Feeding Low-Bulk for Troublesome Tummies
While a low-density feeding program can be a game changer for some horses and distressed owners, it’s not for everyone. Learn the ins and outs here and then work with your vet to understand if it’s right for your horse.
While a low-density feeding program can be a game changer for some horses and distressed owners, it’s not for everyone. Learn the ins and outs here and then work with your vet to understand if it’s right for your horse.
When your horse can’t chew, chokes, or continues to colic, you worry. It feels like a lose-lose scenario. You can’t feed them, or you’ll have a problem but if you don’t feed them, they can’t thrive, and they certainly can’t perform if they’re a riding horse. Enter, the low-bulk diet.
IBD can show up as low-grade recurring or chronic colic, sudden weight loss from lost nutrients or variable appetite due to an uncomfortable gut, chronic diarrhea, or changes in blood work (e.g., low protein or Vitamin E). Notify your vet if you detect these changes in your horse.
Implementing and managing your horse’s lowbulk diet can be a challenge. Consider these factors to make it easier.
Switch mindfully: Choose the pelleted option most like what your horse already eats. If they eat timothy now, switch to timothy pellets. If they eat alfalfa, use alfalfa pellets. You can also use age-appropriate complete feeds such as senior.
Make it enjoyable: You might find over time that your horse isn’t interested in the pellets; they want to forage. The goal is to make the feed more palatable. You can do this by sweetening it, using molasses or other sweeteners. Confirm with your vet to ensure that you appropriately meet your horse’s health needs. Some horses may also prefer soaked or dry feed—it typically doesn’t matter from a horsekeeping standpoint.
Feed often: The low-density approach requires small, frequent meals throughout the day to limit the transit time from the mouth to the gut. If this is difficult for you or the facility you board, consider an automatic feeder that can distribute pellets at regular intervals.
Alternate lifestyle: Transitioning a horse that lives in a field with full-time access to round bales will be more difficult than one that lives at home in a stall with a run or dry lot. If your horse is at pasture, you may need to look for an alternative environment.
Watch for challenges: Since low-density feeds intentionally have less bulk, your horse may be predisposed to gastric ulcers. The feed doesn’t cause ulcers, there’s just less buffer against gastric fluids with less forage.