While you might think from observing the disposition of your horses that the hay you’re giving them is enough for their needs—this isn’t the case, particularly for horses that perform in equestrian sport or do some heavy activities. The final analysis is that hay, though allegedly a nice treat, does not have enough nutrition and essential energy giving calories and carbohydrates for horses undergoing heavy equestrian training for sport or work. Your studs and mares simply chew on them like it’s their favorite treat because they are used to chewing on lone stem feed and in reality need to do so to mostly entertain themselves across the hours of the day they have to keep on walking and chewing.
And they need to keep on walking and chewing virtually 24 hours a day. Sure, hay can provide the mandatory nutrient elements and energy for simple exercises as horse riding and daily horsing around, but beyond that, the required nutrient has to come from somewhere else. If you measure the nutrient price of hay, you would be troubled they’re so inadequate for your horse’s coaching wants.
Consider this: most horses kept strictly on hay and hay and alfalfa feeds and schooled to perform equestrian sport need to be given performance boosters early and have to quit early. The average age for performance steeds who are fed often hay is 6 years—some horses trained in established Eastern strategies only start being trained when they’re 6 years of age. These hay-only studs and mares need performance shots as early as three years to stay alongside of demanding equestrian sport or physically accurate activities. Why?
Let us consider the body, which is very like a horse’s. In fact , factors that can have an effect on human health (even human hair growth) also have an effect on horse health (mane and tail growth for steeds). In humans, more than 60% of diseases are related to their diet. Applying this to our equine friends, then their diseases, or in our case their performance and early retirement, can be attributed to their food intake—specifically the lack of correct nutrition.
But don’t take this to mean you should desert hay and settle for better feed. Hay is a quintessential component of feed—both in stalls or in pasture. They have to be consistently around for the horses to chew on. What you can do, is to cook up your own recipe of nutritive whole food additions and either administer or mix that recipe into your horses ‘ other feed. A 1,000 pound mare wishes only a couple of ounces of nourishment packed supplements in association with the general hay to be well placed to perform well in even demanding equestrian sport.
Don’t be misled to believing that your horses can perform dressage level equestrian sport feeding on hay alone. Such exacting sport as dressage and similar Olympic events need them to be trained totally, and comprehensive coaching should invariably be complemented by providing acceptable holistic nourishment. If you didn’t just invest in a steed for easy pony riding and her novel value then know that hay is best fed for her entertainment, not her nutrition.
Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she
enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about horse rugs.
Trusting Horse Instincts on Feed and Supplements
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