High-quality forage - hay, pasture or others — is the basis of diet for every horse. All horses can graze constantly and require 1-2% of forage every day. High-quality hay should be served to avoid colic. If quality hay is difficult to find, you can replace it with other sources of roughage such as hay cubes, bagged forage (chaff) or beet pulp for better horse care.
Just like humans, horses also need the right balance of minerals and vitamins. It is necessary to give them a well-balanced diet as per age and workload. If you are unable to judge or provide the required intake, it is a good idea to invest in a ration balancer pellet or multivitamin supplement. Below are dietary and nutritional tips for horse care: Focus the diet on hay and grass: The digestive system of a horse processes grass in large quantities. Good quality hay and grass, free of dust and mold, should be your horse's basic diet. Feed them small quantities through the day. Since their stomach is developed for grazing, feed them three times a day. Give them half of their hay allowance at night when they are calm and have more time to eat and digest. Avoid grains unless recommended as excessive consumption of grains can cause problems like joint, bone and muscle pains in both young and adult horses. Pay attention to their individual needs: Each breed and horse has different requirements. You should consult an expert on their dietary plan factoring in their activity levels. An average horse can eat between 2-4% of their body weight daily in pounds. However, some horses find it difficult to keep on weight, and they may need more feed per unit of their body weight. Remember, any change in diet should be introduced gradually, to avoid laminitis and colic. Hydration is vital for your horse: Give access to plenty of clean and fresh water all the time, even if the horse doesn’t consume much of it. Point to note — horses exposed to strenuous exercise should not freely access water; they should only be allowed a few sips every few minutes until they cool down completely. Give a supplementary block of salt: Most diets do not meet the mineral requirements for a horse’s performance and optimal health. Therefore, give them free access to a salt block and trace minerals. This enables PH and electrolyte level stabilization. As long as they have access to water, there is no worry for excess of salt. Other supplements to be added: Adding some omega-3 fatty acids to your horse's diet will promote their overall wellness and support their shiny coat. Provide them with ingredients such as enzymes, yeast, and probiotics every day to help their hind gut quickly adapt to change. Consider the dental health of your horse: Keeping your horse's teeth in good health is essential as they need them to grind hay and grass. At five years of age, begin annual checkups with a veterinarian for fillings and rot. Those with poor dental health, especially older horses do benefit from processed feed. Cooling down is important: Exercise is essential for stabled horses — they will eat well, digest their food better and avoid the risk of colic. Horses should be fed at least an hour before setting out for hard work. Feeding should be done when they have cooled and rested, which is usually within an hour or two of the exercise. Remember, to cool them down slowly and not immediately. As mentioned earlier, let them drink less water until they are completely cooled.
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