Training
Performance Horses
LESSON ONE
UNDERSTANDING THE HORSE’S NUTRITIONAL NEEDS
Unfortunately, feeding the horse is not as simple as throwing a flake of hay over the fence.
When you get right down to the nitty gritty, no one really knows exactly what, or how much, to feed a horse. Feeding a horse is both a science and an art. Neither is perfect, either can do without the other. Still, it is always to the horse’s benefit when the knowledge of science is guided by the art of horsemanship. This is not a nutrition course…and the following are only guides to feeding the horse in training.
The National Research Council’s 2007 edition of “Nutrient Requirements of Horses” is the industry’s guideline when determining what and how much to feed.
The NRC’s book provides nutrient requirement tables based on a horse’s weight, age and activity level. It also has charts which show the average nutrient levels of popular feeds used for horses. Levels of digestible energy (megacalories per kilogram), crude protein, minerals and vitamins are given in the charts.
Nutritionists and feed formulators depend on this book to balance rations.
There are guesstimates as to how many megacalories of digestible energy the average horse needs under specific situations. It is pretty well understood how much digestible protein is needed by the average horse under certain circumstances, and it can fairly well be established how much calcium and phosphorous are needed daily. We think we know about how much salt intake is sufficient each day.
But when it comes to other vitamins and minerals, it’s anybody’s guess as to amounts required. Sure, there are the NRC’s guidelines as mentioned above, but as complete as they may appear, they aren’t the whole story. (If you want to study equine nutrition in depth, take the course Nutrition for Maximum Performance.)
Research on horse nutrition increased as the popularity of horse ownership increased and the horse industry promised feed producers greater profit potential. But new and accurate information is still slow in coming, and what is sold as “fact” this week is often changed just a few months later.
If the average horseman attempts to feed according to any of today’s acceptable daily requirement standards, he finds himself trapped in an almost impossible situation. There are simply too many changing factors to make one set of standards the “only correct practice.”
The quality of the roughage (hay) fed changes from bale to bale, as does the quality of the grains (concentrates) being fed. Are you feeding sun-cured alfalfa, early-bloom, mid-bloom, full-bloom or mature? You can ask, but the feed dealer probably doesn’t know the answer. Ninety-nine percent of the time you buy what is available, and you feed it. On occasion, if the hay is moldy, or too wet or too stemy, you will send it back. In actuality from day to day the quality of hay varies bale to bale.
And the grain control problem may be worse. There is no question low quality grains are being marketed in various mixes, many formulated on the “least cost” basis so that this week one ingredient is used, and next week something else is added or subtracted.
Feed companies now have rigid testing in place to eliminate micro-toxins and inferior grains, but that does not guarantee perfection. And feed companies now offer services like balancing a ration and formulating a diet. If you can take advantage of such service, use it, then be sure to “observe” results and make your own conclusions as to how your horses look and perform.
Only the largest horse operations, those with money enough to employ a full-time nutritionist, have any chance of preparing their own feed formula and regulating the intake of nutrients.
Blood tests and chemical analysis are helpful, but are far from the final answer in determining the efficiency of a horse-feeding program.
Most equine nutritionists and veterinarians tend to agree the best thing you can do is gain as much knowledge as possible about the feed you are using, about the horse you are feeding, and then guess the nutritional requirements, giving careful consideration to the kind and amount of work the horse does.
Purchase only high quality feed to avoid contaminants which not only endanger the horse’s health, but can result in competition disqualification if prohibited substances appear in blood or urine tests. Store all feeds in safe, protected areas, and check frequently to be certain molds or other toxic elements are not present. Keep hay covered to protect it from sun and moisture.
So, it comes down to understanding the science, then acting on the art. Look at the horse and make a judgment based on the way he appears, feels and acts.
Does the horse act healthy, interested and high-spirited? If he does, that’s good. Is any feed left in the manger? If the horse is free-feeding then there should be a tiny bit left. If absolutely every leaf or stem is gone, the horse may not be getting enough to eat. Then, of course, there are the overeaters. How much reserve fat is the horse carrying? The horse’s ribs should appear covered. If the bones can be felt by rubbing your hand over the ribs with a light pressure, then the horse is in good condition. If you can’t feel the bones, he is probably too heavy.
Performance horses are rarely, if ever, left on pasture, so we won’t consider horses at pasture.
The stabled horse relies entirely on whoever is feeding him. Be sure the person doing the feeding understands exactly what and how much is needed.
By definition, hay is green forage with at least 85 per cent of its moisture dehydrated. The kind of hay (grass, cereal or legume) determines the protein value. The degree of curing (dehydration) affects the hay’s weight.
A flake means nothing to a horse, and different things to different people. A child lifting a 10-pound flake of hay thinks it is heavy. A man may think it is too light. A flake of wet hay weighs much more than a well-cured flake.
If you can’t determine the amount of hay being fed daily, then get a small scale and have the person doing the feeding weigh out the hay. Remember, the amount of water in the hay will determine its weight, and that can vary day to day, bale to bale.
Grass hay should be fed free-choice, meaning the horse has forage available all the time. The equine digestive system is designed to have a continuous flow of long-stem fiber at all times.
Horses need to have at least one and a half times their body weight in forage a day to keep the equine digestive system working properly. If the forage is not meeting nutrition needs then a concentrate or supplement needs to be added to the diet.
Grains are fed to working horses and judged by the amount of work. Determine the grain to be fed by the amount of digestible energy desired. Corn, for example, can be fed in much smaller volume than oats because it has a much higher amount of digestible energy.
Some performance horses should be on low energy diets while others need to be on high-energy rations. The energy level desirable for the horse must be determined by the trainer.
For years, horsemen have fed grains by volume--either quarts or gallons--which is nonsense. Read the feeding directions on any commercial product and you will notice the amounts are stated in pounds…not scoops. A scale is a must in any training facility.
Here is an overview of the grains commonly used in horse rations:
Oats: The feed value of oats depends on the kernel to hull ration. The kernel provides most of the nutrients, but the hull provides some fiber. Oats weighing 24 pounds to a bushel are more hull than kernel in comparison to oats weighing 40 pounds to the bushel.
Barley has a higher energy level than oats because of its reduced hull. It is 15 per cent higher in energy than oats.
Corn has an energy level 23 per cent higher than oats.
Wheat is not often fed to horses. It should be fed very carefully, if at all, because it is high in protein (most of which the horse should be getting from hay), low in calcium and moderate in phosphorus.
Milo is 13 per cent higher in energy than oats. Milo, if ground, should be mixed with molasses. It should also be mixed with bran or alfalfa as it is slightly constipating.
Wheat bran does not work as a laxative and should be fed sparingly (if at all) – it has an inverted calcium to phosphorus ratio.
Beet pulp adds fiber to the ration and is low in non-structural carbohydrates.
Molasses is usually added to hold grains together and add flavor. Levels should be kept below 10 per cent of the ration, as molasses is laxative.
A mature performance horse needs a protein level of about 12 per cent daily, and should get most of it from the forage. The protein level can vary depending on the cutting and amount of curing. If good quality forage is not available then the lacking protein will need to be provided by adding some alfalfa or a commercial concentrate.
Two-year old horses need a protein level of about 12 to 14 per cent. The protein need drops to 10 to 12 per cent about the time the horse reaches 4 years of age.
Horses getting more protein than actually needed will show it in their high-energy attitude, or in high water consumption and frequent urination. Reducing the amount of alfalfa (replacing it with grass hay) will usually reduce both the energy level and water consumption.
A confirmed dietary deficiency should be the rule before supplemental feeds are introduced into a feeding program.
Grains (corn, oats, barley) are high in phosphorus and low in calcium. This can upset the natural balance of the two minerals. Calcium and phosphorus are required in ratio to each other: the ratio should never fall below 1.1 to 1, calcium to phosphorus. A good ratio is 1.5 (calcium) to 1 (phosphorus). Mature horses can tolerate 3 to 1 or even 5 to 1, but young horses cannot. Calcium deficiency can result in rickets and malformation of the head. Calcium overdoses result quickly in epiphysitis, a condition in young horses characterized by hard, localized swelling in the joints of the lower leg. Cutting down the young horse’s alfalfa or clover (high in calcium) and increasing grains (high in phosphorus) will usually correct the situation.
Soybean meal is generally considered a good supplement since it is high in lysine, an amino acid sometimes lacking in the regular diet, and low in calcium.
Linseed is very popular because it adds a nice gloss to the horse’s coat. But linseed is more laxative than other supplements. Cottonseed meal or cakes can cause problems for young horses, but are used to add calcium. Safflower meal offers little of benefit. Sometimes it is hard to get horses to eat it.
Dried milk is an excellent source of calcium, but is very expensive in comparison to soybeans, for example. Some breeders add dried milk to the feed of young foals. Fishmeal is good for protein, but is expensive and adds little else of benefit.
Vitamins do not provide energy, as too many horsemen believe. They do act as a catalyst, regulating the horse’s ability to utilize other nutrients.
Vitamins come in two forms--water soluble and fat-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins can concentrate in toxic proportions more easily than water-soluble because they are stored in the body while excess water-soluble are more easily removed.
Most of the time there is no need for vitamin supplements.
The precise functions of vitamin A are not known. A deficiency usually shows up as eye problems, skin problems, or lowered resistance to infection. Carotene, a substance found in all green, yellow and orange plants, is converted into vitamin A. A horse getting good cured hay will not need vitamin A supplements.
B-complex vitamins are popular, but need more study to determine exactly the requirements in horse nutrition.
In general, the B-complex vitamins are synthesized by the horse’s digestive tract. The more work a horse performs, the more B-complex it will require. Green forage and good young hay provide B-complex vitamins.
Deficiencies in B1 and B2 appear as a loss of appetite, loss of weight, and loss of condition or digestive tract problems. B12 is most publicized as helping with production of red blood cells and the prevention of anemia. But B12 injections are rapidly voided into the urine.
There is little to suggest the healthy mature horse needs vitamin C; senior horses may benefit with some extra vitamin C in the diet.
Horses not in sunlight for several hours per day should be given vitamin D supplements. However, they must be carefully regulated as overdoses result in irreversible calcification of soft tissue.
Vitamin E is a requirement of the horse, but is normally satisfied through the intake of green roughage. It is needed for absorption of selenium.
Vitamin K helps blood to clot. Horses racing or running barrels or involved with distance competition suffer from "bleeding," a condition brought on by the stress of the exercise. Unable to handle the increased blood pressure during exercise, the horse’s capillaries rupture and heart valves leak, allowing blood into the lungs, throat and sometimes into the nasal passages. "Bleeders", as they are known, can be aided by vitamin K and by the use of the diuretic Lasix, which reduces the horse’s body fluids.
Minerals are divided into two groups: major minerals, used in quantity by the horse, and trace minerals measured in parts per million.
Salt is the most common mineral provided to the horse. A horse should have plain white granular salt at free choice. Salt blocks were designed for cattle that have rough tongues. Do not rely on salt blocks to provide the needed salt for performance horses.
The average horse needs 50 to 60 grams of salt per day. On a warm day, he can easily lose that much through sweating and urination. If he is worked, even moderately, he’ll lose more. It will take about a 4-ounce intake of salt to replace the loss. Observe the horse’s condition and behavior. If the horse is chewing wood or licking the ground, salt may solve his problem.
Calcium and phosphorus have already been reviewed.
Magnesium is normally not needed for a horse. In some areas, where cattle suffer from grass tetany, 5 per cent magnesium oxide can be added to salt to protect horses.
Of the trace minerals, sulfur is adequately supplied if the horse is getting enough protein. Iodine deficiencies are limited to certain geographic areas, usually those near large inland bodies of water. Iodized salt will solve the problem.
Selenium deficiencies, as iodine, are limited to geographic areas. If you know that hay you are using was grown in such areas, selenium supplements are recommended.
Cobalt, a part of vitamin B12, need not be added to the diet.
Copper deficiencies are seen as anemia, and "knuckling over." Enough copper is usually present, but other minerals are interfering with its utilization. A .5 per cent copper oxide salt will often solve the problems, but check with a veterinarian for dosages.
Iron is required by horses, and there are some iron-deficient growing areas for hay. Ferrous sulfate or ferrous chloride can be supplements. Iron is very toxic and supplementation should be under the guidance of a veterinarian.
In addition to getting minerals in feeds, horses get minerals in their water supply, and this must be taken into consideration.
One of the best ways to help your horse get the full value from his diet is to de-worm the horse on a regular basis. Ask a veterinarian for suggestions on a de-worming schedule and the drugs to be used.
The basic rules of feeding will contribute greatly to the horse’s well being and ability to work.
1. Provide plenty of cool clean water. Water should always be available, but if on occasion this is impossible, water before feeding.
2. Roughage (hay and grass) should make up the bulk of the horse’s feed supply. Pellets are not food roughage. Hay cubes provide nearly the same roughage requirements as baled hays.
3. Feed small amounts often. It is best to feed three times a day. Twice a day is a minimum. Give the bulk of the horse’s ration as the evening feed.
4. Adjust the feed to the work being performed by the horse.
5. Change feeds gradually. A new arrival of hay can drastically affect the horse’s digestive tract and quickly cause colic. Examine all new feeds and determine how to introduce the new feed.
6. Do not work a horse when his stomach is full. The stomach distends when full and presses on other organs, inviting colic. Work also causes the horse’s energy to be diverted, slowing the digestive process.
7. Feed at regular times. Horses know exactly when it is dinnertime, and they resent being made to wait. Regular feeding promotes regular digestion.
8. Adjust feed to climate. Horses in hot climates will not need much of a reduction in the amounts of feed, but may well need additional salts. Horses in very cold climates burn hundreds more calories just staying warm, so they will need higher intakes of fiber (such as hay) than horses in warmer areas.
KEEPING HORSES
HEALTHY
The general health care of a horse is really not too difficult. Primarily, it involves daily observation, a good feeding and exercise program, some basic dental care, some vaccinations and responsible hoof care.
A horse’s teeth do not meet perfectly. The upper teeth are positioned just a bit wider than the teeth of the lower jaw. When a horse chews, he wears the teeth and the uppers eventually get a sharp edge along the outside where they don’t meet the teeth of the lower jaw. The lower teeth, correspondingly get a rough edge along the inside where they aren’t worn down by the upper teeth.
"Floating" the teeth then becomes necessary if the rough edges are to be smoothed away. It is called "floating" because that is the name of the tool (rasp) used to smooth the teeth. As a trainer, you can learn to float your own horses, or you can call a veterinarian. In many states it is against the law for anyone other than a licensed veterinarian to charge for floating teeth.
The teeth of young horses are softer than those of older horses, so young horses may need to be floated every 3 to 6 months, while older horses may only need a float on an annual basis.
If a young horse is dribbling a lot of unchewed hay, or fussing about being bridled, or acting as if he doesn’t like the bit, you can almost bet he needs his teeth floated.
VACCINATIONS
Tetanus attacks the horse’s nervous system. Horses are more susceptible to tetanus than most other animals.
Foals should receive tetanus vaccine as soon as possible. With foals and unvaccinated horses, two shots about a month apart are required. Booster shots should be given annually, and a horse should get a tetanus booster anytime a serious wound is sustained or the horse undergoes surgery.
Encephalomyelitis is a virus that attacks the central nervous system and causes an inflammation of the brain. Most horses need protection against Eastern and Western encephalomyelitis. Horses living along our southern borders need protection against Venezuelan strains. If there is the suspicion of an outbreak of Venezuelan encephalomyelitis, then every horse in the area should be inoculated. The primary protection requires two shots, and the horse should be boostered just prior to mosquito season, usually spring.
Rhinopneumonitis is a respiratory disease which can also cause spinal cord disease. It has a form that causes abortion. The primary protection requires a three shot series with annual booster. Young horses traveling on the show circuit should be boostered every 60 days, while older well-campaigned horses do not need as frequent boosters. Brood mares require boosters, against the strain which causes abortion, at five, seven and nine months of pregnancy.
Influenza is an upper respiratory disease that causes high fever and muscle soreness. Flu vaccine is usually given with the Rhinopneumonitis shots. Older horses, which have been on competition circuits, need not be boostered as frequently as younger, more susceptible animals.
Potomac Horse Fever causes a high fever, colic and diarrhea. The horse gets two shots originally three to four weeks apart. The horse should be boostered annually or when an outbreak is reported.
Strangles is a bacterial upper respiratory disease. Vaccine is usually not given unless an outbreak has been reported, or the horse is located on a property where the disease has occurred. Distemper is the same as strangles. Dry-land distemper is caused by a different bacterium and there is no vaccine. (Pigeon fever is an old term for dry-land distemper.)
Botulism is a nervous system disease spawned in contaminated feed. A three-shot series is required. Vaccinations are given only in areas with a reported outbreak.
Rabies attacks the nervous system. All horses should be inoculated if there is the possibility they will come in contact with wild animals. Horses at pasture are prime candidates. Horses should have an annual rabies booster.
There is a vaccine for Equine Viral Arteritis, but is never used unless absolutely mandatory. Once the horse has been vaccinated, he will always test positive, which can cause problems when crossing state and especially foreign borders.
A negative Coggins test is required for Equine Infectious Anemia by every state before a horse can be sold at public auction. Every state requires a negative Coggins before allowing a horse to be transported across borders.
DE-WORMING
Internal parasites are becoming resistant to the multitude of de-worming products on the market. It is highly recommended fecal tests be taken twice a year to determine the parasitic burden and the type of worms present. It is possible adult horses may not need to be de-wormed. Consult your veterinarian.
Fecal tests do not show the presence of bots. It is recommended that horses be de-wormed with a boticide once a year…after the first hard-killing frost to remove bots from the system.
BASICS OF HORSE
SHOEING
The shoeing of horses should be simple, but it is made complicated in man's attempt to do more and more with technology, ignoring nature and nature’s ability to adapt to changes.
A trainer should want a horse’s foot to be as healthy as possible, as natural as possible and as free of encumbrances as possible. Specialized shoeing for specialized events (gaited horses, for example) are not being considered here.
The best angle for the foot is the angle which matches the angles of the pastern and the shoulder of the horse. The hind feet should match the angle of the hind pastern. (In front, most often the angle will be close to 50 degrees and in the rear, most often close to 55 degrees. Do not trim a horse to a pre-determined angle…trim to what is the horse's natural angle.)
The front foot is a base upon which the leg will support moving mass. The foot, if not deformed, will be nearly round. The length of toe should be about 3 inches from coronet band to hoof wall where it contacts the ground. The hind feet will be slightly more elongated as the hind feet drive, providing propulsion for the horse. The hind foot also should not be much more than three inches in length.
The foot should be balanced both from back to front and from side to side. The surface of the foot which strikes the ground should be level.
The horseshoer should trim the hoof wall if it has grown too long, but should be very careful not to pare out too much sole, nor to cut away too much frog tissue. The sole sloughs itself when it grows to its optimum depth. Horseshoes often keep the sole from sloughing naturally, so dead or loose material should be taken away. New, healthy tissue should not be pared.
The same is true of the frog. When it reaches it's optimum thickness, it will slough off excess tissue. This tissue should be cleaned away, but healthy frog tissue should not be trimmed.
The placing of a shoe will keep the sole from resting on the ground, but the frog, if healthy and of correct depth, should contact the ground. The frog is both a cushion for internal hoof structures and a gripping mechanism.
Shoes should always be slightly wider than the hoof from the quarters to the heel. The hoof is dynamic, and it needs a platform (the shoe) upon which to spread when compressed by the weight of the horse. The horse’s heels will move most dramatically, and must be given that opportunity.
The shoe should never be nailed to the hoof behind the quarter unless there is absolutely no other place for a nail. Most of the time a shoe can be held in place without problems by four nails. Five or six nails are acceptable, but more usually constrict the foot causing contracted heels and hoof deterioration.
Every effort should be made to keep the heel of the hoof open and free to expand and contract as the horse moves.
In arid countries the hoof will be harder, more upright and generally smaller than the hoof of a horse in a wet or marshy locale. Before using any hoof conditioners or tougheners, consider the climate and the terrain in which the horse resides.
The simplest shoe is the best shoe. The lightest shoe that provides adequate protection to the hoof is the shoe that should be used. Never allow the shoer to use more nails than necessary, nor to use larger nails than necessary to do the job.
The average performance horse will grow approximately 3/8 of an inch of hoof in 30 days. This is enough new growth to change the foot flight and therefore, the way the horse moves and performs. The performance horse should be shod at least every 30 days to avoid the risk of tendon, ligament or joint damage from fatigue and unusual foot flight. Some pleasure horses, which are not used hard or often, will be allowed to go six to eight weeks between shoeing. This is a common practice, but a very poor practice.
If a horse appears to be traveling slightly off, look to the feet and the shoes. Remove the shoes and check for abscesses at the nail holes or in the sole. The horse frequently suffers corns from the shoe rubbing the sole where it joins the heel of the foot.
If shod and stabled, the horse’s feet should be cleaned daily (always before work), as there will be little chance for foreign matter to expel itself from movement alone. Unclean hoof condition and moisture can cause a number of hoof diseases.