Summer
With the warmer days and lighter evenings upon us we can look forward to spending more time with our horses and ponies whether it is for hacking, schooling or competing. During the summer months you may find your horse’s workload increases and the condition of your horse can also change, so when it comes to feeding, it is worth monitoring and adjusting the horse’s diet if necessary. The warmer weather will also affect the quality of pasture and the amount of water your horse needs may increase. Dehydration and the loss of electrolytes (salts) can also cause problems and may affect your horse’s performance and behaviour, therefore careful monitoring is needed.
Feeding
If your horse is a good doer it may be necessary to restrict grazing, however a diet that meets all the vitamin and mineral requirements will still need to be provided. This can be achieved by using a low calorie feed such as Fast Fibre which has been designed with the good doer in mind.
The Barley & Molasses Free Range offers a variety of feeds to suit the energy requirements of all horses and ponies:
• Fast Fibre – For horses at rest or in light work
• Ride & Relax – For horses in light to medium work
• Veteran Vitality – For older horses in light to medium work
• Calm & Condition – For horses in medium to hard work
• Power & Performance – For horses in hard work.
Water
Water is often a forgotten element in the diet but is essential to keep your horse healthy. Make checking water troughs and buckets part of your daily routine to ensure your horse always has access to clean fresh water. Some horses may be reluctant to drink in certain situations, for example, when they are travelling or at a competition but it is important that they do, to avoid dehydration. If your horse refuses to drink, you could try:
• Adding a little fruit juice to the water,
• Feeding a soaked feed.
Electrolytes (Salts)
Your horse’s requirements for electrolytes (salts) will vary according to how much he loses in sweat. In particularly hot and humid weather your horse may be losing fluid, even if you cannot see any visible signs of sweating. To replace salt lost through sweating you could:
• Provide your horse with access to a salt lick,
• Add a tablespoon of electrolytes per day to his feed,
• Add electrolytes to the horse’s water after hard work.
If you have a busy competition schedule ahead, and would like to know more about competition feeding, please click here, alternatively for specific requirements please ring our nutrition team on 01632 822902.
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