| New
Horse - New Diet?
I
have just bought a new horse and for the last 12 weeks
he has been out in the field with only grass as his
diet - I got him 2 weeks ago and since then he is
out all day and in at night. He has been showing some
signs of stress but has started to settle in the last
48 hours a lot more into his routine, which is promising.
I am keen to make sure that the diet he is getting
is really helping him to digest his food in the right
way and give him all he needs to build condition and
I think at the moment there is more I can do.
Currently
he is being fed 1/2 mix and 1/2 chaff, 2 hay nets
at night and is out all day but in at night. He is
only in light exercise being ridden for 40 mins in
the school at night twice a week and at weekends for
an 1 hour both days - hacking- this work will increase
in the next 2 weeks to 3 times in the week 30/40 mins
and 2 hours each day at the weekends - but once he
is little more settled.
I
look forward to your advice
Dear
Katie
Thank
you for your enquiry regarding feeding your new horse
- hopefully he is beginning to settle in a bit!
You
haven't said what his temperament is like, but from
the details you have described about your horse, we
would recommend giving him a low energy cube rather
than a mix initially. Cubes tend to be lower in starch
than mixes and free from traditional cereals such
as oats and barley which can often lead to excitable
behaviour. From the Baileys range, we would recommend
our No.2 Working Cubes, which are low energy, high
fibre and fully balanced with a full profile of vitamins
and minerals, alongside soya oil to maintain condition
and which is used as a source of non-heating energy.
These cubes contain a few more calories than a basic
cube and all the ingredients have been cooked, making
them extremely digestible.
When
he has had longer to settle in and you know him better,
you may find for instance that you would like more
condition, or more energy and consequently a feed
change may be in order. There are options available
such as moving him onto a conditioning feed such as
our No.4 Top Line Conditioning Cubes or even adding
in a high oil supplement like our Ultimate Finish.
However, it is probably best that you get in touch
with a nutritionist to discuss in more detail which
route to go down when you reach that stage!
You
mentioned that you horse is displaying signs of stress
which is often typical when horses move to new environments
and often gut health and consequently nutrient absorption
can be affected as a result (indicated by such things
as loose droppings and a loss in bodyweight). It might
be worth considering adding a prebiotic, such as Baileys
Digest Plus, to his diet, particularly as you mentioned
you were unhappy with his condition. This is a naturally
occurring sugar (fructo-oligosaccharides) which only
good bacteria in the gut can utilise. They feed on
the sugar, multiply and the strength of their numbers
push out any bad bacteria which have accumulated.
This helps promote efficient feed digestion and overall
good health and, whilst it can be fed long-term, it
is also ideal as a short-term remedy.
You
haven't said what breed your horse is or his bodyweight
so we are unable to advise on any quantities to give.
However, all feed bags give feeding recommendations
for you to follow. Alternatively, you could e-mail
or phone us directly for advice on how much to feed
on 01371 850247 or visit www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk
and look at our online Feed Calculator for some guidelines.
You may find in a couple of months that you do need
to make alterations to his diet once he has adjusted
to his new regime but make sure that he always has
access to ad-lib forage to maintain gut health. You
can usually continue feeding chaff with most concentrate
feeds which also provides a good fibre source.
I
hope this has been of some help. Good luck with your
new horse and if you have any further feeding queries,
please do not hesitate to contact us.
Kind
Regards
Lorna
Jowett (BSc Hons)
Equine
Nutritionist
www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk
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