where feed is digested.
Roughage: each lb of roughage holds 6- 8 lb of water and electrolytes in the gut. This represents a “reservoir” that can be drawn on as body fluid levels drop during sweating. Roughage intake should be a minimum of 1% of bodyweight, 5 lbs a day for a 500 lb horse.
When roughage is fed with concentrates, digestion of starch in the small intestine is reduced. Feeding hay either two hours before or two hours later than concentrates improves nutrient uptake. High concentrate meals should be fed no less than four hours before competition. Blood glucose levers are lowest 90 minutes after feeding. If exercising at this time, fatigue comes on sooner due to low blood glucose.
The lighter the gut contents the lower the weight handicap on the horse. Feed that is well digested in the small intestine reduces the gut ballast or dead weight carried by the horse and this, along with heat load and energy supply, affects fatigue.
Feeding Oils: high oil feeds or oil supplements offer enormous benefits in helping the horse regulate temperament, heat load and performance. Oil provides a cool and steady supply of energy – allowing the horse to preserve blood glucose levels. This glucose –sparing effect delays the onset of fatigue, so that although horses cannot increase their top speed, they can maintain it for longer.
Oils are also an excellent way to increase the weight of a horse. They are primarily digested in the small intestine and contain approximately 2 – 3 times more energy than the same weight of protein or carbohydrates fed. Introduce the oil to the diet gradually over a 3 – 6 week period. Begin with 2 ounces a day and increase it gradually by 2 oz a day until reaching the desired amount. Monitor manure during the change over and if it becomes too soft, reduce the rate of oil increase.
Because of the abundance of Omega 6 in diets, it is important to provide an Omega 3 supplement. When Omega 3 oils are included in the diet, human athletes report increased oxygen uptake and improved performance times. This is thought to be due to improved circulation, reduced blood pressure and increased flow through narrow capillaries in the lungs and muscles. Human athletes on Omega 3 supplements report less muscle soreness and shortened recovery after athletic events. A recent veterinary review article indicated that Omega 3 oils may be beneficial for treating colitis and enteritis and in preventing arthritis, laminitis, small airway disease associated with stabling and dermatitis. All oils provide energy, only Omega 3 oils reduce inflammation. Horse Moms Life Stage complete health and nutritional supplements are formulated with a balanced blend of Omega 3 oil to help correct imbalances in the diet of the performance horses.
Electrolytes: horses which are traveling, working in hot or humid conditions and in hard training may require additional electrolytes. The effects of dehydration can cause tying up, longer recovery times, and fatigue and muscle problems. Supplementation of electrolytes may be required according to workload and ambient conditions.
Horse Moms Life Stage complete health and nutritional supplements has been able to take the guess work out of feeding and supplementing your horse by analyzing the different life stages of horses and provide supplements with nutrients specific to each life stage and activity as well as providing total body support with additional ingredients to support your horses’ skeletal system, digestive system, immune system, skin and coat, muscular system, nervous system, circulatory system and respiratory system.
Veterinary research consistently shows that what is in the feed bin can adversely affect health and performance. Applying basic principals that have stood the test of time, with the most up to date sports science and nutrition research are fundamental to the formulation of Horse Moms Life Stage complete health and nutritional supplement for the Performance horse which encompasses the most current knowledge on equine nutrition and physiology.
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