For many first-time horse owners, choosing the best feed for proper nutrition of their horse can be a bit daunting, especially if the horse falls into one of the “special needs” categories (elderly, overweight, underweight, prone to ulcers and the like). Most will be content with continuing the same feeding regimen that the horse was given at its last home. This is an important practice to follow, especially during the first week and a half of introducing your horse to its new home.
It’s best to consult with your veterinarian to be sure the horse is healthy and its nutritional needs are being met. If you desire to switch the horse to a new feed, it should be given gradually, over the course of at least a week to about 10 days, in order to give the horse adequate time to adjust.
Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in all the advertising that appears in horse magazines and journals and even at the feed stores, with different companies touting their feeds and supplements that promise better performance, healthy horses, shining coats, etc. The best place to start is evaluating your horse and its nutritional needs in the forage (grass or hay) it is getting.
Good quality forage is most important for horses – their systems are built to graze and digest forage. In some instances, such as for pleasure horses that are only ridden or worked occasionally, as long as the grass or hay they are receiving has the proper nutrients, they won’t need much (if any) concentrated feed at all.
Most of the vitamins and minerals that are required in your horse’s daily diet are present in quality grass and hay. These include vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), C (ascorbic acid), D, E and K, calcium, iron, phosphorus, selenium and sodium chloride (salt). Most of these are found in adequate levels as long as the hay and pasture are of good quality. It’s a good idea to have your forage tested to be sure of its nutritional level.
For horses that require extra nutrition, such as horses under heavy work, performance horses, horses recovering from illness or other stresses, broodmares and foals, you’ll need to supplement their intake above that of what is included in their pasture or hay. It’s best to consult your veterinarian, as overfeeding of certain vitamins and minerals can be counterproductive or even harmful.
There are many different types of mineral salt blocks on the market; it’s a good idea to consult your vet to see which supplements your horse might need rather than relying on a mineral block, as overfeeding certain minerals could be counterproductive. Photo by Judy Van Put
Selenium is found naturally in the soil, but the amount can vary greatly depending on where the forage is grown. Horses that suffer from a diet deficient in this mineral risk having reproductive problems, white muscle disease in foals and immune deficiencies. On the other hand, horses that graze on plants containing high levels of selenium may suffer from selenium poisoning, which results in increased heart and respiratory rates and discomfort similar to colic as well as lameness, rough haircoat and malformed hooves.
In addition to plain white salt blocks, many feed stores sell bricks and blocks of various colors that contain extra vitamins and minerals. For example, the yellow salt blocks contain extra selenium. It’s important to know what, if any, additional vitamins or nutrients your horse may require. We prefer to use free choice white salt bricks in the stalls and blocks out in the pasture and paddock and supplement our horses’ feed if necessary.
Salt supplements are necessary to supply, as most grains and forages only contain a small amount of salt. This mineral is important for regulating bodily fluids and impulses to nerves and muscles. A horse that is salt deficient will be less able to sweat efficiently (this is what cools a horse when it is working or under hot weather conditions) and it may suffer a loss of appetite, weakness and dehydration. It can also result in uncoordinated muscle contraction. Horses can tolerate high levels of salt as long as they have access to plenty of fresh water.
It’s widely known that vitamins and minerals (including salt) are important nutrients in the diets of our animals, but did you know that the most essential nutrient is water? According to a study done by Ohio State University, water constitutes approximately 60% to 70% of an animal’s live weight, and consuming water is more important than consuming food. Domesticated animals can live for about 60 days without food but only for about seven days without water.
Horses require approximately 10 to 15 gallons per day of fresh water to function properly; however, the amount of water consumption will vary depending on the horse’s size, level of activity, temperature of its environment, intake of dry matter (hay and roughage) and the quality and temperature of the water. Horses fed only forage will drink twice as much water as those that are supplemented with grain. The more hay and roughage, the greater the water requirements.
It’s crucial to offer clean water at all times. The large amount of roughage the horse eats each day requires many gallons of water to assist in its normal metabolic processes. Water assists in eliminating waste products from digestion, produces saliva, regulates blood pressure and circulation, transports nutrients and hormones in the body and, most importantly during warm weather, aids in body temperature regulation by sweating.
Water is critical to maintain joint lubrication and hydration of cartilage, and to support lactation and gestational processes. Be sure your horse is drinking enough water during warm weather and especially after exercise to prevent heat stress, heat stroke and other life-threatening conditions.
By consulting with your horse’s veterinarian and providing good quality forage, adequate salt and water, you can be sure that you are meeting your horse’s nutritional needs.
by Judy Van Put
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