NUTRITION
W AUTUMN FEEDING
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utumn can be a difficult time of year; the constantly changing weather and variations in temperature can make one day feel like summer and the next like winter. There are several factors to take into consideration when it comes to autumn feeding. Each horse must be treated as an individual when developing a feeding regime at any time of the year so consider factors such as age, temperament, dentition, overall health and weight. Body condition scoring is a useful tool to monitor your horse’s condition throughout the year and always take note of the quantity of water your horse consumes. The darkening evenings often result in the horse’s work load being considerably reduced during the autumnal months. This regularly coincides with reduced turn out as horses are stabled during the night after free access to pasture during the summer months. A suitable balance will need to be reached to ensure the horse is receiving
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adequate levels of fibre and concentrates are not being overfed. 80 to 100% of the horse’s diet should be fibre-based and as we move through the autumn months a large proportion of this will be made up of forage. Fibre is important for many reasons but especially in helping the horse to maintain its body temperature. Heat is released when fibre, retained in the horse’s hindgut, is fermented by micro-organisms. This process of digestion is a very useful source of warmth for horses during the colder months, in particular those that live out. Sourcing good quality forage is obvious for many owners but this can become increasingly difficult as the winter months continue, so ensure your supplier has enough good quality forage to fulfil your horse’s autumn and winter requirements. The length of time we stable our horses often increases as we progress through the autumn so finding forage that is dust-free is vital for good respiratory health.
Forage that comes with a quality guarantee can reduce costly wastage. We, as horse owners, often spend a considerable amount of time investigating the nutritional contents of our bucket feeds but we don’t always do the same for our forage. Choosing a forage that has been fully analysed will help in developing a balanced consistent diet for your horse or pony. HorseHage dust-free bagged forage comes in four varieties offering a choice for all types of horses and ponies including those prone to laminitis. It is consistent, contains no additives, comes with a 100% quality guarantee and has BETA NOPS certification. A broad spectrum vitamin and mineral source should be supplied in the horse’s diet throughout the year but it is particularly essential as the access to grazing becomes restricted. www.horsehage.co.uk
hen grass grows under normal conditions, it contains high levels of soluble sugars and nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs). When there is a ground frost and grass is frozen, the grass accumulates more sugars to try and enable it to carry on growing in adverse conditions. This extra sugar content can be one of several different triggers for laminitis. If a horse or pony is prone to laminitis, it should be fed a low sugar, low starch and high fibre diet. It is important not to starve horses and ponies prone to laminitis as this can cause further problems. Choose forage that has a lower sugar content than hay, such as High Fibre or Timothy HorseHage and, ideally, a complete feed suitable for horses and ponies prone to laminitis that contains a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement such as Mollichaff HoofKind Complete. Mollichaff HoofKind Complete is made from a balanced blend of high quality oat straw, dried alfalfa and fibre pellets and is topped with a light dressing of soya oil with added vitamins and minerals, trace elements, including magnesium and natural plant-based antioxidants, as well as added biotin. www.horsehage.co.uk
