25
MOST COMMON
NUTRITION & WORMING QUESTIONS ANSWERED
As a qualified equine nutritionist and a regular on social media, Erika Gough from Inside Out Equine Health sees a lot of people asking the same questions when it comes to equine nutrition and worming. In response to this Erika compiled a list of answers to the 25 most asked nutrition and worming-based questions. “Obviously,” said Erika, “these points are simplified for brevity’s sake, but if you adhere to these then you’re very much on the right track!”
1
If there isn’t adequate pasture, your horse needs hay. 1.5%-2.5% of its body weight per day. It’s all well and good getting what’s in the bucket right, but roughage is the key to a healthy gastrointestinal system and without a healthy gut you just can’t have a healthy horse! A lack of roughage can lead to colic, ulcers, a lack of condition and a whole range of other issues.
2
Lucerne isn’t likely to be high in sugar. Rye/clover, oaten and wheaten hay probably is. Teff, Rhodes and native hays are likely to be lower in sugar than ryegrass-based hays (often called pasture/ meadow) and cereal hays, but unless it’s tested you can’t know for sure. I’ve seen high sugar Teff and low sugar oaten so testing is the only way to know.
3
Your horse is very unlikely to be getting all it needs from grass/hay (no matter how good it looks). It very likely needs at least copper, zinc and selenium and also probably iodine, sodium and chloride. Find a supplement that contains AT least the first three/four and salt will replace sodium and chloride. April/May 2020- Page 55