Feed and Supplement Correctly
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Correct and careful dietary management is essential for good physical performance, which is why there are numerous points to take into consideration when feeding an athlete horse.
Feed and Supplement Correctly
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Obese horse – How should I feed it?
Impact on horse health and performance
Excess weight and obesity are identified in both leisure and competition horses, across different equestrian disciplines.
Culturally, a “round” horse is still valued, however, obesity is not at all desirable and has a significant impact on the horse’s health and sporting performance.
Excess weight is responsible for increased pressure on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, as well as overloading the joint and ligament structures, predisposing the horse to the appearance of injuries and the worsening of pre-existing injuries. Obese horses are also more predisposed to the development of Equine Metabolic Syndrome or Laminitis.
Obesity is also detrimental to thermoregulation, predisposing the horse to overheating and dehydration during sports, which is not only detrimental to its health but also contributes to loss of performance. It is quite common for obese animals to have a lower tolerance to physical exercise.
How to identify and control excess weight
The first point to consider should be weighing and assessing the horse's body condition. In obese horses, weight loss should be an objective. To this end, we must act on the diet and physical exercise, restricting the caloric supply from the diet and increasing caloric expenditure through increased physical exercise.
In general, horses in good physical condition ingest about 2% of their live weight in feed, considering forage and complementary feed. When it is necessary to control the horse's weight, we should consider an intake of 1.5% of the horse's live weight. This process of feed reduction should, like weight loss, be gradual.
In the first phase, the amount of cereal-based concentrate feed (“ration”) is reduced, and may even be removed altogether. Nutrient requirements, particularly lysine (the limiting amino acid in horses), vitamins and minerals must be met. The choice of feed should be one that provides these nutrients with a low caloric value (“balancers”). Alternatively, the forage component can be supplemented with a mineral and vitamin-based supplement.
BALANCE
MULTIVIT
Since there will be a global decrease in the amount of food provided, a decrease in the time required for ingestion and chewing is expected. In order to minimize this decrease and associated risks (namely gastric ulceration), we must use strategies to maximize ingestion time, such as providing the forage in fine-mesh nets. The forage should also be weighed and administered as stipulated.
to retain:
- Regularly assess the horse's body condition.
- Always weigh the feed you feed the horse (hay and concentrate feed).
- Adapt the food provided to the physical activity that the horse performs.
- Consider complementing the fibrous food with a concentrated food with low caloric density and a source of proteins, vitamins and minerals (BALANCE).
- Try to prolong the horse's ingestion and chewing time as much as possible.
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Sport Pony – How should I feed it?
From a sporting point of view, a pony is defined by the FEI as “a small horse which, measured on a level surface, does not exceed 148 cm in height without shoes or 149 cm when properly shod”. This sporting definition is broad, including horses of small stature as well as ponies of a specific breed (e.g. the Shetland).
Ignoring the characteristic phenotypic differences of ponies, what differentiates them from horses from a nutritional point of view?
Although a pony's digestive system is identical to that of any other equine, there are some peculiarities to consider. During the evolutionary process, ponies have adapted to make their survival viable in adverse conditions, namely with a shortage of food resources and lower quality food. For this reason, ponies generally maintain an adequate body condition without large food resources, and are commonly referred to as easy keepers. Therefore, one of the main difficulties in managing the diet of ponies is providing them with the nutrients they need without this leading to an excessive caloric intake, with consequent weight gain.
It should also be noted that ponies, when compared to other horses, have a higher risk of developing problems such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and laminitis. Obesity, in turn, causes joint overload and loss of performance. Therefore, establishing adequate feeding management in ponies is particularly important, as is monitoring it efficiently through assessment of body condition.
General rules for feeding ponies
Like horses, a pony should consume 1 to 2% of its live weight in forage and/or feed daily. For example, a pony weighing around 200 kg should consume around 4 kg of dry matter, in hay and concentrated feed. Given their pronounced appetite and the calorie restriction that is necessary to avoid obesity, weighing the feed and controlling the portions administered is particularly important.
The forage ingested (hay/grass) may not be sufficient to guarantee an adequate mineral and vitamin intake, particularly in sport ponies, so it may be necessary to include a complementary compound feed (“ration”) in the feeding management of this pony.
These foods provide the necessary minerals and vitamins, but they also provide calories. If this intake is sustainable, considering the pony's physical activity, a regular concentrate feed can be used in an appropriate quantity. In ponies that have a tendency to gain excessive weight, other complementary options are recommended.
Other possible options
We can use a balancing food, which will meet the needs of lysine (limiting essential amino acid), vitamins and minerals, with a low caloric intake, reducing the risk of obesity. In general, these foods are extremely concentrated, which is why they are given in small portions, with a low supply of non-structural carbohydrates, which makes them safe to use even in ponies diagnosed with metabolic syndrome or laminitis.
BALANCE
Another possibility is to add a vitamin and mineral supplement (“supplement”) to complement the forage diet.
MULTIVIT
A good suggestion is to use a fine mesh net to feed the hay. This way, we can prolong the time it takes for the pony to eat and chew, allowing it to display a more natural eating behavior, thus promoting a greater feeling of satiety and gastric well-being.
to retain:
- Ponies are prone to obesity, so portion and calorie control is particularly important.
- In ponies that tend to be overweight and are subjected to intense physical effort, we must supplement the hay with a balancer or a mineral and vitamin “supplement”.
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Feed and Supplement Correctly
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Immune system – How to eat to strengthen it?
A proper diet is key to keeping any horse healthy, with forage being the most important part of the diet. The remaining part should ensure that the energy, protein, vitamin and mineral needs of each horse are met at each stage. A horse with a healthy immune system can more easily and effectively fight off disease, infection or injury.
Horses in moderate to heavy work
Horses in moderate to intense work, or even in competition, in addition to having higher vitamin and mineral needs, may also be under the effect of stress increased due to the intensity of work, exposure to different environments and travel – The stress can have a significant and negative impact on the ability to fight disease.
There are numerous concentrated feeds specifically formulated for these horses, and they generally have in common a higher level of nutrients essential to the immune system. In more critical/specific cases, these feeds together with forage may not be sufficient, and it is sometimes advisable to supplement the horse's diet.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E and selenium are excellent antioxidants, which means they help prevent muscle damage caused by free radicals after intense exercise. In addition to being a powerful antioxidant, selenium is also essential for maintaining the correct functioning of vitamin E. Recent studies have shown that including a vitamin E and selenium supplement in the diet prevents the risks associated with oxidative stress, promoting improved immunity in immunocompromised animals.
VIT E+
Vitamin A, C and other nutrients
Vitamin A (which plays an important role in improving the function of white blood cells), vitamin C (a powerful antioxidant), quality protein (tissue repair and production of enzymes and antibodies), among other nutrients, are particularly important for good “immune health”. Therefore, including a multivitamin supplement in your horse’s diet can bring numerous benefits in terms of combating and preventing diseases.
MULTIVIT
In short, the best way to keep a horse's immune system healthy is to ensure that its diet is as balanced and adequate as possible.
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Feed and Supplement Correctly
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Heat Stress – How to Minimize the Impact on the Horse
High temperatures, common in summer, can have a negative impact on the horse's well-being and performance. Knowing the risks that stress thermal causes and how these can be minimized thus becomes fundamental.
The horse generates heat during various metabolic processes, intestinal fermentation processes, and muscular activity. The dissipation of the heat generated and thermoregulation in the horse is done through vasodilation of the cutaneous vessels, sweating and the respiratory tract, through exhalation. High temperature conditions limit the dissipation of heat through vasodilation of the cutaneous vessels, while high relative humidity limits, in turn, the evaporation of sweat.
In circumstances where heat dissipation is not efficient, the increase in body temperature can become worrying and can even be fatal. Horses undergoing intense training or competition, dehydrated, with large electrolyte losses (through sweating) or unable to sweat (suffering from anhidrosis), are more susceptible to stress thermal.
What are the signs of stress thermal in the horse?
O stress Heatstroke may present as intense sweating or less sweating than expected, increased respiratory and heart rate, significant increase in rectal temperature, dry skin and signs of dehydration, weakness, depression, convulsions and/or death.
How to prevent the stress thermal?
We can minimize the horse's exposure to high temperatures by adequately ventilating the stables or, if the horses are kept in extensive conditions, by providing shade or returning them to the stable during the day and going to the pasture at night.
Work during periods of higher temperatures should be avoided. After physical exercise, the horse should be allowed to cool down.
Can nutrition be an ally?
Nutrition can and should be an ally. The horse should always have access to clean, fresh water.
The use of a food with good digestibility, which contains heat-treated cereals (through flocculation or extrusion), allows pre-cecal digestion of starch (digested in the small intestine), which results in less heat production, reserving the fermentation processes of the large intestine for the fibrous component of the food.
INTACOL FOODS
In turn, the inclusion of salt (sodium chloride) in the daily diet, or the provision of rock salt, allows the horse to meet its chloride and sodium needs and stimulates water intake, contributing to its hydration.
The use of a complementary food compounded with electrolytes that allows the replacement of salts lost in sweat (chloride, sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium) is particularly important in horses subject to intense activity and accentuated sweating. The replacement of electrolytes is essential for the hydroelectrolytic balance and for the most diverse physiological functions, among them muscle contraction, contributing to greater resistance to stress thermal and for better performances.
REHIDRAMAX
Providing zinc, prioritizing an organic source (a chelate) that guarantees its preferential absorption, has also proven beneficial. During the cooling process, vasodilation of the cutaneous vessels causes a decrease in intestinal irrigation. This decrease can compromise the integrity of the intestinal barrier, resulting in an increase in its permeability with the inherent risks (endotoxemia and associated problems, such as laminitis).
The supply of zinc is positive, due to the protective effect it promotes on the epithelium, contributing to maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier.
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Antioxidants – The main molecules used in horse nutrition
We have already discussed reactive oxygen species and their harmful potential in previous articles. These molecules can cause damage to DNA, proteins and lipids, and can affect a wide range of cells and tissues in horses.
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Antioxidant substances play a protective role, preventing oxidation and reducing the risks associated with it.
Among the main antioxidants, the following stand out:
VITAMIN E
Vitamin E is possibly the best known and most studied antioxidant in horses. Vitamin E refers to several molecules (tocopherols and tocotrienols), with the most potent and bioavailable being α-tocopherol.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble molecule that can be incorporated into the lipid membrane of cells, protecting them from damage associated with oxidation. Since it is not produced by horses, it must be supplied through the diet.
The requirements for this vitamin are 1 to 2 International Units (IU) per kilogram (kg) of live weight (bw) (NRC, 2007), which corresponds to 500 to 1000 IU in a horse weighing 500 kg bw. Some researchers believe that the requirements for vitamin E may be higher, particularly in horses subjected to intense physical activity and with diets with high fat content. In case of doubt, the serum vitamin E level should be assessed and a supplementation protocol established in accordance with it.
Since vitamin E is naturally present in grass, constant access to good quality pasture should alone ensure that these needs are met.
In stabled horses, it is necessary to meet their vitamin E requirements in the form of compound feed, because the processing of the plant and storage result in significant losses of this vitamin, with its content being considered negligible.
Although excess amounts of this vitamin are well tolerated, they should be avoided as they may be detrimental to the absorption of other substances (such as beta-carotene).
VIT E+
VITAMIN C OR ASCORBIC ACID
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, helps prevent oxidative damage by capturing free radicals. This molecule works in conjunction with vitamin E. However, since horses have the capacity for endogenous synthesis (i.e., they are capable of producing this molecule), there are no defined requirements for including this vitamin in the diet (NRC, 2007).
Additionally, there is no consensus regarding the hypothesis that oral supplementation results in an increase in serum levels of this vitamin (some authors consider that its absorption after oral administration is poor, others question whether it causes a decrease in its endogenous synthesis).
Supplementation may make sense in senior or immunocompromised horses.
BETA-CAROTENE
Beta-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that prevents oxidative damage at the membrane level. Like vitamin E, it is a vitamin abundant in pasture that is affected by the processing and storage of the plant, which is why it is normally added to compound feeds.
SELENIUM
Selenium acts synergistically with vitamin E, which is why most vitamin E supplements include it. This mineral is also essential for the antioxidant activity of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase. Insufficient amounts of selenium affect the antioxidant activity of this enzyme. Excesses should, however, be avoided, as this substance poses a significant risk of toxicity.
VIT E+
OTHER SUBSTANCES
In addition to vitamins and minerals with antioxidant properties, there are enzymes that perform this same function. These enzymes also depend on the presence of certain nutrients, such as iron (in the case of catalase), or copper, zinc and manganese (in the case of superoxide dismutase). The supply of these minerals through a correctly balanced diet thus contributes to adequate antioxidant activity.
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Antioxidants – Their Role in Horse Nutrition
Commercial claims such as “high antioxidant power” are common in compound feeds and “supplements” that we administer to horses. Thus, it is natural for the owner, rider or person responsible for feeding the horse to question what antioxidant “power” is and how important it is in equine nutrition.
To understand the importance of antioxidant molecules, it is necessary to understand what oxidizing substances are and how they behave.
What are oxidizing substances?
These are substances naturally produced in a wide range of metabolic functions, known as reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals. Examples of ROS are the hydroxyl radical (OH-), the superoxide anion (O2-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).
Although they are a natural consequence of several molecular processes, these substances also have harmful potential, as they can cause damage to DNA, protein and lipid fractions, affecting the most diverse cells and tissues of the horse.
By increasing the metabolic rate, an increase in these substances in circulation is expected. When the quantity of these molecules in circulation exceeds the regulatory capacity, there is a disturbance in the oxidant/antioxidant balance, which gives rise to so-called oxidative stress.
Thus, more demanding situations such as stress, exercise, transport, growth, pregnancy, lactation and illness are associated with a greater risk of oxidative stress.
What is the role of antioxidant molecules?
Antioxidant molecules act:
• Inactivating ROS;
• Inhibiting its production;
• Repairing the damage caused by them, in different tissues and cells.
In short, antioxidant substances play a protective role, preventing oxidation and reducing the risks associated with it.
VIT E+
Nutrition plays an important role, as it is through this route that we provide antioxidant substances and, at the same time, nutrients necessary for enzymes with antioxidant properties.
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Electrolytes – Which formulations should you choose and how should you supplement?
Horses with electrolyte imbalances show early signs of fatigue, which translates into reduced exercise resistance and loss of performance.
The loss of electrolytes can even compromise recovery from a state of dehydration, since when there is a loss of electrolytes along with the loss of water, the perception of the need to drink water (what we commonly call “thirst”) may be compromised.
What to look for when supplementing with electrolytes?
When looking for a complementary compound food (commonly known as a “supplement”) of electrolytes on the market, you should prioritize formulations whose main ingredient is sodium chloride. Other ingredients that are sources of potassium, calcium and magnesium should also be part of the composition. Added sugar makes the product palatable, but should not take precedence in the formulation.
What precautions should be taken when administering electrolytes?
The use of electrolyte formulations should be done based on individual recommendations, however there are general good practices to follow.
Permanent access to water
Electrolyte depletion is generally accompanied by water loss (dehydration), so electrolyte replacement should be accompanied by water intake. In fact, one of the benefits of this electrolyte intake is that it stimulates water intake.
Administer specific supplementation
If an electrolyte supplement is administered in water, an extra bucket of water without electrolytes should be provided so that the horse can drink water if it does not tolerate the taste of electrolytes. If the supplement is administered in food, it should be mixed well to ensure that it has been ingested.
REHIDRAMAX
When intense sweating is expected (for example before a competitive event), a specific formulation should be administered 2 hours before the event and approximately 1 hour after the effort, ensuring free access to water in both situations.
HORSEBOOSTER
Avoid excess electrolyte supplementation
Excess sodium chloride should be avoided, as it can interfere with blood pressure or stimulate the production of molecules that signal the renal excretion of sodium (accentuating the imbalance).
Additionally, excessive use of electrolytes may be harmful to the oral or gastric mucosa. It is recommended to rinse the horse's mouth, particularly when administration is done orally using a syringe; and to administer the supplement when the horse has food in its stomach.
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Electrolytes – How important are they and when should I supplement?
One of the main consequences of physical exercise for horses is the loss of fluids and electrolytes. These losses during exercise can limit the horse's performance and, in extreme cases, compromise its health.
How important are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are mineral compounds that play an important role in the body's homeostasis. In horses (like other mammals), fluids and electrolytes are distributed in the intracellular and extracellular compartments, whose volume and composition are essential for the various metabolic processes that are fundamental to life to take place.
Electrolytes, as they are ionized molecules, are responsible for osmoregulation. They are also fundamental in acid-base balance, in the transmission of nerve impulses and in muscle contraction.
Are electrolyte losses due to sweating significant?
Yes, there is a potential for significant electrolyte and fluid losses during physical activity, particularly when it is intense, prolonged and/or performed in challenging atmospheric conditions (high temperatures and relative humidity).
Sweating is the main means of active heat dissipation in horses. Thus, the heat generated by muscular activity stimulates the thermoregulation mechanisms, increasing sweating, which results in significant losses of chlorine, sodium and potassium and smaller losses of calcium and magnesium (among other minerals that can be identified in sweat and undergo minimal losses).
So when should I add electrolytes to my horse's diet?
A horse that performs light physical activity and has an adequate diet, which includes good quality forage in the necessary quantity, as well as a balanced concentrated feed, already receives some electrolytes through its diet. The horse's needs for potassium, calcium and magnesium should already be met. However, the sodium and chlorine provided by the diet may not be sufficient to meet the horse's needs for these minerals.
In general, concentrated feeds contain minimal amounts of sodium chloride (in order to help preserve these feeds). For this reason, a salt rock should be made available for free access, allowing the horse to ensure the necessary supply of sodium chloride.
It should also be noted that the food present in the large intestine acts as an important reservoir of electrolytes for a healthy horse. However, whenever there are significant losses due to sweating, this reservoir may not be sufficient to replace the losses.
Therefore, supplementation with electrolyte formulations is necessary in horses subjected to more significant physical activity and during long transports, particularly in adverse weather conditions.
REHIDRAMAX
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Fatigue – How can nutritional management help prevent it?
The appearance of signs of fatigue is something that we want to avoid during physical activity or competition. Fatigue has a multidimensional nature, depending on the activity performed (intensity, duration and type of activity), the physical preparation of the horse, the physiological state of the horse and the environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, altitude and pollution) to which it is subjected.
Fatigue is often associated with factors such as decreased muscle glycogen reserves, accumulation of metabolic by-products and muscle acidification, loss of electrolytes, hyperthermia, among others.
Nutrition plays an important role in exercise by providing the energy sources needed for energy production. In general, energy sources are fats and carbohydrates, used in the form of fatty acids and glucose.
Predominantly aerobic activities (long duration, low intensity) use energy mainly from fatty acids, while anaerobic activities (short duration, high intensity) use predominantly glucose. When performing their activities, horses use both forms of energy production, with one or the other predominating, depending on the type of effort to which they are subjected.
Care should be taken in food management to reduce fatigue in competition horses:
Ensure adequate hydration
We must ensure that the horse drinks water. Good hydration is essential for the body's homeostasis, as well as for adequate thermoregulation, which is essential in preventing fatigue.
Check that the water is not too cold in winter (be careful with automatic waterers, which may not be working properly) or too hot in summer. Provide a salt stone to encourage water intake and/or provide electrolytes.
REHIDRAMAX
We must know how to identify the signs that indicate a lack of hydration, for example by testing the fold of skin on the shoulder, assessing the moisture of the mucous membranes, checking for dry feces, among others.
Avoid large meals prior to exercise
Large meals (concentrated feed, hay or a combination of both) should be avoided in the 2 hours before intense physical activity, since a decrease in plasma volume occurs after food intake. This decrease in plasma volume is due to the mobilization of fluids to the gastrointestinal tract, which can compromise circulatory volume and thermoregulation during exercise, predisposing to fatigue.
It should be noted, however, that horses subjected to prolonged efforts, such as endurance, benefit from the prior intake of long fiber. These horses suffer high losses of water and electrolytes through sweating and the intestinal compartments act as reservoirs for replacing these.
HORSEBOOSTER
Prioritize fiber-rich diets
Diets rich in non-structural carbohydrates (starch and sugars), consumed up to 3 hours before exercise, promote rapid consumption of carbohydrates and reduce fat oxidation, which can result in premature fatigue in horses subjected to prolonged efforts (Endurance and Cross-country events in Eventing). Foods low in starch and sugars are therefore preferable.
GASTRO PRO
NATURE MASH
The intake of diets with a high fiber content appears to be beneficial, both in horses subjected to short and intense efforts, and in horses subjected to prolonged efforts, and is also associated with a greater intake of water and, therefore, better hydration.
FIBERS
Increase the incorporation of fat in the diet
Diets rich in fat allow a greater concentration of fatty acids in circulation, favoring this energy pathway. In this way, muscle glycogen reserves are favored, which appears to play a role in preventing fatigue.
It should be noted, however, that horses must be adapted to diets with a high fat content. Studies show that the minimum period for these adaptive changes to begin is 3 to 5 weeks (with 10 to 12 weeks being the period required for adaptation to be complete).
Ensure adequate electrolyte replacement
Horses subjected to competitive effort invariably suffer water and electrolyte losses through sweat. Electrolytes are essential for maintaining acid-base balance, osmoregulation, nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction. Significant electrolyte losses negatively affect the horse's performance, contributing to premature fatigue.
REHIDRAMAX