Q&A WITH PURINA
Q: What are the biggest considerations for a spring diet?
Feeding decisions should be based on the condition of the horse coming out of winter and your springtime goals. here are a few examples:
■ if you have an older horse that had a tough winter, it may be time to consider a senior feed and/or a weight gain program.
■ Performance horses that are working harder than they did during winter break may need increased nutrition.
Q: What are the biggest pitfalls owners should avoid?
A common springtime mistake is to stop feeding hay too soon. you might look out at a green pasture and think that there’s plenty of lush, nutritious grass available. however, early-season grass can be very high in water and low in fiber content. At this stage of maturity, pasture may not meet a horse’s minimum requirement for dry matter intake. it may be necessary to provide 10 to 15 pounds of hay per day until the pasture matures to avoid inadvertent spring weight loss or overgrazing of pastures.
Q: What is a ration balancer and what are the benefits of feeding one?
A ration balancer is a concentrated feed that packs all of a horse’s daily protein, vitamin and mineral requirements into a small volume, usually 1 to 2 pounds per day. they are meant to balance the nutrition of forages or unfortified grains, and provide the same nutrition as 3 to 4 pounds of a commercial grain mix without the added calories.
A ration balancer is a great option for easy keepers or metabolic horses, horses with access to excellent forage, or any horse that maintains weight on a low volume of feed.
Q: What questions should horse owners ask of a nutritionist or veterinarian when developing their horse’s spring diet?
Spring is the right time to consult with your vet or nutritionist on many types of horses. All horses should have their body condition evaluated and be put on an appropriate weight gain or loss program. here are a few examples:
■ A horse emerging from winter in poor condition may need his teeth evaluated, and it may be time for senior feed or another forage replacement if he no longer chews or digests hay well.
■ A younger, thin horse may be feeling the effects of poor hay quality over winter, and could benefit from a calorie-dense feed and better-quality forage.
■ horses that are overweight should be put on a diet (perhaps using a ration balancer), have grass turnout managed carefully and potentially be tested for insulin resistance.
make changes slowly and be patient. Don’t implement crash diets for overweight horses, and remember that weight gain takes time. A good weight gain program will put on about 1 pound per day.
Anna C. Pesta, M.S., Ph.D., is a member of the Equine Technical Solutions team at Purina Animal Nutrition. She spends her time consulting with horse owners and veterinarians on the East Coast, bringing nutrition innovations from research and development to the field. She rides her own horses in Aiken, S.C.