As water is the main constituent of every horse, human or indeed any other animal, it should go without saying that the horse should have free access to water. But how much further should we take this? Clean water? Sterile water? Pure, demineralised water?
Well, obviously the first one, unless you like vets bills! But the second or the third? That's a bit extreme, and the trace amounts of other things in the water won't do the horse any harm and may even do him some good.
You might be surprised to learn that even a slight drop in a horse's hydration levels can cause a significant drop in performance, especially stamina and recovery rates. It also reduces a horse's ability fight off disease. A total lack of water is much more quickly fatal to a horse than a lack of feed.
Water is lost from the body through excretion (urine and faeces), breathing, sweat and evaporation, and during lactation in mares. Water must be consumed to maintain the fluid balance, for the gut to work efficiently, and for gut health. So how much water and when? Well, the short answer is as much as he wants and when he wants it. But it isn't quite that straight forwards...
If your horse is going to be doing fast work (racing or going cross county) then he doesn't need a belly full of water sloshing about, so restricting water intake for half an hour before the start is a good idea as long as the horse has had opportunity to drink his fill up until that point.
If your horse has been doing fast work, or been out hunting all day then allowing him to fill himself with cold water on an empty stomach while he's still breathing hard is a recipe for disaster. Walk him round until his breathing is back to something closer to the normal rate. Get him to take a small quantity of water with electrolytes (we'll come onto this in a bit)made up with a bit of warm water to take off the chill. Once he's settled and had a chance to relax he can be allowed to take on as much water as he needs, and probably will end up taking more because he's not over-loading his system in one go.
Keeping a Horse Hydrated
You might think it's as simple as giving him enough water and that's it. But you're not quite on the mark. That's a large part of it, yes, but there's little things that you can do to help him stay hydrated for longer.
1) feed fibre first... the fibre helps to hold water in the gut, releasing back to the bloodstream slowly, helping the horse to stay better hydrated. The more used to having the fibre the horse gets the better able his system is to hold the water within the gut.
2) electrolytes, or access to a salt lick, encourages the horse to drink more - its a natural reflex and once horses get over the novelty of a salt lick they will self-regulate the amount they take.
3) more fibre.... No. seriously!
So what affects how much water your horse needs?
the weather and temperature - a horse will lose more water on a warm windy day than on a cold still day by up to 35%
his work load and the type of work he's doing - a short, gentle hack will obviously be less likely to cause him to drip with sweat than a full blown cross country round unless he's very unfit, although the time might be about the same, the work load and stress on the horse's system is totally different. But equally, an endurance ride even over the greatest distances compared to a day hunting will produce similar amounts of water loss. The timings might be quite different but the work loads and the types of strain on the system are quite similar.
his conformation and muscle mass - a fit arab or thoroughbred has much less muscle mass than an equally fit Irish Draft or Welsh Cob. The heavier types find it much harder to disperse the heat produced during work, largely due to the amount of muscle compared to the surface area. This in turn leads to much greater sweating and water losses.
his health - a horse in poor condition, run down or sick will have a much larger requirement for water as his body tries to cope with the extra demands on his system.
his temperament - excitable horses tend to sweat up more, and have higher respiratory rates than more laid back characters, leading to higher water losses.
Electrolytes
Electrolytes are essential mineral ions required by the body to maintain water balance and also to fuel certain cellular processes including muscle function. The term is often then applied to salt and sugar compounds that are fed to horses to help with rehydration and recovery after heavy water losses and strenuous exercise. In this part we are referring to the latter.
Proprietary Electrolytes and how to use them
firstly - do you need to be using them? using them when you don't need to is money down the drain (or rather, into the muck heap) as they will just get excreted. if the horse has access to a salt lick, and not been working then the chances are he doesn't need electrolytes today.
secondly - you've decided he does need them, so how much should you give him and when? again, it comes down to the work he's doing. For hunting I feed two measures of electrolyte the night before in wet feed, and one in the morning before hunting, and then on return the horses will get two or three measures in two buckets of water on return. But for eventing at Novice level I only use half a measure in water after cross country.
thirdly - how should you give them tot he horse? Generally it it better for the horse to drink them dissolved in water, but not every horse will take them that way. If not then add them to a wet feed. Doing this helps to ensure that the horse starts to take on water, so reducing the chance of causing dehydration.
fourthly - make sure the horse has plenty of clean, fresh water available so that the horse can then take on water as he requires.
Proprietary Electrolytes and what to look for.
Generally speaking, any electrolyte supplement ought to consist of at least 50 percent chloride, 20 percent sodium, 15 percent of potassium, and only about one percent of other trace minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, and some form of sugar.
Firstly look at the basic ingredients of the tub or bottle (I would always recommend a liquid or powder form over a syringe as it's much easier to dehydrate the horse with a syringe as you cannot stimulate the water uptake as easily). The ingredients should be Common Salt (Sodium Chloride), Lo-Salt (Potassium Chloride), glucose or dextrose, Calcium Chloride or Calcium Acetate or Calcium Carbonate (the latter is the least soluble), Magnesium (one of several compounds is possible) and then one or more of the following:
Vitamin E
Citric Acid
flavouring
Vitamin B complexes
The vitamin E, vitamin B complexes and citric acids are all anti-oxidants that help to protect the horse's gut from the salts - too much salt without the anti-oxidants has been linked to gastric ulcers.
Vitamin B, and the sugar (fructose, glucose or dextrose) helps to stimulate the horse's gut to start working again, and as these are both water soluble and need to be dissolved for the gut bacteria to use them, it highlights the need for the horse to start taking on water with the electrolytes.
The flavouring just helps to encourage the horse to take the electrolytes dissolved in water or wet feed - it doesn't really matter what the flavour is, though much research suggests that horses prefer cherry or apple flavour to mint.
I hope this is of help, and if you have any questions feel free to ask!
Friday, 17 September 2010
Monday, 19 July 2010
Friday, 5 February 2010
The Importance of Fibre First
Think about this for a moment... the horse is a plains grazer. They evolved to eat grasses, bushes and to browse from low tree branches. They ate almost constantly, pausing only to snooze in the heat of the midday sun. Zebras and the Steppes ponies still live like this. They didn't evolve to eat large quantities of cereals, or to eat 2 or 3 large meals a day like we do.
We could all save ourselves money on feed and vets bills by taking a bit more notice of the amount of fibre that our horses eat. For years we thought that horses ate all day and slept at night, but recent studies have shown that horses will eat 65% of their total daily fibre intake over night. So saying "he's been out all day, 3 slices of hay will do for the night" just isn't good enough.
Studies have shown that horses with lowered fibre intake, such as racehorses, show increased levels of stereotyped behaviours (or vices like weaving, wind-sucking etc) and gastric disruption including ulcers. It is thought that behaviours such as wind-sucking stimulate the gut to give the horse a 'full feeling' or to produce digestive juices, and it is this that triggers gastric disruption and ulcers.
Another problem with feeding horses large quantities of grain, and less fibre is that it reduced the pH of the gut (makes it more acidic) which also increases the risk of gastric problems. It also explains why so often the pony that escapes and stuffs himself with the contents of a feed bin will suffer a bout of colic.
So now I hear you saying "but my horse is in hard work, he Needs hard feed to keep his energy up and the weight on him", or "my horse loses weight easily, I need to feed cereals to keep him looking well". My answer is are you feeding the right fibre? In both these cases the requirement is extra calories, and the general perception is that 'fibre' can't provide them. The horse is incredibly effective at turning fibre into energy, how much energy depends on the fibre source.
In the UK we tend to think of fibre for horses as being Grass, grass hay, grass haylage and "chaff" or "chop". Some of us may realise that sugar beet pulp is a fibre source too.
So lets go through the fibre sources and discuss their benefits and ways to feed them...
Grass - this is the obvious one. But is your grass good quality? is the pasture well managed? How long is your horse at pasture for each day? What about in the winter? Grass quality can vary immensely, and even the different types of grasses can make a difference. If the pasture was originally sown for dairy purposes then the chances are that it is a richer, more protein rich sward than one which was sown for horses. This is good if your horse works hard, but could pose a problem for fatties or laminitic horses.
So what about the winter? once the frost has hit the grass there is very little nutrition in it, but the fibre remains. The problem is that horses are like us in the sense that they like the taste of their food, and frost-bitten grass isn't as good as fresh spring grass! This, coupled with the lack of growth during winter, is why we often need to give hay in the field in winter. Along this line, whilst the amount of fibre in the grass is highest during the winter, the opposite is true during the summer, and this is why some horses get a bit green and runny in the spring.
Preserved Grass Forages (hay, haylage and silage)
Hay is the highest fibre, highest dry matter fibre source of this group. It can be old pasture or seed hay. Old pasture hay or meadow hay is often lower nutritional value and better suited to those that need fewer calories, but is often softer and more palatable to the fussy eater. Seed hay on the other hand is stalkier, but has a higher nutritional value. the prices of the 2 are fairly similar on a weight for weight basis. The main 2 problems that people have with hay is that it is difficult to store well and is prone to dustiness (which of course brings its own problems)
Haylage is a fairly modern invention borne out of horse owners requiring a lower dust, higher moisture content fibre source for horses, and preferably one that was easier to store. Good Haylage is a consistent, palatable and nutritious fibre source. It is higher calorie than almost any grass hay, and the vast majority of horses will eat it without any fuss. Commercial haylage producers in the UK will usually produce 2 or more grades - one suitable for most horses, and one that is aimed at the harder working horse. This is higher calorie, higher protein and possibly slightly lower moisture content.
Silage is normally a totally unsuitable fibre source for the horse, but some horses are fed it and do well. The problem is that commercial silages are often treated with chemicals or biological agents to help break down the fibres to provide cattle (the normally intended destination for silage) with certain nutrients not normally found in grasses. These 'innoculants' can at best be unpalatable, and at worst could make the silage poisonous to a horse. If you are ever to feed a horse on silage, please check that it has not been treated with anything, and that it is only grass.
Straw is not often fed to horses these days, but it could still be a useful fibre source. If your horse or pony is particularly prone to obesity or laminitis then chopped straw is a low calorie way to provide fibre. Short chopped fibre has the advantage of taking the horse longer to chew than long stem fibre like hay! Straw is not hugely palatable though, and you may need to add herbs like mint or fenugreek to encourage the horse to eat. Chopped straw is cheap however, and straw pellets are often used in low calorie or high fibre 'hard feeds'.
Sugarbeet is available as shreds (or pulp) or pellets, and molassed or unmoalssed, and some manufacturers make a quick-soak version. Sugarbeet is a by-product of the sugar industry in the UK. Once the sugar has been extracted from this turnip-like vegetable all that remains is the pulp. This is then dried at high temperature to preserve it (pelletising happens before it is dried). Some manufacturers add molassed back to the beet pulp before drying to improve the palatability for cattle, but horses will eat it unmolassed with no problems. Sugarbeet MUST be soaked before feeding to horses. Pellets generally require 24 hours, shreds 12 hours and quick-soak varieties will depend on the manufacturer's recommendations. The quick soak varieties are made by micronising (or effectively microwaving) the wet beet pulp. This causes the cell structure to change, allowing water to move between the cells much more quickly, which is why is soaks more quickly. Sugar beet is a great source of fibre for the horse as it is very digestible, and helps to hold water in the gut. This in turn helps to keep the hard working horse hydrated! Whilst this may not be ideal in every situation (such as racing where the horse should not carry a large quantity of water in its gut) it is the best thing for endurance horses, hunters and horses going cross country. Keeping the horse hydrated keeps him well, and helps him recover from hard work.
Alfalfa is becoming more common in the UK, but as it has a limited growing season it will probably never be as widespread as it is in the USA. Horse owners in the USA will usually feed alfalfa as hay instead of grass hay, but in the UK is is usually found as a short chop, and may be treated with molasses, oil or a combination of the two. It may be mixed with grass or straw to produce a lower calorie chop. Alfalfa is great for the working horse as it is high in good quality protein, ideal for helping the horse maintain condition and muscle mass. With oil added it is great for stamina, coat condition, and weight gain or maintenance. The only problem with alfalfa is that it can have a bitter taste to it which some horses do not like. This can often be countered with a touch of molasses, oil or herbs.
Some manufacturers sell a pelletised blend of alfalfa and sugarbeet which should be soaked before feeding. This is a great way to feed fibre, and most horses enjoy this as much as plain sugarbeet. It does look a little like something a cow left behind though!
Alfalfa, due to the supply issue in the UK can be expensive. That said, it is often more cost effective and better value for money than most short chop fibres if you are looking to put condition on a horse!
Grass Pellets or Grass Nuggets are basically compressed dried grass. They are useful if you need to add fibre to a ration, but they are relatively low in nutritional value otherwise. In that sense, they are a good way to provide fibre and 'something to do' to a stabled horse (though not necessarily a laminitic!)
Chaff or Chop This is usually a blend of inexpensive chopped fibres, normally grass, and straw, with molasses added to improve palatability. They are usually inexpensive, and whilst they provide some fibre to the horse, the amount of sugar they provide undoes the good. Sugar does the same as starch in cereals and increases the acidity of the horse's gut. If you are able to find a low sugar version, then it makes for a very easy way to provide the horse with low calorie fibre.
So, now to making a choice and getting the feeding right...
Broadly speaking we can categorise fibre into long stem, short chopped or soaked fibre sources. Short choppped and soaked fibre sources take the horse longer to eat, which alleviates boredom, and encourages a steady flow of fibre through the digestive system.
If you are trying to help a laminitic or overweight horse to increase the fibre intake, or you need to provide a low calorie fibre for another reason, you should try to feed a short chopped fibre and a soaked fibre. This helps to ensure the horse takes in enough fluids, and helps to ensure he is kept busy!
Leave it in 2 buckets with him overnight (and the day if he's in!), once he gets used to the novelty of having 2 buckets he will learn to eat the feed steadily and not just wolf it down!
If you are feeding a horse for hard work or weight gain then try feeding all 3 forms of fibre. Use short chopped fibre to slow down the rate he eats what little hard feed you'll be giving him, use long stem fibre to keep him occupied. If he eats it too quickly put it into a haynet with small holes to slow down the rate he can get at it. Also feed a bucket of one of the soaked fibres, if you don't need much condition, or he's only in moderate work choose unmolassed sugarbeet. If he's in hard work or needs a lot of condition go for alfalfa pellets or the sugarbeet/alfalfa blended pellets.
Once you have the fibre sorted, you'll be surprised how much less hard feed you need, and in many cases the horse will be happier in himself, vices will reduce if not cease, and the signs of gastric disturbance will almost certainly disappear.
We could all save ourselves money on feed and vets bills by taking a bit more notice of the amount of fibre that our horses eat. For years we thought that horses ate all day and slept at night, but recent studies have shown that horses will eat 65% of their total daily fibre intake over night. So saying "he's been out all day, 3 slices of hay will do for the night" just isn't good enough.
Studies have shown that horses with lowered fibre intake, such as racehorses, show increased levels of stereotyped behaviours (or vices like weaving, wind-sucking etc) and gastric disruption including ulcers. It is thought that behaviours such as wind-sucking stimulate the gut to give the horse a 'full feeling' or to produce digestive juices, and it is this that triggers gastric disruption and ulcers.
Another problem with feeding horses large quantities of grain, and less fibre is that it reduced the pH of the gut (makes it more acidic) which also increases the risk of gastric problems. It also explains why so often the pony that escapes and stuffs himself with the contents of a feed bin will suffer a bout of colic.
So now I hear you saying "but my horse is in hard work, he Needs hard feed to keep his energy up and the weight on him", or "my horse loses weight easily, I need to feed cereals to keep him looking well". My answer is are you feeding the right fibre? In both these cases the requirement is extra calories, and the general perception is that 'fibre' can't provide them. The horse is incredibly effective at turning fibre into energy, how much energy depends on the fibre source.
In the UK we tend to think of fibre for horses as being Grass, grass hay, grass haylage and "chaff" or "chop". Some of us may realise that sugar beet pulp is a fibre source too.
So lets go through the fibre sources and discuss their benefits and ways to feed them...
Grass - this is the obvious one. But is your grass good quality? is the pasture well managed? How long is your horse at pasture for each day? What about in the winter? Grass quality can vary immensely, and even the different types of grasses can make a difference. If the pasture was originally sown for dairy purposes then the chances are that it is a richer, more protein rich sward than one which was sown for horses. This is good if your horse works hard, but could pose a problem for fatties or laminitic horses.
So what about the winter? once the frost has hit the grass there is very little nutrition in it, but the fibre remains. The problem is that horses are like us in the sense that they like the taste of their food, and frost-bitten grass isn't as good as fresh spring grass! This, coupled with the lack of growth during winter, is why we often need to give hay in the field in winter. Along this line, whilst the amount of fibre in the grass is highest during the winter, the opposite is true during the summer, and this is why some horses get a bit green and runny in the spring.
Preserved Grass Forages (hay, haylage and silage)
Hay is the highest fibre, highest dry matter fibre source of this group. It can be old pasture or seed hay. Old pasture hay or meadow hay is often lower nutritional value and better suited to those that need fewer calories, but is often softer and more palatable to the fussy eater. Seed hay on the other hand is stalkier, but has a higher nutritional value. the prices of the 2 are fairly similar on a weight for weight basis. The main 2 problems that people have with hay is that it is difficult to store well and is prone to dustiness (which of course brings its own problems)
Haylage is a fairly modern invention borne out of horse owners requiring a lower dust, higher moisture content fibre source for horses, and preferably one that was easier to store. Good Haylage is a consistent, palatable and nutritious fibre source. It is higher calorie than almost any grass hay, and the vast majority of horses will eat it without any fuss. Commercial haylage producers in the UK will usually produce 2 or more grades - one suitable for most horses, and one that is aimed at the harder working horse. This is higher calorie, higher protein and possibly slightly lower moisture content.
Silage is normally a totally unsuitable fibre source for the horse, but some horses are fed it and do well. The problem is that commercial silages are often treated with chemicals or biological agents to help break down the fibres to provide cattle (the normally intended destination for silage) with certain nutrients not normally found in grasses. These 'innoculants' can at best be unpalatable, and at worst could make the silage poisonous to a horse. If you are ever to feed a horse on silage, please check that it has not been treated with anything, and that it is only grass.
Straw is not often fed to horses these days, but it could still be a useful fibre source. If your horse or pony is particularly prone to obesity or laminitis then chopped straw is a low calorie way to provide fibre. Short chopped fibre has the advantage of taking the horse longer to chew than long stem fibre like hay! Straw is not hugely palatable though, and you may need to add herbs like mint or fenugreek to encourage the horse to eat. Chopped straw is cheap however, and straw pellets are often used in low calorie or high fibre 'hard feeds'.
Sugarbeet is available as shreds (or pulp) or pellets, and molassed or unmoalssed, and some manufacturers make a quick-soak version. Sugarbeet is a by-product of the sugar industry in the UK. Once the sugar has been extracted from this turnip-like vegetable all that remains is the pulp. This is then dried at high temperature to preserve it (pelletising happens before it is dried). Some manufacturers add molassed back to the beet pulp before drying to improve the palatability for cattle, but horses will eat it unmolassed with no problems. Sugarbeet MUST be soaked before feeding to horses. Pellets generally require 24 hours, shreds 12 hours and quick-soak varieties will depend on the manufacturer's recommendations. The quick soak varieties are made by micronising (or effectively microwaving) the wet beet pulp. This causes the cell structure to change, allowing water to move between the cells much more quickly, which is why is soaks more quickly. Sugar beet is a great source of fibre for the horse as it is very digestible, and helps to hold water in the gut. This in turn helps to keep the hard working horse hydrated! Whilst this may not be ideal in every situation (such as racing where the horse should not carry a large quantity of water in its gut) it is the best thing for endurance horses, hunters and horses going cross country. Keeping the horse hydrated keeps him well, and helps him recover from hard work.
Alfalfa is becoming more common in the UK, but as it has a limited growing season it will probably never be as widespread as it is in the USA. Horse owners in the USA will usually feed alfalfa as hay instead of grass hay, but in the UK is is usually found as a short chop, and may be treated with molasses, oil or a combination of the two. It may be mixed with grass or straw to produce a lower calorie chop. Alfalfa is great for the working horse as it is high in good quality protein, ideal for helping the horse maintain condition and muscle mass. With oil added it is great for stamina, coat condition, and weight gain or maintenance. The only problem with alfalfa is that it can have a bitter taste to it which some horses do not like. This can often be countered with a touch of molasses, oil or herbs.
Some manufacturers sell a pelletised blend of alfalfa and sugarbeet which should be soaked before feeding. This is a great way to feed fibre, and most horses enjoy this as much as plain sugarbeet. It does look a little like something a cow left behind though!
Alfalfa, due to the supply issue in the UK can be expensive. That said, it is often more cost effective and better value for money than most short chop fibres if you are looking to put condition on a horse!
Grass Pellets or Grass Nuggets are basically compressed dried grass. They are useful if you need to add fibre to a ration, but they are relatively low in nutritional value otherwise. In that sense, they are a good way to provide fibre and 'something to do' to a stabled horse (though not necessarily a laminitic!)
Chaff or Chop This is usually a blend of inexpensive chopped fibres, normally grass, and straw, with molasses added to improve palatability. They are usually inexpensive, and whilst they provide some fibre to the horse, the amount of sugar they provide undoes the good. Sugar does the same as starch in cereals and increases the acidity of the horse's gut. If you are able to find a low sugar version, then it makes for a very easy way to provide the horse with low calorie fibre.
So, now to making a choice and getting the feeding right...
Broadly speaking we can categorise fibre into long stem, short chopped or soaked fibre sources. Short choppped and soaked fibre sources take the horse longer to eat, which alleviates boredom, and encourages a steady flow of fibre through the digestive system.
If you are trying to help a laminitic or overweight horse to increase the fibre intake, or you need to provide a low calorie fibre for another reason, you should try to feed a short chopped fibre and a soaked fibre. This helps to ensure the horse takes in enough fluids, and helps to ensure he is kept busy!
Leave it in 2 buckets with him overnight (and the day if he's in!), once he gets used to the novelty of having 2 buckets he will learn to eat the feed steadily and not just wolf it down!
If you are feeding a horse for hard work or weight gain then try feeding all 3 forms of fibre. Use short chopped fibre to slow down the rate he eats what little hard feed you'll be giving him, use long stem fibre to keep him occupied. If he eats it too quickly put it into a haynet with small holes to slow down the rate he can get at it. Also feed a bucket of one of the soaked fibres, if you don't need much condition, or he's only in moderate work choose unmolassed sugarbeet. If he's in hard work or needs a lot of condition go for alfalfa pellets or the sugarbeet/alfalfa blended pellets.
Once you have the fibre sorted, you'll be surprised how much less hard feed you need, and in many cases the horse will be happier in himself, vices will reduce if not cease, and the signs of gastric disturbance will almost certainly disappear.
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