Food for thought

LEFT: DRESSAGE HORSES

NEED THE RIGHT

NUTRIENTS TO PERFORM

DEMANDING WORK, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO

UNDERSTAND THAT ENERGY

AND CALORIES ARE THE

SAME THING.

FEEDING A DRESSAGE HORSE TO ENSURE IT HAS THE RIGHT NUTRIENTS WITHOUT PUTTING ON TOO MUCH WEIGHT OR GETTING TOO SHARP CAN OFTEN BE A CHALLENGE. EMMA PENNY ASKS THE EXPERTS FOR ADVICE.

Many of us will have been in a situation where we’ve had to contend with horses who become too fat too easily, or where a new feed seems to have given them ‘unwanted wings’. Reducing those risks can be more straightforward than you might think, according to equine nutritionists, but there are some feeding myths that need to be addressed too.

The fi rst misconception is when people talk about giving their horse more energy but not wanting to give it more calories.

Unlike human food labels, you won’t fi nd the word ‘calories’ in the nutrient table on your feedbag – in the UK energy in equine feed is expressed in megajoules of digestible energy or ‘MJ DE/ kg.

And while it might be easy to become caught up in the fi gures, there is one guiding principle to embrace, she says. “If you are oversupplying energy, the horse will gain weight; undersupply it and it will lose weight.” She says horses should be fed according to their body condition score. “Body condition

“IF YOU ARE scoring should be done consistently, using the same scale every time,

OVERSUPPLYING and is a more accurate method than assessing the horse’s condition by ENERGY, THE HORSE eye alone. “In a fat horse, the last thing you WILL GAIN WEIGHT; want to do is feed more calories to increase ‘ridden energy’ – it will gain

UNDERSUPPLY IT more weight with the health risks that go with that. Being overweight can AND IT WILL LOSE also contribute to a lack of energy or

WEIGHT.” poor performance. “For underweight horses, feeding fi bre and oil based feeds is a good way of increasing calorie intake whilst reducing the risk of excitement.” The source of energy or calories is one of the things which can aff ect behaviour, alongside

BELOW AND INSET: HORSES SHOULD BE FED ACCORDING TO THEIR BODY CONDITION SCORE. FEED COMPANIES

CAN SUPPLY DETAILED GUIDELINES ON HOW TO DO THIS.

temperament, work, weather and fi tness, she says.

There are generally two ways in which feed can aff ect behaviour. eeds which contain higher levels of cereal starch are more likely to have a heating eff ect, while sometimes overfeeding canlead to excitability, but that is far less common.”

TopSpec nutrition directorNicola Tyler adds that feeding cereals such as barley, wheat and mai e should be minimised as they are high in starch; even oats, which are the most suitable cereal for horses, should be fed judiciously. “ ats are high in fi bre and well digested. If your horse is behind the leg and not spooky, they could be incorporated, but it’s often trial and error to get it right.” or good muscle development and an attentive, responsive, non spooky horse, a diet which maximises forage intake and minimises hard feed is the best option. ood quality forage and a balancer may be enough, she says.

Feeding inappropriately can have serious veterinary consequences, warns Jane Nixon.

Founder – an issue in heavyweight dressage and show horses – is an increasing problem, she warns. Describing it in human terms, she says it is where the fi nger bones go out through the fi nger ends. “It often occurs in the back feet fi rst, and the bones will drop through the foot until they hit the fl oor.” Overweight horses will also be carrying too much on their limbs, be less agile and have less capacity to work. Saddle fi tting will also be an issue. Horses which are over-exuberant through inappropriate feeding may be diffi cult to hack. “They may also be predisposed to accidents [when hacking], but horses which don’t hack or cross-train are at risk of which don’t hack or cross-train are at risk of repetitive strain injury on artifi cial surfaces,” repetitive strain injury on artifi cial surfaces,” she warns. she warns.

As dressage is an activity in which the need for well developed musculature is high, the focus should be on feeding a balancer or feed with quality protein, rich in essential amino acids, along with a good vitamin and mineral base.

In the past, protein has sometimes been held up as the cause of horses becoming spooky and unrideable, but this is a myth, she says. “In the s and s, riders would suggest a particular feed made their horses sharp because a high protein level was declared on the bag. owever, their other nutrients often weren’t declared, and the levels of sugar and starch, which we now know are the problem, were not discussed.

The importance of forage quality is often overlooked, says aileys nutritionist i ulbrook. “I’m a great believer in starting with forage and building from there, as a good quality forage might just need a balancer to complement it.

ABOVE: CONSIDER WHAT YOUR HORSE ACTUALLY NEEDS - FOR SOME, JUST FORAGE AND A BALANCER WILL BE ENOUGH.

Get the best quality forage you can – you want to make sure horses are eating it and not leaving it.”

Being able to eat properly is critical. Vet Jane Nixon recommends performance horses are checked by an equine dental technician or skilled vet at least every six months, and preferably every three months. “Most need attention at least every six months, and horses do need to be sedated to do this properly. It is ama ing the diff erence regular dental checks can make.”

Alongside Jane, all three nutritionists are in agreement that fi tness is critical for dressage horses and can help achieve the desired level of performance and sparkle. Nicola says: “Feed can help to give the building blocks to produce the physique and behaviour you want, but the fi rst thing we do is talk about getting horses fi tter and how to do that – marching uphill on the bit is a very good way of doing it, and some interval training is great, depending on the horse and your facilities.”

LEFT: DRESSAGE IS AN ACTIVITY IN WHICH THE NEED FOR WELL-DEVELOPED MUSCULATURE IS HIGH.

RIGHT: CONSIDER PROVIDING CONTROLLED AMOUNTS OF HIGH FIBRE, LOW SUGAR FORAGE OPTIONS TO SUPPLEMENT RESTRICTED GRAZING.

Spring is defi nitely here and that means the grass will start to grow rapidly, containing high levels of watersoluble carbohydrates (WSC) or ‘sugars’ – making this a high-risk time for dressage horses and ponies prone to laminitis, or those with metabolic conditions where WSC have to be restricted, suggests nutritionist Deborah Leabeater MSc, CBiol, MRIB. Plan a careful regime to keep your dressage horse or pony healthy and able to continue to train and compete: • Signifi cantly restrict access to pasture either by time or quantity. Consider strip or track grazing systems. (A wellfi tting grazing muzzle can be useful if your yard doesn’t have restricted grazing options). • Remember that fi bre intakes must still be maintained, so consider providing controlled amounts of high fi bre, low-sugar forage options to supplement restricted grazing, such as Marksway High Fibre HorseHage.

Naturally low in sugar, but providing calories from the fermentation process to ensure energy is still available

for training and competition – unlike soaked hay, where the removal of the water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) results in a very low energy forage, often not suitable for dressage horses and ponies who require low WSC forage, but have high energy demands to train and compete. • Move to lighter weights or remove rugs – burning calories remove rugs – burning calories to keep warm can help prevent to keep warm can help prevent obesity in dressage horses and ponies who have come through the winter carrying too much weight! • If concentrate feed intakes are also restricted to help manage weight and metabolic conditions, it’s vital to add a good broad-spectrum mineral and vitamin supplement to provide all the essential micronutrients to maintain health and performance.

PRODUCT WATCH

FREE is low in sugar, starch, and calories providing essential fi bre important for promoting a healthy digestive system, immune function and positive mental wellbeing of horses as part of a balanced diet. It is highly palatable, free from molasses, alfalfa, cereals and preservatives and carries UFAS and BETA NOPs certifi cations. Made with fi bre pellets to stimulate interest, it is suitable for horses in all levels of work as well as those prone to laminitis.

PRO ULTRA is a nutrientdense, highly digestible mix which provides a combination of energy sources required by horses with a demanding workload. Pro Ultra is a fully balanced feed with B group vitamins to help reinvigorate horses that are feeling run down. Calcareous Marine Algae and Yeasacc 1026 are included for optimal fi bre and mineral digestion as well as quality protein sources for muscle tone and development. Pro Ultra also contains a blend of oils supported by key antioxidants to support stamina.

supports optimum condition and recovery in performance horses. It's a low starch, molasses-free blend of highly digestible fi bre and oil to support digestive health and reduce the risk of excitability. Formulated to assist hydration and complement the replacement of electrolytes post exercise. It supplies powerful antioxidants including vitamin C to support respiratory health and natural, bioavailable vitamin E to support immunity, muscle health and athletic performance.

RRP: £15.99 | spillers-feeds.com

horsehage.co.uk RRP: £17.26 | rowenbarbary.co.uk

is a highly nutritious, low intake performance balancer in the unique form of a mix, which has been formulated for horses in medium to hard work. Based on digestible ‘superfi bres’ and oils it provides continuous energy, whilst the inclusion of cereal aids glycogen replenishment and helps to reduce the onset of early fatigue. The mix encompasses live yeast and Acid Buf to support the optimum environment in the stomach and help manage those horses and ponies who are prone to Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome.

RRP: £34.00 FOR 20KG | saracenhorsefeeds.com

HIGH FIBRE HORSEHAGE is a BETA NOPs and FEMAS-certifi ed forage suitable for competition horses, especially ones that have to be stabled for extended periods of time or travel regularly. It is dust-free and high in fi bre, supporting a healthy respiratory and digestive system, essential for optimising performance. It has a 100% quality guarantee and does not contain chemical additives or mould inhibitors. It comes in easy-to-handle bales and splits into useful wedges.

BALANCER contains requirements for essential nutrients, like protein, vitamins and minerals, increase with workload, even if a horse gets the calories it needs from forage alone or with little extra hard feed. With a negligible calorie content, Performance Balancer supplies these nutrients, and can be fed on its own or added to other feeds. Its quality protein helps build and maintain muscle and topline, without the need for specialist supplementation, while a full balance of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants supports healthy hoof growth, metabolism and recovery.

RRP: £32 FOR 20KG baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk

TOPSPEC PERFORMANCE LITE FEED BALANCER is designed for good-doers in medium-hard work that need their weight controlled. Allows performance horses and ponies to receive these micronutrients in a small amount of very low-calorie feed. It contains a multi-supplement including a broad spectrum supplement, anti-oxidants to support healthy cell function, healthy immune system support and an effective hoof supplement which helps promote supple skin and an exceptionally shiny coat. All carried on a low-calorie, low sugar/starch, cereal-grain-free ‘non-heating’ base.

RRP: £30.25 FOR 15KG | topspec.com