Nutrition: Adding weight the healthy way

NUTRITION

Adding weight the healthy way

At first glance, the answer to improving your horse’s condition seems obvious. HOLLY MILLS explains why it’s sometimes not that simple.

You would think the answer to helping a poor horse gain condition would be simple: feed them more energy than they use. But step a little closer and you are likely to spot more questions than answers! After all, one underweight horse can be very different to the next. Variables such as age, workload, health status and living conditions are all possible contributors to why the horse became underweight in the first place – but they can also point to the best way forward for safe weight gain.

Get the basics right

When it comes to feeding horses, nearly every approach must first touch on roughage. Weight gain is no exception. Before exploring the array of available concentrates, complete feeds and weight gain supplements, give some thought to how much roughage your horse is getting. Whether they’re under or over-conditioned, a horse needs a daily minimum of 1.5 per cent of its bodyweight in roughage (pasture, hay, chaff, or super fibres such as beet pulp or lupin hulls). The fibre in roughage is generally a good energy source. However, keep an eye out for behavioural changes as your horse may react to the high sugar content of some hays and pastures!

In terms of weight gain, you will want to ensure that the roughage component is both good quality and in ample supply. Where possible, the horse should have free access to roughage, meaning it can chew all day if so inclined. A round bale or multiple hay nets can be a means of meeting this goal. If the poorly conditioned horse is in a herd environment, then it may be necessary to separate them from the herd for at least a portion of the day, to ensure they are able to access and consume the additional feed you are providing.

Ingredients to look for

FACING PAGE: If your horse is wasting energy through stress behaviours, a buddy can often soothe them. ABOVE: For horses that battle seasonal weight loss, an early increase to their feed is key.

Rule out underlying conditions

Sometimes an adjustment to the horse’s diet is not the answer. A decline in weight can be caused by something else entirely. If you have only recently acquired your underweight horse, then it’s well worth ensuring that they’re not carrying a parasite burden (worms) or suffering from any one of several health conditions that can trigger weight loss. Your veterinarian is best positioned to help rule out metabolic disorders or disease.

Occasionally there are environmental factors and external stressors that affect the horse’s ability to hold weight. A little outside the square thinking can sometimes provide a solution. For example, stress plays a role in a horse’s condition and wellbeing, and for highly strung performance horses an equine buddy in their paddock and on journeys to new places can help comfort and soothe them. If your horse is wasting energy and dropping condition due to stress, look for ways to improve their environment.

calorie dense feeds are equal in terms of their digestibility. Unprocessed grains used to be the go-to for conditioning and weight gain. However, they can be problematic when it comes to where they are digested in the horse’s system, as well as from a sugar/starch standpoint. Processing methods such as micronisation or steam extrusion greatly improves the digestibility of grains. This means that your horse can get more of the goodness out, and that the grains are less likely to overflow into the hindgut where sugars and starches upset the microbiome. Bear in mind that starchy grains provide rapid energy and may trigger unwanted behaviour in some horses.

In general, and particularly for horses with grain sensitivities, the better option for weight gain is to add calories in the form of fats and oils. Often referred to as cool conditioning, oils are 100 per cent fat and can be found in the formulation of many weight gain feeds, as well as in a pure form that can be supplemented to the horse’s feed as a top-dressing. For help choosing an oil that’s right for your horse, talk to your equine nutritionist.

Slow and steady

As tempting as it is to chase fast results, there is no question that steady weight gain is better for your horse. Any change in diet requires gentle adjustment. This

A hay net helps meet the goal of free access to roughage.

allows the horse’s digestive system and microbiome to adapt. Sudden changes in diet are a shock to the system and are particularly dangerous for extremely underweight horses, whose initial tolerance may only extend to frequent small meals of lucerne hay.

Oil is a commonly used supplement for weight gain and whilst horses are capable of consuming considerable quantities of oil, this volume is achieved over time. Too much oil too soon will be evident at the other end of the horse in the form of loose manure. This is counterproductive to the goal of gaining weight and a clear sign of digestive distress.

Stick to the golden rule of increasing feeds and introducing new feeds gradually, slowly building up to the rate recommended by the product manufacturer or your equine nutritionist.

Good things in moderation

to unnecessarily complicate the new diet. Resist the temptation to include more and more add-ons in the feed, or duplicate on products that essentially do the same thing.

This is where the guidance of an equine nutritionist can be particularly valuable, both as an expert opinion and as a sounding board.

Fluctuations in weight

Whilst horses are naturally inclined to experience seasonal changes in condition, there is a limit to what is acceptable as normal fluctuation. It does them no good to gain and lose large amounts of weight, which places a strain on the horse as it swings from one extreme of the weight spectrum to another. On one side you have the health risks associated with obesity and on the other you have digestive issues and decreased energy related to a lack in feed. It is both possible and desirable to maintain a healthy body condition year-round. For the horse that battles seasonal weight loss on a recurring basis, preparation for an early increase to their feed is key.

Help is never far away

You will inevitably receive advice from well-intentioned sources along the lines of ‘this worked for my horse and you should do it too’. Whilst this can often be

helpful, it is always best to bear in mind that horses are individuals and that there

is no one size fits all solution. It can

be a stressful experience to pour your heart (and wallet) into improving your horse’s condition, but expert assistance is readily available from veterinarians and equine nutritionists. Reach out for help and you will undoubtedly find the process that much easier.

Visit Mitavite for more information on feeding for a happy, healthy horse.