Feeding the Ex-racehorse
 Thoroughbreds are the elite athletes of the equine world, their training is centred around achieving peak fitness to be capable of galloping at great speeds. The racehorse’s routine is very different to the average horse or pony and things that most owners and riders would take for granted such as daily turnout and simple schooling movements will be completely alien to the racehorse.
When taking on any new horse time needs to be allowed for them to settle into their new surroundings and routine and this couldn’t be more true for the ex-racehorse. Turn out should be introduced gradually bearing in mind that most racehorses do not spend time out in the field on a regular basis and therefore the addition of fresh grass to the diet is quite a change for the digestive system.
While they are in training racehorses will have been fed a high energy, high starch diet with little fibre. Of course as your ex-racehorse will not be working as hard there is not a need for such a high energy diet. Although not all ex-racehorses are fizzy or excitable sticking to a diet that is designed to avoid such behaviour is advantageous for both horse and rider.
The majority of the diet should be made up of fibre, a plentiful supply of good quality hay or haylage should be provided while the horse is in the stable or while turned out if grazing is poor. Fibre releases its energy slowly to help avoid excitable behaviour and is very effective at maintaining weight and condition. Fibre is also essential for a healthy, correctly functioning, digestive system.
When it comes to choosing a feed don’t forget about fibre, a feed with a high fibre content is likely to be lower in starch. Although starch is not bad for the horse per se, when starch is digested in the small intestine its energy is released rapidly into the bloodstream, providing the horse with a sudden burst of energy which is ideal for racing, but not for the owner who wants to keep their horse as calm as possible. If your ex-racehorse is in good condition then a high fibre, low energy product fed at the recommended levels should provide all the nutrients needed for good health.
Feeding the ex-racehorse that needs to gain weight or is generally a poor doer can prove more tricky. It is important to bear in mind that calories equal energy, however the energy source can be very important. While starch rich cereals are good sources of calories, we have seen that because of the way their energy is made available they may not be suitable in large quantities for the ex-racehorse. Fortunately there are other energy sources that will provide good levels of calories while releasing their energy slowly to avoid fizzy or excitable behaviour. Highly digestible fibre sources such as unmolassed sugar beet and alfalfa are good examples of such ingredients. Oil is also very calorie rich and is efficiently digested by the horse to provide a good source of slow release energy. All oils will provide extra calories, but linseed and soya oil in particular, provide Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids cannot be synthesised by the horse itself and must be provided in the diet. A feed with a balance of Omega 3 and 6 oils will help to provide extra calories as well as promoting healthy skin and joints.
Using a feed containing prebiotics can also be very advantageous to the horse’s digestive system. Prebiotics act to provide the beneficial bacteria within the digestive system with food and help to create the right environment for them to thrive in. This is of particular benefit to the horse during times of stress such as changing home or travelling to ensure that harmful bacteria cannot take hold.
The diet of the racehorse makes them particularly susceptible to gastric ulcers and it is thought that up to 90% of horses in training suffer from gastric ulcers. Gastric ulcers are an erosion of the lining of the stomach, the signs of which can include poor condition, poor appetite, colic, grumpiness and poor performance, although typical clinical signs may be absent in many horses. The horse’s stomach is divided into two distinct parts: the lower part of the stomach is referred to as the glandular area which is where gastric acid is continuously produced via glands – whether the horse is eating or not. The glandular area is protected from the effects of gastric acid by a protective coating . The upper part of the stomach is known as the non-glandular area and should be alkaline, this area does not have a protective coating and relies on the buffering effect of saliva to protect it from the gastric acid that is being continuously produced, not surprisingly gastric ulcers tend to be most common in the upper part of the stomach which lacks the protective coating. Saliva is the horse’s natural buffering agent against gastric acid, however saliva is only produced when the horse is actually chewing and fibrous feed stuffs require more chewing than concentrate feeds, for the stabled horse who may not have free access to forage, especially as in the case of racehorses this can cause a problem.
Stress also has a part to play in increasing the likelihood of gastric ulcers, stressful situations such as travelling and stabling can also cause similar effects.
Mimicking the horse’s natural lifestyle is key to preventing gastric ulcers. 24 hour turnout is ideal and many horses can be worked and competed successfully whilst living out, if constant turn out is not an option you should still try to ensure that your horse spends as much time out in the paddock as possible. Whilst your horse is stabled provide ad lib forage which will promote saliva production, the horse’s natural buffer against gastric acid. It is also important to remember to provide your horse with forage whilst travelling which can be a potentially stressful situation. Adding chaff to your horse’s feed will help to promote chewing and will extend the amount of time your horse take to eat, as well as providing extra fibre.
Taking a sensible approach to feeding and remembering to stick to a high fibre, low starch diet will go a long way to keeping your ex-racehorse healthy and contented.
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