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Forage Key when Feeding Horses in Stressful ConditionsBy Kentucky Equine Research Staff · January 27, 2011
Horses in training and competition must often be maintained in environments and systems that are not complementary to their natural needs. Feeding management is one area in which owners and managers can reduce the adverse impact these systems may have upon the horse's health and performance.
Digestive function is among the major areas affected by feeding management. Horses evolved as grazing animals, designed to digest and utilize high levels of plant fiber. Within modern management schemes, horses are often also fed concentrates in order to maximize their growth or productivity.
Horses are classified anatomically as hindgut fermenters. The byproducts of microbial fermentation provide the animal with energy and micronutrients. However, large meals of grain can result in rapid fermentation, overwhelming the system and potentially resulting in colic or laminitis.
This specialized anatomy requires specific management by those feeding horses. Neglecting fiber can result in undesired physical and mental effects, sometimes manifested as wood-chewing or other stereotypies. The immense digestive system of horses is designed to contain large quantities of fiber, and without this can kink or twist, resulting in serious colic.
The ideal amount of forage for horses is in part determined by the discipline in which they train and compete. For example, endurance horses are maintained with high forage intakes through training and competition, whereas racehorses may be adversely affected by an overfilled system during competition, as it represents additional weight. Managers of these horses must gradually taper their feed prior to a race for optimal performance.
A general guideline for managers of performance horses is to feed forage at a minimum of 1% body weight per day (10 lb for a 1,000-lb horse, or 4.5 kg for a 450-kg horse) in order to prevent physical and mental problems.
Read more on this subject from Advances in Equine Nutrition III.
