Valor: Forage First

dedicated to athletes in the equESTRIAN world

FORAGE FIRST But not forage only

ENG

Everything in life goes back to the basics – Kron Gracie

2 valor, Everything is energy

Pictures: Audrey Broekmeulen

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CONTENTS • • •

Frank Sorge

Arnd Bronkhorst

Erin Gilmore

Digishots

With forage, quality and quantity come first 6 On buying high-quality forage

Roughage 8 The wonderful world of fibre

Myth or fact 12 A horse must have unlimited access to forage

Feeding with your eyes 14 Top rider Johnny Pals on balancing forage and concentrates

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Forage first. But not forage only 3

Dear Equestrian Friends,

As the daughter of a concert pianist, equestrianism definitely did not come to me from the cradle. My mother much preferred to see me at the piano than on a horse. Nevertheless, I learned at a very young age how important it is to follow your passion. For her, that was the piano, but for me it was horses. They taught me how essential it is to do something that energises you every day.

Living and working with passion are what enable us to grow. That feeling that you are moving forward and that you can keep on challenging yourself. I have been involved with Cavalor for more than 27 years now, and it has been so worthwhile. It is not just the brand that provides me with a challenge, it’s the horses and their owners too. Development moves quickly. Science is continuously advancing, and we horse owners are also keen to get much closer to the source. What should I feed my horse? Why should I do that and what effect does it have?

Growth is all about ambition, whatever your ambitions may be. The starting point must be a good foundation, but you have to know what you need to make that good foundation.

For me, that is to be physically and mentally fit. Running is an outlet for me, it provides more than just a physical boost. When I’m running with our dog is when I come up with new ideas.

That’s the foundation I work on every day with Cavalor. It is often a case of feeding less rather than more. We just like to do it. On top of that, you need to meet your horse’s natural needs every day. Forage is the largest part of their daily ration. We complement that with the right concentrates. And if a horse needs even more, we can add supplements.

Make sure that your horse is happy and it will be motivated to work for you every day.

This is managed with a balanced diet, but mental health is also key. That will go a long way towards achieving your goal. Could you use a little help? We’d be happy to assist!

Karen Vloet

CAVALOR REPRESENTATIVE NETHERLANDS

dedicated to athletes in the equESTRIAN world

FORAGE FIRST But not forage only

ENG

4 valor, Forage first. But not forage only

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WITH FORAGE, COME FIRST

QUALITYAND QUANTITY HAY OR FORAGE IS IMPORTANT. ONE EXPERT ON THE SUBJECT IS MICHEL ISMALUN, FRENCH COURSE DESIGNER AND MANAGER OF DE LA HOUSSAYE STABLES TOGETHER WITH HIS SON, ÉTIENNE. BONNIÈRESSUR-SEINE IS HOME TO 50 HORSES. HERE, THE FATHER AND SON OPERATE A RIDING SCHOOL AND A BREEDING FACILITY, PREPARE RIDERS AND ACCOMPANY THEM TO COMPETITIONS, COMPETE THEMSELVES, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST BUY AND SELL NUMEROUS HORSES THROUGH DE LA HOUSSAYE STABLES. How much forage are your horses fed each day? What else is on the menu?

“The horses on straw bedding get between six and eight kilogrammes of hay daily. The horses with shavings get forage ad libitum.

Good forage is fundamental for horses. It’s filling, it provides the body with needed amounts of vitamins and minerals, and it helps to prevent boredom, because they can eat it all day. When there is not enough hay available, they often begin to eat straw.

This can lead to impactions and even colic.

We supplement their forage with concentrate feed three times a day. We adjust the amount of concentrate feed over the course of the year on the horse’s level of activity, energy needs, and general physical condition. We’re currently trying out haylage, although we prefer normal hay with more than 80% dry matter. Although haylage has more nutrients, I believe that it increases the risk of colic.”

Michel and Étienne’s horses stand predominantly on straw. Some horses have shavings for bedding, but these are exceptions – horses that eat too much straw or have dust allergies. Each horse is trained daily. The horses in training or for sale are turned out for at least two hours a day – weather permitting, naturally.

Some of your horses get unlimited amounts of hay. How do you provide hay ad libitum?

“My son’s team consists of three riding instructors who are also grooms, and they are on site all day. Étienne trains the horses and manages sales whilst also overseeing the entire organisation in the stables. Most important of all, literally, is the horses’ well-being. And he works tirelessly. We don’t feed the horses large amounts in one go.

Throughout the day, we replenish the hay as soon as the horses have eaten part of it. This prevents them from playing with the hay and wasting it. ” How much hay do you use in a year?

“Our stables house about 50 horses, on average. This number varies over time, because

6 valor, Forage first. But not forage only

training horses come and go, and of course we also sell horses. Let’s assume that every horse gets about 10 kg of hay per day. That comes to a total of more than 180 tonnes per year. We get our hay from our neighbour, who delivers it in 300-kg bales. We order when we need it, because we don’t have so much storage space. We are extremely fortunate to have a supplier right around the corner. His hay is of outstanding quality. ” How do you know that the hay is of good quality?

“I trust my neighbour! He has beautiful fields, his hay is a lovely green, a delicious and nutritious mix of grasses and lucerne. Of course, there are also bad years where the weather results in a poor harvest, which was the case in 2020. We make sure that we use the hay no later than 12 months after it is harvested. We don’t keep it longer than that, because it dries out and loses its nutritional value.”

What do you do if the hay is not of the desired quality?

“If the hay is lacking in important nutrients, we supplement it with other roughage: lucerne, extruded linseeds, carrots, dried beet pulp, dried chicory pulp, and soya bean hulls. Roughage is important for horses.

More roughage gives them extra energy and ensures that they get in shape faster. It’s ideal for horses that have problems with the dust that sometimes settles on the hay. It’s also easier to feed them than wet hay, for example. And it’s easier to store. There are, however, two disadvantages: it is expensive (€500 per tonne, compared to €120 for a tonne of hay) and birds like it too. They get into the barn and pick at the packaging.”

What do you do where there isn’t enough hay?

“If, during the year, there is a shortage of hay, we have to buy it from further away. As I said before, when there is not enough roughage, we use other fibre feeds to supplement the ration. There was an abundance of hay in 2021, but the quality was inconsistent. France had a lot of rain that year, and the hay couldn’t dry adequately. The quantity and quality of hay remains a persistent problem.

After all, it’s our top priority. Climate change has made the weather increasingly unpredictable. You can expect more unpleasant surprises, and I don’t think that will ease up.”’

Have you seen differences or trends in quality and availability in recent years?

“Absolutely. We are subject to the whims of the weather. In 2020, for example, there was not enough hay to feed all of the horses, and in 2021 the hay was abundant but of inconsistent quality.”

SCIENCE MEETS PRACTICE For many years, the importance of forage and the fibre it contains has been emphasized. Forage is the foundation of every feed ration. In practice, it’s important to have a skilled eye. Horse owners use experience and knowledge to keep their horses in good condition. In addition, science yields new findings every day. What can we learn from these new developments? Peter Bollen brings us up to date.

“It’s important to know that hay falls into three categories. The dry matter content of hay is over 84%, the dry matter content of haylage is between 50% and 84%, and the dry matter content of silage is less than 50%. Haylage and silage are both ensiled feeds. The grass is wrapped in plastic to prevent exposure to oxygen.

Lactic acid forms in the silage, inhibiting the formation of mould and mycotoxins.

In haylage (the drier version), insufficient lactic acid is formed due to the low moisture content, presenting a significantly greater risk of mould formation than in silage. We tend to think that drier hay contains less mould, but the opposite seems to be true. Moisture ultimately inhibits the growth of mould.

There have also been new findings on unlimited quantities of forage,” adds Peter.

“A horse eats at least 2.5% to 3% of its body weight in dry matter every day. A fully-grown horse eats a mountain of forage in one day. This poses no problem with regard to the amount of fibre, but it often means that the horse consumes more energy and protein than it needs. A forage analysis will reveal the quality of the hay. A standard analysis provides information on the amounts of protein, sugar, crude cellulose, and mould in the hay. An extensive analysis is even better, because it provides information on the digestibility of the crude cellulose. This reflects the quality of the digestible fibres.

Want to learn more about what’s in your forage? Have it analysed for minerals and trace elements as well. With these three analyses, you’ll know exactly what your horse is getting and if you need to compensate for any deficiencies.”

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FIBRE

Good equine health begins with a well-functioning gastrointestinal tract. For healthy digestion, a horse needs a daily intake of fibre.

But what does fibre actually do?

What is the relationship between fibre and the microbiome? And does every horse get enough fibre? In this article, Dr Erica Reijerkerk, a veterinary surgeon and specialist in equine internal medicine, tells us all about fibre, explaining why it’s important and what happens as it passes through a horse’s body.

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ERICA REIJERKERK GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF UTRECHT IN 2004 WITH A DEGREE IN VETERINARY SCIENCES SPECIALISING IN HORSES. SHE THEN ATTENDED THE FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE IN UTRECHT FOR THE ECEIM SPECIALISATION IN EQUINE INTERNAL MEDICINE. ALONGSIDE HER WORK AS A VETERINARY SURGEON AT THE HOFSTEDE EQUINE CLINIC AND REHABILITATION CENTRE IN LEUSDEN, SHE IS AN EQUINE FEED CONSULTANT AND A SPECIALIST LECTURER IN EQUINE HEALTH, AND TEACHES AT VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR EQUESTRIAN SPORTS AND MEDICINE.

There are many types of fibre. When we speak about it in the context of horses, we are really talking about the fibre found in feed. This is a collective term for a large group of carbohydrates that are fermented by bacterial conversion. Fibre in feeds primarily comes from plant materials. Being herbivores, horses are fibre eaters par excellence. Fibre consumption not only delivers needed energy, its conversion and its very presence in the gastrointestinal tract promotes good health, both directly and indirectly. In addition, fibre plays an important role in stimulating the motility of the gastrointestinal tract (faeces) and the body’s natural defences.

Generally, it can be said that fibre’s influence and its numerous functions make it an essential “universal tool” for a well-functioning gastrointestinal tract, leading to the absorption of important nutrients and a strong immune system.

The gut microbiome In and on the body live many microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, and yeasts.

These are known collectively as the microbiome. It is a versatile system that plays an important role in both digestion and immunity. In recent years there has been increasing scientific interest in the microbi-

ome and its connection to health. However, it is still difficult to properly illustrate this system. Many individual differences are observed in the populations of microorganisms, and their composition also depends on many (external) factors. The composition of the gut microbiome can be influenced both positively and negatively. High-quality, high-fibre feeds support the development of a stable and healthy microbiome. Stress or, for example, antibiotics will have a negative influence on gut flora and cause digestive problems which can result in diarrhoea or colic.

Happy gut flora We want to keep the gastrointestinal tract’s inhabitants (gut flora) happy. Prebiotics is a collective term for “nourishment” for good bacteria, so that the latter can perform their job well. Fibre is the most natural type of prebiotics and supports the growth and function of beneficial gut bacteria. Fibre is present in grass, hay, lucerne, and silage (haylage) and can also be found in small amounts in concentrate feeds. For example, beet pulp, wheat, spelt, bran, and grain heads/husks are useful fibre sources that are often components of concentrate feed.

Problems can arise if the horse is fed too little roughage daily, if the roughage is of

5 TIPS VAN ERICA REIJERKERK Erica Reijerkerk is an expert on equine internal health.

She has a few tips to share with you:

• Always give your horse sufficient quantities of fibre via forage and concentrate feeds, but unlimited access is not always the best. It’s better for a horse to get several portions a day that meet its energy needs.

• The first step in the digestive process involves the teeth. Annual dental check-ups are highly recommended!

• Sometimes it can’t be avoided – the horse needs a round of antibiotics. For the gut microbiome to recover more quickly, your horse needs fibre from forage, because this kind of fibre is the most natural form of prebiotics.

• Exercise also influences digestions. Do you have an injured horse on box rest? Then feed him low-energy, low-fibre feed and watch for impactions.

• Monitor your horse every day by looking him over for any signs of poor health. How do his droppings look, and how much is he producing?

• Does your horse eat well? Is he drinking enough (at least 30 litres every day)?

• How does his coat look, and what is his Body Condition Score?

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poor quality, or if the horse cannot consume enough feed due to dental or digestive problems.

Horses with motility problems in the gastrointestinal tract may experience excessive feed volume, leading to impaction. It is therefore important that the horse gets sufficient exercise to promote intestinal motility. However, it is important to know that not every horse is suited to ad libitum forage intake. Much depends on the hay’s nutritional profile. Excessive consumption of young grass or nutrient-rich hay means that the horse is also consuming more sugar and protein. In some cases this can lead to digestive or metabolic problems like obesity and laminitis. Therefore, the type and amount of daily forage should always be adapted to your horse’s needs.

Two types Fibre in forage and fibre mixes fall into two categories: fermentable and non-fermentable. Fermentable fibre is broken down by bacteria in the small and large intestines and converted into volatile fatty acids, delivering energy. Non-fermentable fibre normally delivers no energy and therefore appears to have no use. But that’s not true.

Non-fermentable fibre gives the contents of the gut more volume and stimulates the intestinal walls to “knead” it, thus influencing the feed’s speed of passage. The combination of kneading and passing at the right speed ensures a good mixing of the contents in the gut and longer contact of the chyme with the intestinal wall, promoting the absorption of nutrients.

nutrients get to where they are needed in the horse’s body.

Faeces as indicator Naturally, it is difficult to give a 100% reliable estimation on how much fibre a horse consumes. The horse’s droppings can provide some information. Are they quite dry, smelly, or watery? If they have a very coarse structure, this can tell you something about the horse’s teeth, but also about the health of its gut flora. A disturbed gut microbiome cannot adequately digest fibre.

Here, prebiotics or probiotics can help. Colic and diarrhoea also arise in connection with fibre consumption. The solution is feed with sufficient fibre based on a high-quality forage. Roughage – fibre – is the driver for the motor that moves the horse. Nutrient requirements that cannot be met with forage can then be replenished through concentrates and feed supplements.

Practical experience Dr Erica Reijerkerk sees many horses with feed-related ailments such as emaciation, colic (including stomach ulcers) and diarrhoea. She moves through several steps to find out the cause of the problem before deciding on a treatment. After taking a close

look at the horse’s circumstances as well as its feeding plan and feeds, she makes a clinical assessment that includes body weight and body condition score. “Then I do a rectal examination. I palpate the organs and bowel walls and assess the location, degree and appearance of the bowel contents. And then I examine the faeces. Additional ultrasound examinations and blood tests can also help determine the cause. I normally check the blood for inflammation levels and the protein fractions. If, say, the blood work reveals low protein levels, they may be due to a deficiency or increased requirements, or it may be a problem with protein absorption. Step by step, we get to the heart of the problem. A gastroscopy may be necessary as it isn’t possible to see from the outside whether the horse has a stomach ulcer. This also allows you to examine a section of the intestinal wall. A functional test can tell us whether the small intestine can absorb sufficient nutrients.”

Structure Next to fermentability, structure is also important – namely, whether the fibres are long or short. “Stalky” forage is important as it stimulates chewing. Chewing is the first step in digestion and helps to chop up the feed particles and stimulate saliva production. You might look at this part of the digestive process as a present. You have the feed components (the packaging), but you can’t use the contents of the present if you can’t unwrap it. Digestion means nothing other than making nutrients accessible and processing them (breaking them down) so that they can be absorbed by the body. The first step, then, is to provide high-quality roughage with the right structure and the right components. Also important are well-functioning teeth and a well-functioning gastrointestinal tract so that the right

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MYTH OR FACT

A HORSE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO EAT UNLIMITED AMOUNTS OF FORAGE Myth

Wondering how much forage your horse really needs?

Scan the QR code and read all about it.

In the past, horses grazed almost all day and all night: they would have spent up to 16 hours a day chewing on grass and herbs which were low in nutrients.

Although grazing like this meant that the horse consumed a lot of fibre, this forage was low in sugars and proteins. There were also a lot of different herbs and grasses, providing the horse with all the vitamins and minerals it needed.

The life of a ‘modern’ horse looks very different to how it looked years ago, but its digestive system has remained exactly the same. If a horse goes for too long without access to forage, there is a risk of health problems. Unlike people, horses only produce saliva when they chew, which promotes digestion and keeps the production of stomach acid under control. If saliva production stops for too long, it can cause digestive problems such as ulcers, choke and colic.

Today’s forage is much richer in energy and proteins than it was in the past.

If your horse has unlimited access to forage, there is a chance that it might consume more energy than it actually needs. This is often coupled with health risks such as laminitis and obesity.

Forage tailored to your horse’s energy needs, in the smallest possible portion.

That’s the advice for a well-functioning digestive system and a happy athlete.

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XPE

ask the

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The question “My horse spends the winter in the barn, but as soon as the weather is better he’s turned out all day. He’s prone to colic. How to I help my horse make the transition from barn to pasture? “ – Owner: Jay de Laat, horse Magic du Brayon, France

The advice Young, fast-growing spring grasses have high levels of sugar, fructans (complex sugars), and proteins. They also don’t have much fibre. If a horse goes straight from manger feed to too much spring grass, it can lead to hyperacidity in the large intestine, disturbing the microflora there. Sensitive horses have a higher risk of suffering from watery stool, colics, and laminitis. This is why a slow transition from winter feed to pasture is key.

EVERY HORSE IS DIFFERENT. EVERY HORSE HAS UNIQUE NEEDS. FEED YOUR HORSE ACCORDING TO ITS NEEDS. WOULD YOU LIKE A CONSULTATION REGARDING YOUR HORSE? THEN VISIT WWW.MYCAVALOR. COM OR CALL OUR CONSUMER LINE: +32(0)92202525.

The shorter the grass, the more sugar it contains. Make sure that your pasture grass is sufficiently long before turning your horse out, ideally between 15 and 20 cm. On the first day, turn your horse out for just one hour and add 30 minutes to it every two days.

Horses that have sensitive reactions to grass should not be left turned out until the fructan content is at its lowest. That’s between 5 and 9 in the morning. Don’t turn out if the previous night’s temperatures fell below freezing! This inhibits plant growth and the grass cannot burn sugar, so that sugar levels will be very high in the morning.

Make sure that your horse always has adequate quantities of hay available, whether in the barn or at pasture. Hay will help keep the gut flora in balance until the horse’s system has fully adjusted to grass. Don’t turn out your horse on an empty stomach – feed him hay first to give him a good foundation.

Feeding your horse VitaFlora before the grazing season will support gut health and good feed absorption. It stimulates the digestion of fibre, prevents hyperacidity in the large intestine, and promotes recovery of the gut flora. Give sport horses 30 g per day, and leisure horses and ponies 20 g per day. Do you have a sensitive horse that’s prone to watery stool? Then it’s always good to have Emergency911 in your tack locker. This fast-acting paste supports the gut flora and the digestive system when needed.

It contains prebiotics which help to promote good bacteria in the gut.

– Caroline Loos, PhD, Feed Consultant for Cavalor

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FEEDING WITH TOP RIDER JOHNNY PALS ON BALANCING FORAGE AND CONCENTRATES

YOUR EYES

Show jumping rider Johnny Pals works as a trainer at Black Horses As a young rider, Pals was a member of the Dutch team that competed at the 2002 European Championships in Copenhagen. He has been a permanent member of the Dutch team since 2010. He and his top horse and KWPN licensed stallion Fernando (a For Pleasure descendant) have enjoyed high results in international rankings.

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DURING A ROUTINE VETERINARY VISIT, SHOW JUMPING RIDER JOHNNY PALS DISCOVERED THAT HIS HORSES SUFFERED FROM STOMACH ULCERS. THIS PROMPTED HIM TO CHANGE THE WAY HE FED HIS HORSES: MORE AD LIBITUM FORAGE, AND MINIMUM CONCENTRATE FEEDS. THE ULCERS DISAPPEARED, BUT JOHNNY NOTICED A DROP IN PERFORMANCE IN HIS HORSES. WE ASKED JOHNNY HOW HE FOUND THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN ROUGHAGE AND CONCENTRATES.

“I start every day with a tour of the stable. I know my horses well, so I’ll see right away if there’s something wrong. It might be tiny signs: anything out of the ordinary can be a sign that a horse doesn’t feel well. The faster that’s detected, the better. In addition to our daily monitoring, all the horses get regular veterinary check-ups. During the most recent check-up I learnt that 9 of the 11 horses were suffering from stomach ulcers – three of them seriously. That was a shock for me. I had suspected that one of the horses might have an ulcer, but I didn’t expect so many to have them. They didn’t show any outward signs. I knew that horses often get ulcers, but not that they don’t always let you know when they are suffering from them. So I definitely recommend gastroscopy, because then you’ll know for sure,” says Johnny.

Adjustments to feeding “The ulcer diagnoses led us to change the way we fed our horse. We put them on feed rations consisting mostly of high-quality forage and much less concentrate feed. To the forage we added a vitamin and mineral supplement. The horses could have all the forage they wanted so their stomachs were never empty. We did that for about three months, and the ulcers went away. However, that kind of feed ration – with so little concentrate feed – wasn’t enough for our horse’s needs. They lost muscle mass, and all of them lost topline. Their energy started to flag at multi-day events, especially on the

second and third day”, says Johnny.

Forage alone is not enough for horses in elite sport “I think that, for horses that don’t have to deliver top results, a feed ration that consists only of quality forage can be just fine. But for horses that are ridden at a high level, which is the case with mine, that’s not enough. We did an analysis and made further adjustments to the feed. My horses now get concentrates again in combination with a hay net that’s constantly replenished.

We divide up the concentrates over three portions a day. The horses are doing much better now. They all look good again and are performing well too.”

Feeding with your eyes Johnny has more to say: “The foundation of a horse’s feed ration is forage. Forage first, then concentrate feed. Quality is important, which is why we have our forage analysed.

We can better adjust the horses’ feed to their needs if we know what nutrients are present in their forage. But that alone is not enough. For good feeding, you need to use your brain but, more importantly, your eyes. On paper, a horse might be getting everything it needs, but ultimately you have to take a good look at him.”

teamwork. My colleagues know all the horses quite well, and we exchange lots of information about them. What we do is mainly decided by gut feelings and experience. It’s a bit of an experiment with each horse, adjusting the ratio of roughage and concentrates until we get the balance just right. And our horses are turned out all year.

Grass is an important source of roughage, but it’s also an important element of a horse’s well-being, for a horse to feel like a horse.”

Do you have any tips for people who may not have as much experience?

“Yes, certainly. Always start with a foundation of high-quality forage. Supplement that with concentrates or a balancer corresponding to the horse’s needs. On top of that you can add a complementary feed, but only if the horse really needs it. Sometimes it’s hard to determine the right ratio and exactly what your horse needs. One thing you should never do is give your horse supplements without knowing what the horse really needs. This can do more harm than good. It can, therefore, be wise to seek advice from a feed consultant and do blood tests. Your team should include a good feed specialist.”

The ideal balance “For me, good feeding means finding the right balance, the right ratio of forage to concentrates. I don’t believe that there can be a fixed system for that. And it involves

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JOHNNY PALS ON FEEDS Forage is important, but horses that compete need more. Johnny feeds his horses Cavalor FiberForce because it contains extra fibre.

“To that we add Cavalor Endurix as a base concentrate. I ride a lot of international and multi-day competitions where my horses work hard. They then get Cavalor SuperForce, an ideal concentrate muesli for bursts of energy.

Cavalor Gastro Aid goes one step further than FiberForce Gastro in the healing and prevention of stomach ulcers. Cavalor Gastro Aid is available as a paste, liquid, or powder and creates a healthy environment in the stomach. It works to neutralise gastric acid and protect the stomach wall. Cavalor Gastro Aid can be injected directly into the horse’s mouth.

CRUNCHIES Responsible treats are something we all want. Cavalor Crunchies are delicious snacks made from carrots, grains, and herbs with added vitamins A, D, and E.

THE TRUTH ABOUT FORAGE ANALYSES

Cavalor Oilmega keeps horses healthy inside and out. It contains Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids along with natural antibiotics for good gut health and extra support for the immune system. They give your horse a shiny coat, healthy gut flora and a strengthened immune system.

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Forage analyses can be beneficial but must have relevance. If you use a different forage (i.e., from different sources) each month, the analysis of one won’t make much sense. Do you use forage from the same batch over a long period of time? Then an analysis makes sense. Plant species, soil quality, fertiliser, amount of sunlight, time of harvest, and storage conditions are just some of the factors that affect nutritional values.

Forage makes up a large part of a horse’s feed ration, which is why it is important to know what’s in it. Protein, fibre, mineral, and sugar content can all vary greatly. A feed analysis can tell you how many nutrients the horse is getting from its feed. You can then supplement the ration with concentrates, balancers, or complementary feeds to meet his needs and be assured that he’s not getting an oversupply of certain nutrients.

ABOUT FORAGE AND FIBRE - In the wild, horses graze up to 16 hours a day, chewing grasses and herbs rich in fibre and nutrients - The foundation of any feed ration is forage, usually in the form of hay or haylage, but beet pulp, lucerne, wheat bran, spelt bran, and soya bean hulls are also good fibre sources for a horse’s feed ration. Straw in the stable can also provide a horse with fibre.

- The longer the fibres (> 2 cm), the longer the horse must chew, and the more saliva will be produced. This helps to neutralise gastric acid.

- Long fibres also stimulate gut motility, promoting healthy digestion and reducing the risk of colic.

- Forage consists of moisture and dry matter. Dry matter is the total amount of feed minus its total moisture content. The dry matter content determines the amount of nutrients per kilo of forage and how many kilos a horse may eat per day.

- For example, a horse can eat more grass than hay, because grass has a much lower dry matter content (and a much higher moisture content).

- Concentrate feeds, especially mueslis (like Cavalor FiberForce) are also high in fibre. Want to know exactly how much? Look at the packaging and note the percentage of crude cellulose.

Concentrate feed with fibre – an ideal supplement for feed rations. Cavalor Strucomix Original is a high-fibre concen­ trate feed that contains no oats. It is a good supplement to feed ration/roughage for horses ridden for leisure or on box rest. It contains herbs and probiotics for good bowel function and strong natural defences. It is also quite tasty and ideal for fussy eaters.

SUGAR ON THE MENU The largest part of a horse’s feed ration should consist of forage. This contains not just fibre, but also sugar (5-15% on average).

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as most horses are good at converting sugar into energy.

Wounds can happen. It’s annoying when a wound is slow to heal, forms a scar, or when the hair grows back in another colour. Cavalor Lurax Creme stimulates wound healing, reduces scar formation, and promotes faster coat growth in its natural colour. Also for sunburns – an absolute must-have for your tack room.

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Horses need fibre. Feed with high-fibre content is ideal for horses with sensitive gastrointestinal tracts. Cavalor FiberForce is rich in Fiber Plus crude fibres from highquality cellulose sources like lucerne stalks, spelt, and linseed fibres. Fibre is what makes a horse’s digestive motor run. This highfibre mix is low in sugar (5%) and starch (3%), helping to keep blood sugar and insulin levels low. Cavalor FiberForce can also be fed to horses that are prone to metabolic disease.

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