Posted: 6th July 2015 | Back to news feed
Question
After a great start to the show jumping season we are now competing at 1.40m level and I think I need to increase the energy levels for my horse. He is 16.2hh and nine-years-old, breeding Irish Draught x Thoroughbred. What do you suggest?
Answer
It’s fantastic to hear that your horse has been performing so well. However, now that his workload is increasing you are quite right to review his diet. As with any athlete, it’s important to ensure that your horse receives optimal nutrition; so that he performs to the best of his ability over every fence.
The first thing to consider is the type of forage you are feeding, as this can make a significant contribution to your horse’s energy and nutrient intake. Adequate forage is also essential for the synthesis of B-vitamins, which play an important role in energy metabolism. If your horse tends to maintain weight easily then a good-quality, dust-free hay is perfectly adequate. Alternatively, if your horse is prone to weight loss a highly-palatable, energy-rich ryegrass haylage would be preferable. Ideally you should also try to turn your horse out for at least a few hours daily; not only is grass an important source of nutrition, but this also gives the busy competition horse a little ‘down-time’.
When choosing a suitable hard-feed it’s important to consider your horse’s breeding and temperament. If your horse airs more on the excitable Thoroughbred side you might want to consider a feed high in oil and fibre such as Equerry Performance Cubes. This will provide your horse with ‘slow-releasing’ energy and can help to minimise excitability. On the other hand, if his temperament is more akin to a laid-back Irish Draught, or you need him to have more oomph now that you’re competing over larger fences, you should consider Equerry Sports Mix. This cereal-based mix will provide your horse with higher levels of starch and sugar. These simple carbohydrates are digested in the small intestine and quickly absorbed by the body as glucose, providing what is commonly called ‘fast-releasing’ energy.
Protein, vitamins and minerals are also essential for all aspects of performance. For example, protein is needed for muscle recovery after exercise,B-vitamins and iron are important for energy utilisation and the formation of haemoglobin, whilst antioxidants, including vitamin E and selenium, are necessary to neutralise free-radicals produced as a result of intensive exercise. Feeds designed for horses in light work will not contain optimal levels of macro or micronutrients to support hard work. Therefore you will need to feed specifically formulated performance horse ration such as Equerry Sports Mix/ Performance Cubes.
Maintaining hydration is also critical as even mild dehydration can make your horse more lethargic. Ideally your horse should have free access to water prior to exercise. If this isn’t possible, for example when travelling, frequent ‘water stops’ will be needed. Immediately after exercise you should offer your horse a small amount of water and then ad lib once he is no longer blowing hard. If your horse is a poor drinker try adding a little apple juice to his water to mask any ‘strange’ flavours. You should also bear in mind that simply offering your horse water after exercise will not be enough to re-hydrate him properly. Sweating also results in significant losses of sodium and chloride (salt) and these must be replaced. This can be easily achieved by adding a couple of desert spoons of common table salt to the daily ration for 2-3 days after intensive work.
The busy life of a competition horse, which often includes frequent travelling to and from competitions, can increase the risk of digestive problems such as loose droppings or even colic. Both Equerry Sports Mix and Performance Cubes contain added yeast to help maintain the health of your horse’s hind-gut health.
For more information please contact the Equerry Nutrition Team on 01845 565640 or visit www.equerryhorsefeeds.com
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