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Many performance horses thrive on combinations of forages and concentrates, as they provide adequate energy to support their bodies and their athletic endeavors. Others, however, can’t tolerate high levels of concentrates yet still require more than just hay. Where can owners and trainers turn to find extra energy without feeding concentrates? Fat is always an option, but don’t forget about high-energy fibrous feed.

“High-energy fibrous feeds provide more energy than regular hays and reduce the potential for gastrointestinal disturbances, laminitis, and development of stereotypies that are sometimes attributable to feeding high volumes of concentrates,” explained Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a Kentucky Equine Research nutritionist.

Here are three examples of high-energy fibrous feeds—also called super fibers—that can potentially replace (or partially replace) concentrates in a horse’s diet that were recently described in a review article* on feeding performance horses.

1. Haylage. Early-cut haylage is grass or alfalfa grown and cut just like “regular” hay but at a less mature stage of growth and only semi-dried. Haylage is baled when there is still 45-50% moisture. Early-cut plants are typically better quality because they are lower in indigestible fiber. Bales are then compressed and wrapped in multiple layers of plastic to prevent oxygen from reaching it. This anaerobic environment permits fermentation of the haylage to occur, which means that bacteria utilize the water-soluble carbohydrates to survive while leaving the fiber for the horses.

2. Sugar beet pulp. Though sugar is typically derived from sugar cane, sugar beets are grown throughout the world as an alternate source of sugar. The beets are sliced and boiled to extract the sugars, which are then filtered. The remaining pulp is an almost sugar-free, fiber-dense product perfect for horses.

3. Soybean hulls. Grown mostly in the midwestern United States, soybeans are primarily processed for their oil. During processing, two byproducts are created: soybean meal and soybean hulls. The hulls are actually the skins of the soybeans that are easily fermented by horses to produce energy.

According to the authors of the review, “While considerable research is required to fully understand the effects of the high-energy fibrous feeds in the diets of performance horses, the present literature review presents a sound argument for the replacement of at least some of the grain with high-energy fibrous feeds.”

*Richardson, K. and J.-A.M.D. Murray. 2016. Fibre for performance horses: A review. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 46:31-39.

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