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.

XPE ask ThE T

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. 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

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.