Feed and Supplement Correctly
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A correct and judicious food management is essential for good physical performance, so there are numerous points to take into account when feeding an athlete horse.
Feed and Supplement Correctly
sports performance
Obese horse? How should I feed?
The growing use of the horse from a sporting point of view has made it necessary to be more careful with its nutrition and to be more vigilant about its body condition. Currently, to the common problems of loss of body condition, there are problems related to excess weight.
Impact on horse health and performance
Overweight and obesity are identified both in leisure horses and in competition horses, in a transversal way, in the different equestrian modalities.
Culturally, a "round" horse is still valued, however, obesity is not at all desirable, having 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 overload on joint and ligament structures, predisposing the horse to the appearance of injuries and the worsening of preexisting injuries. Obese horses are even more predisposed to the development of Equine Metabolic Syndrome or Laminitis.
Obesity is also harmful for thermoregulation, predisposing the horse to overheating and dehydration during sports, which is not only harmful to its health, but also contributes to the 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 a goal. To this end, we must act at the level of 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 shape ingest about 2% of their live weight in feed, considering forage feed and complementary feed. When it is necessary to control the horse's weight, an intake of 1.5% of the horse's live weight should be considered. This food reduction process should, like weight loss, be gradual.
In a first phase, the concentrated cereal-based feed ("feed") is reduced, and this may even be removed completely. Nutrient requirements, particularly lysine (the limiting amino acid in the horse), vitamins and minerals must be met. The choice of food should be one that provides these nutrients with a low caloric value (?balancers?). Alternatively, the forage component can be complemented by a supplement based on minerals and vitamins.
BALANCE
MULTIVIT
Since there will be a global decrease in the amount of food provided, a decrease in ingestion and chewing time is expected. In order to minimize this decrease and associated risks (namely gastric ulceration), we must use strategies to maximize the time of ingestion, such as making forage food available in fine mesh nets. The fodder must 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?
From a sporting point of view, a pony is considered by the FEI to be "a small horse which, measured on a flat surface, does not exceed 148 cm in height without shoes or 149 cm properly shod". This sporting definition is broad, including horses of small stature, as well as ponies of certain breeds (eg Shetland).
Ignoring the phenotypic differences characteristic of ponies, what differentiates them from horses from a dietary point of view?
Although a pony's digestive system is identical to that of any other horse, there are some particularities to consider. During the evolutionary process, ponies adapted in order to make their survival viable in adverse conditions, namely with scarce food resources and lower quality food. For this reason, ponies maintain, in general, an adequate body condition without large food resources, being commonly known as easy keepers. In this way, one of the main difficulties in feeding ponies is to provide 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 have, when compared to other horses, a higher risk of developing problems such as obesity, Metabolic Syndrome and Laminitis. Obesity is, in turn, the cause of joint overload and loss of performance. Thus, establishing an adequate feeding management in ponies is of particular importance, as well as efficiently monitoring it through the assessment of body condition.
General rules for feeding ponies
Like a horse, a pony should consume 1 to 2% of its live weight in fodder and/or food daily, for example a pony weighing around 200 kg should consume around 4 kg of dry matter in hay and feed focused. Given the pronounced appetite they have and the caloric restriction that is necessary, in order to avoid obesity, weighing the food and controlling the portions administered is of particular importance.
The ingested forage (hay/grass) may not be sufficient to guarantee an adequate mineral and vitamin supply, particularly in sport ponies, so it may be necessary to include a complementary compound feed (?feed?) in the feeding management of that pony.
These foods provide necessary minerals and vitamins, however, they also provide calories. If this intake is sustainable, considering the pony's physical activity, an ordinary concentrated feed can be used in adequate quantity. In ponies that show a tendency to gain excessive weight, other complementary options are recommended.
Other possible options
We can use a balanced food, which will meet the needs for lysine (limiting essential amino acid), vitamins and minerals, with low caloric intake, reducing the risk of obesity. In general, these foods are extremely concentrated, which is why small portions are given, with a small amount of non-structural carbohydrates, which makes their use safe even in ponies diagnosed with metabolic syndrome or laminitis.
BALANCE
Another possibility is to add a vitamin and mineral complement ("supplement") to complement the forage diet.
MULTIVIT
A good suggestion is to use a fine mesh net to give the hay. In this way we manage to prolong the time of ingestion and chewing, allowing the pony to exhibit a feeding behavior closer to natural, thus promoting a greater sense of satiety and gastric well-being.
to retain:
- Ponies are prone to obesity, so portion and calorie control is particularly important.
- In ponies with a tendency to be overweight and subjected to intense physical exertion, we must supplement the hay with a balancer or a ?supplement? mineral and vitamin.
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Immune system ? How to feed to reinforce?
A proper diet is key to keeping any horse healthy, and forage should be the most important part of its diet. The remaining fraction must guarantee coverage of the energy, protein, vitamin and mineral needs of each horse at each stage. A horse with a healthy immune system can more easily and effectively fight off a 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 work intensity, exposure to different environments and travel ? O stress can have a negative and significant impact on disease-fighting ability.
There are numerous concentrates specifically formulated for these horses, and they usually have in common a higher level of nutrients essential to the immune system. In more critical/specific cases, these foods together with the forage may not be enough, 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 more intense work. In addition to being a powerful antioxidant, selenium is also essential for maintaining the correct functioning of vitamin E. Recent studies have shown that the inclusion of a supplement of vitamin E and selenium in the diet prevents the risks associated with oxidative stress, promoting an improvement of immunity in immunosuppressed animals.
VIT E+
Vitamin A, C and other nutrients
Vitamin A (important role in increasing the function of white blood cells), vitamin C (powerful antioxidant), quality protein (tissue repair and enzyme and antibody production), among other nutrients, are particularly important for good immune health. ?. Thus, the inclusion of a multivitamin supplement in the horse's diet can bring numerous advantages 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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Thermal stress ? How to minimize the impact on the horse
High temperatures, frequent in the summer, can have a negative impact on the well-being and performance of the horse. Knowing the risks that stress thermal damage entails and how they can be reduced thus becomes fundamental.
The horse generates heat in the course of the most varied metabolic processes, in intestinal fermentation processes, as well as in muscle activity. The dissipation of the heat generated and thermoregulation in the horse is done through the vasodilation of the cutaneous vessels, sweating and the respiratory tract, by exhalation. High temperature conditions limit heat dissipation by vasodilation of skin vessels, while high relative humidity limits, in turn, sweat evaporation.
In circumstances where heat dissipation is not efficient, the increase in body temperature can become worrying and can even be fatal. Horses in intense training or competition, dehydrated, with large losses of electrolytes (through sweating) or unable to sweat (suffering from anhidrosis), are more susceptible to stress thermal.
What are the signs of stress heat on the horse?
O stress Thermic may present as intense sweating or less than expected sweating, increased respiratory and heart rate, significant increase in rectal temperature, dry skin and signs of dehydration, weakness, depression, seizures 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 in an extensive regime, providing shade or retreating to the stable during the day and going to the pasture at night.
Working in periods of higher temperatures should be avoided. After physical exercise, the horse should be cooled down.
Can nutrition be an ally?
Nutrition can and should be an ally. The horse's permanent access to clean and fresh water must always be guaranteed.
The use of a food with good digestibility, which contains heat-treated cereals (through flocculation or extrusion), allows the pre-cecal digestion of starch (digested in the small intestine), which results in less heat production, reserving the fermentative processes of the large intestine for the fibrous component of food.
INTACOL FOODS
In turn, the inclusion of salt (sodium chloride) in the daily diet, or the availability of salt rock, allows the horse to meet its needs in chloride and sodium and stimulates the intake of water, contributing to its hydration.
The use of an electrolyte supplement feed 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 intense sweating. Electrolyte replacement is essential for hydroelectrolytic balance and for the most diverse physiological functions, including muscle contraction, contributing to greater resistance to exercise. stress thermal and for better performance.
REHIDRAMAX
Providing zinc, favoring an organic source (a chelate) that guarantees its preferential absorption, has also proved to be beneficial. In the cooling process, vasodilation of the cutaneous vessels causes a decrease in intestinal irrigation. This decrease can compromise the integrity of the intestinal barrier, with an increase in its permeability with the risks inherent to it (endotoxemia and associated problems, such as laminitis, for example).
The supply of zinc is positive, due to the protective effect of the epithelium that it promotes, contributing to the maintenance of the integrity of the intestinal barrier.
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sports performance
Antioxidants? The main molecules used in horse nutrition
We have already spoken in previous articles about oxygen reactive species and their harmful potential. These molecules can cause damage to DNA, proteins and lipids, and can affect the most different cells and tissues of the horse.
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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. By vitamin E we mean several molecules (tocopherols and tocotrienols), the most potent and the one with the highest bioavailability being ?-tocopherol.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble molecule capable of being incorporated into the lipid membrane of cells, protecting them from damage associated with oxidation. Not being produced by the horse, 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 500 kg horse. Some investigators consider that vitamin E requirements may be higher, particularly in horses submitted to intense physical activity and on diets with a high lipid content. In case of doubt, the serum level of vitamin E should be evaluated and a supplementation protocol established accordingly.
Since vitamin E is naturally present in grass, permanent access to good quality pasture should in itself ensure that these needs are met.
In stabled horses, however, it is necessary to meet vitamin E needs in the form of compound feed, because plant processing and storage cause significant losses in this vitamin, with its content considered negligible.
Although excesses of this vitamin are well tolerated, they should be avoided considering that they can be harmful to the absorption of other substances (such as beta-carotene).
VIT E+
VITAMIN C OR ASCORBIC ACID
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, contributes to the prevention of oxidative damage by capturing free radicals. This molecule works together with vitamin E, however, since the horse is capable of endogenous synthesis (that is, being able to produce this molecule), there are no defined requirements for the inclusion of this vitamin in the diet (NRC, 2007).
Additionally, there is no consensus regarding the hypothesis that oral supplementation translates into an increase in serum levels of this vitamin (some authors consider that its absorption after oral administration is poor, others question that 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 an abundant vitamin in the pasture that suffers from the processing and storage of the plant, which is why it is normally added to compound feeds.
SELENIUM
Selenium works synergistically with vitamin E, which is why most vitamin E supplements include it. This mineral is also essential to the antioxidant activity of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase. Insufficient amounts of selenium affect the antioxidant activity of this enzyme. Excess should, however, be avoided as this substance presents a significant risk of toxicity.
VIT E+
OTHER SUBSTANCES
In addition to vitamins and minerals with antioxidant properties, there are enzymes that perform the 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 properly balanced diet contributes to adequate antioxidant activity.
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Antioxidants? The role in horse nutrition
Commercial claims such as ?high antioxidant power? are common in compound foods 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 is the ?power? antioxidant and what is its importance in equine nutrition.
In order to understand the importance of antioxidant molecules, it is necessary to understand what oxidizing substances are and how they behave.
What are oxidizing substances?
They are substances naturally produced in the most diverse metabolic functions, called reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals. Examples of ROS are the hydroxyl radical (OH-), the superoxide anion (O2-) and the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).
Although they are a natural consequence of several molecular processes, these substances also have a harmful potential, being able to cause damage to DNA fractions, proteins and lipids, affecting the most different cells and tissues of the horse.
By increasing the metabolic rate, an increase in these substances in circulation is expected. When the amount of these molecules in circulation exceeds the regulatory capacity, there is a disturbance in the oxidant/antioxidant balance, which gives rise to the so-called oxidative stress.
Thus, situations of greater demand such as stress, exercise, transport, growth, pregnancy, lactation and disease, are associated with a greater risk of oxidative stress.
What is the role of antioxidant molecules?
Antioxidant molecules act:
? Inactivating the ROS;
? Inhibiting their 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 supply antioxidant substances and, at the same time, nutrients necessary for enzymes with antioxidant properties.
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electrolytes ? Which formulations to privilege and how to supplement?
Horses with electrolyte imbalances show early signs of fatigue, which translates into lower exercise resistance and loss of performance.
The loss of electrolytes can even compromise the 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 for water intake (what we commonly call ?thirst?), could be compromised.
What to look for when supplementing with electrolytes?
When looking for a complementary food compound (commonly called "supplement") of electrolytes on the market, one should favor formulations whose main ingredient is sodium chloride. Other ingredients that are a source of potassium, calcium and magnesium should also be part of the composition. Added sugar confers palatability to the product, but should not take precedence in the formulation.
Care to be taken when administering electrolytes?
The use of electrolyte formulations should be based on individual recommendations, however there are general good practices to respect.
Permanent access to water
Electrolyte depletion is usually accompanied by water loss (dehydration), so electrolyte replacement should be accompanied by water intake. Even one of the benefits of this electrolyte intake will be the stimulation of 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 cannot tolerate the taste of electrolytes. In case the administration is in the food, it must be mixed well to make sure that it was ingested.
REHIDRAMAX
When intense sweating is expected (for example before a competitive event) a specific formulation should be administered 2 hours before it, and about 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 renal sodium excretion (accentuating the imbalance).
Additionally, excessive use of electrolytes may be harmful to the oral or gastric mucosa. It is recommended to wash the horse's mouth, particularly when the administration is done orally using a syringe; and administering the supplement when the horse has food in its stomach.
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electrolytes ? How important is it and when should I supplement?
One of the main consequences of physical exercise for the horse 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 the horse (like other mammals) fluids and electrolytes are distributed in the intracellular and extracellular compartments, whose volume and composition maintenance is essential for the different metabolic processes fundamental to life to take place.
Electrolytes, being ionized molecules, are responsible for osmoregulation. They are also fundamental in acid-base balance, transmission of nerve impulses and muscle contraction.
Are electrolyte losses from sweating significant?
Yes, there is a potential for significant losses of electrolytes and fluids during physical activity, particularly when it is intense, prolonged and/or practiced in challenging atmospheric conditions (high temperatures and relative humidity).
Sweating constitutes, in the horse, the main means for the active dissipation of heat. Thus, the heat generated by muscle activity stimulates thermoregulation mechanisms, increasing sweating, which leads to significant losses of chlorine, sodium and potassium and smaller losses of calcium and magnesium (among other minerals that can be identified in sweat and suffer 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 concentrate feed, already receives some electrolytes through the diet. The horse's needs for potassium, calcium and magnesium must, from the outset, be met. The sodium and chlorine provided by the diet may not be enough to meet the horse's needs for these minerals.
In general, concentrated foods contain minimal amounts of sodium chloride (in order to favor the preservation of these foods). For the above reason, a free access salt stone should be made available, allowing the horse to guarantee the necessary supply of sodium chloride.
It should also be noted that the intake present in the large intestine functions as an important reservoir of electrolytes for the healthy horse. However, whenever there are severe sweating losses, this reservoir may not be sufficient to replace the losses.
Thus, supplementation with electrolyte formulations is necessary in horses undergoing more significant physical activity and during long transports, particularly if in adverse weather conditions.
REHIDRAMAX
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Fatigue? How can nutritional management help to prevent?
The appearance of signs of fatigue is something to be avoided during physical activity or competition. Fatigue has a multidimensional nature, depending on the activity performed (intensity, duration and type of activity), the physical preparation that the horse presents, the physiological state of the horse and the environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, altitude and pollution) to which it is subjected. is submitted.
Fatigue is often associated with factors such as decreased muscle glycogen stores, accumulation of metabolic by-products and muscle acidification, loss of electrolytes, hyperthermia, among others.
Nutrition plays an important role in exercise, providing energy sources necessary 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 coming mainly from fatty acids, in turn, anaerobic activities (short duration, high intensity), use predominantly glucose. In the performance of their activities, horses use both forms of energy production, giving predominance to one or the other, depending on the type of effort to which they are subjected.
Precautions to be taken in food management in order to reduce fatigue in competition horses:
Ensure adequate hydration
We must make sure that the horse drinks water. Good hydration is essential for the body's homeostasis, as well as for adequate thermoregulation, which is fundamental in preventing fatigue.
Check that the water is not too cold in winter (be careful with automatic drinkers that may not be working properly) or too hot in summer. Provide a rock salt to encourage water intake and/or choose to provide electrolytes.
REHIDRAMAX
We must know how to identify the signs that show a lack of hydration, for example, testing the skin fold on the shoulder, evaluating the humidity of the mucous membranes, checking dry stools, among others.
Avoid large pre-exercise meals
Large meals (concentrated food, hay or a combination of both) in the 2 hours before intense physical activity should be avoided, since after food intake there is a decrease in plasma volume. 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 previous intake of long fiber. These horses suffer high losses of water and electrolytes by sweating and the intestinal compartments act as reservoirs for their replacement.
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 decrease fat oxidation, which can result in premature fatigue in horses subjected to prolonged exertion (Endurance modality and Cross event of the CCE). Foods low in starch and sugars are therefore preferable.
PRO SPEND
NATURE MASH
The intake of high-fiber diets seems to be beneficial, both in horses submitted to short and intense efforts, and in horses submitted to prolonged efforts, being also associated with a higher water intake and, therefore, with 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 reserve is favored, which seems to play a role in preventing fatigue.
It should be noted, however, that horses must be adapted to high-fat diets. Studies show that the minimum period for these adaptive changes to begin is 3 to 5 weeks (10 to 12 being the period necessary for the adaptation to be complete).
Ensure adequate electrolyte replacement
Horses subjected to competitive exertion invariably suffer water and electrolyte losses through sweat. Electrolytes are essential for maintaining acid-base balance, osmoregulation, nerve impulse transmission, and muscle contraction. Severe electrolyte losses negatively affect horse performance, contributing to early fatigue.
REHIDRAMAX