The Working Horse Diet

Like humans, the horse’s diet depends greatly on which job we are asking them to do. Horses in lighter work (e.g hacking once or twice a week with light schooling) will have very different energy requirements from horses that are eventing or trek riding.

To figure out the best feeding regime for our hard-working horses, first we need to understand the horse’s digestive system.

The digestive system starts at the horse’s mouth, the forage is selected by the horses’ dexterous lips, cut, or picked up by the front teeth and then passed to the back of the mouth where it is ground down by the molars. When the horse chews it stimulates the production of saliva from the saliva glands which contains enzymes and starts the breakdown of food.

Once the horse swallows, the food is moved along the oesophagus via peristalsis, which is the contraction of muscles in a specific order to help food move along.

The oesophagus is connected to the stomach which is roughly the size of a rugby ball and is fairly rigid. Unlike humans, the horse’s stomach isn’t able to stretch to accommodate larger meals. Therefore, it is important not to overfeed the horse as they can’t process large portions of feed. Doing so may result in colic as the food is pushed through the stomach too quickly before it’s broken down properly.

The stomach has two parts, the ‘top half’ or squamous region and the ‘bottom half’ or glandular region. The squamous region relies on a ‘floating’ layer of fibre to prevent the acids below from splashing upwards and damaging the stomach lining (resulting in gastric ulcers). The glandular region of the stomach is where the food drops first once it’s passed through the oesophagus. The glandular region is lined with a mucus membrane to protect the stomach wall.

From the stomach, food is then passed to the small intestine. This is where protein, fats, oils and some soluble carbohydrates are absorbed. From here it passes onto the hindgut or the caecum (large intestine). The caecum is approximately 3ft long, it slows the passage of food to allow fermentation and give the micro-organisms (bacteria) more time to break down fibre. As the horse’s diet is naturally high in fibre, the bacteria in the hind gut are especially important to aid digestion. The bacteria in the hind gut that break down the fibre also produce B vitamins including biotin. With fermentation comes heat and gas, the heat produced in this process essentially acts as the horse’s own central heating system.

From the hind gut remaining food or waste is then passed to the rectum. This is the last part of the digestive system. Waste from the digestive process is stored here and any excess water is absorbed before the waste is expelled from the horse’s body in the form of ‘droppings’.

The high energy diet

To increase the energy that our horses are absorbing, we need to look at what the horse is getting from it’s environment. In the wild, horses wouldn’t exclusively eat grass, they would also forage other items such as shrubs and other plants too. For the most part the horse will get all they need from grass, but in most cases, the working horse will need other forage and concentrate adding to the diet to give them the energy they need for the jobs that they do.

Before looking at changing your horses feeding regime, it’s important to consider the following

• Horses that are overweight will naturally have less energy
• Horses that are underweight will have less energy
• Is your horse lacking energy or is he just ‘lazy’ or evasive?
• Is your horse fit enough to carry out the work that you are asking of them?
• Is your horse getting a balanced diet?

If you first cover all these bases, then you can safely start adapting the diet.

There are two types of energy source, slow-release, and quick-release. Slow-release energy tends to give the horse more stamina whereas quick release is good for shorter bursts.

Slow-release energy

The horse gets slow-release energy from fibre and oil. A high fibre diet should naturally provide the horse with sufficient energy and can be supplemented with oils if necessary. Fibre is found in many forms including grass, hay, alfalfa, oats, barley, chaffs and chops and high fibre concentrate feeds. Oils can also be found in many forms such as pre-mixed in concentrate feed, pre-mixed in a chop or chaff or supplemented as a straight. Using fibre as an energy source such as oats, is good for horses that are good doers, as it will add more sparkle without adding condition. Oils may be more beneficial for horses that also require condition and extra calories as it will also help the horse to gain weight.

Quick-release energy

Quick-release energy can be sourced from starches and sugars. Providing a feed high in starch will see a change within 2 hours of consumption, in the form of a higher glucose level in the blood. If the horse is exercising whilst the body is trying to store glucose this can have a negative effect and inhibit performance. Therefore, feeds high in starch and sugar shouldn’t be fed sooner than 3-4 hours prior to exercise. Feeding fibre does not have this effect, so it can be safely fed prior to exercise. Although oats and barley are high in fibre, they are also high in starch, so feeding them to an overweight horse is not advised.

Molasses can be added to feed to make them more palatable and give the horse more energy. Molasses can be found pre-mixed in concentrated feed and chaff or can be supplemented into the diet as a straight.

Too much sugar and starch in the diet can also lead to colic or laminitis so it’s very important to make sure you are selecting the right energy source for your horse.

REMEMBER- If making changes to the horse’s diet, make sure that you always do this gradually! If you change the feed too quickly, it can upset or damage the microflora or bacteria in the hind gut. This will then upset the fermentation process meaning that the fibre cannot be broken down properly.

Behavioural

Feeding more energy can also result in undesired effects. As your horse’s energy levels rise, it may result in undesirable behaviour such as spooking, sharpness and lack of concentration. However, depending on the horse, they may also have no undesirable reactions at all! Therefore, it’s important to find balance, and what works for you and your horse.

It’s important to remember that lack of energy may also be the result of a medical condition, so if you are unsure, you should first contact your vet.

Top tips from Dengie for feeding lazy horses

• Ensure you are feeding enough of the right feed for the work your horse is doing
• Ensure you are not exceeding your horses’ capabilities or fitness level
• Promote weight loss gradually if your horse is overweight
• Ensure your horse is receiving a balanced ration
• Add electrolytes if the horse is working or sweats profusely
• Start with very small amounts of cereals to reduce the risk of digestive upsets
• Reduce the amount of cereals on rest days
• Be prepared to accept that sometimes laziness is the nature of the beast!

Top Picks

Balancers

Baileys Performance Balancer No.19 20kg £28.95

Performance Balancer provides appropriate levels of essential nutrients, without unwanted calories and can be fed as the sole concentrate or added to reduced amounts of mixes or cubes. Performance Balancer is low in starch and sugar, It contains quality protein supplying a superb amino acid profile, to help build and promote muscle and top line and support tissue repair.  Boosted levels of antioxidant vitamins and minerals help neutralise free radicals and promote healthy muscle function, while Digest Plus prebiotic and the live probiotic yeast, Actisaf, ensure a healthy gut and fibre digestion

Dodson & Horrell Performance Balancer 15kg £27.95

A fully balanced ration tailored to the requirements of the performance horse. Perfect for a low intake complete feed, or as an additional top up to hard feed when required.

Mixes

Saracen RE-LEVE® 20kg £16.75

RE-LEVE®-MIX is a cereal and alfalfa free, low starch (8%), low sugar (6%) mix, specifically designed to replace all cereal based concentrate feed for horses in work that have a nervous disposition or react adversely to high cereal and starch levels. Highly digestible "Super-Fibres" and high oil levels reduce the reliance on starch to provide energy (calories) in the diet. The low starch, high fibre and oil levels also make RE-LEVE®-MIX a suitable product for horses prone to Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome. High levels of antioxidants, such as a natural source of vitamin E and organic selenium, are included together with daily levels of live yeast to support the maintenance of the hindgut.

Dodson & Horrell Competition Mix 20kg £12.95

Traditional grain-based performance feed to support horses competing and in need of additional fast releasing carbohydrates. Provides key amino acids to support muscle development and repair. Includes electrolytes to help replace losses that occur as part of regular training. Fully balanced feed including chelated minerals for optimum absorption and activity in the body. Contains ActiSaf protected live yeast, supporting a healthy hindgut environment, fibre fermentation and nutrient uptake.

Cubes

Top Spec Performance Cubes 20kg £13.75

Top Spec Performance Cubes provide energy for working horses but are ‘Non-Heating’ and are ideal for horses that need to focus on their jobs or are a bit sharp. Performance Cubes are designed to be added to a feed balancer or supplement and therefore contain no added vitamins or trace-elements. That is why we call them a ‘blend,’ because they are a blend of straight raw materials rather than a complete feed. They are formulated without the use of any cereal grains, so they are not just ‘oat-free’ or ‘barley-free’ but completely cereal-grain-free. At the same time, they have a good energy level of 12.5MJ/kg, equivalent to most cereal containing compound feeds designed to support hard work. The formula is low in starch and sugar, and high in good quality protein and fibre.

Dodson & Horrell Staypower 20kg Cubes £11.95

Oat-grain free, lower starch performance feed providing a controlled energy release for horses in need of staying power and an even temperament. Provides key amino acids to support muscle development and repair. Includes electrolytes to help replace losses that occur as part of regular training. Fully balanced feed including chelated minerals for optimum absorption and activity in the body. Contains ActiSaf protected yeast, supporting a healthy hindgut environment, fibre fermentation and nutrient uptake.

Oil Based Feed

Baileys Outshine 20kg £36.95 / 6.5kg £15.95

Outshine is an extruded nugget that combines oils from soya and linseed with supporting nutrients, including important antioxidants, plus superfibres and Digest Plus prebiotic, to produce a high oil supplement which can be fed to promote weight gain or stamina or simply outstanding coat shine. Soya oil is rich in Omega 6 fatty acids, whilst linseed is an excellent source of Omega 3 so Baileys Outshine combines them both to give an optimum balance, avoiding the risk of an imbalance from feeding straight soya oil or boiled linseed. Oil is a concentrated source of slow-release energy, however, the more oil that is included in the diet, the more antioxidants the body requires to deal with the free radicals produced during its metabolism. Outshine contains additional antioxidants in the form of vitamins E and C, as well as selenium and zinc, to support the safe and efficient utilisation of the oil by the body. Its extruded formula mixes well with compound feeds and straights alike, is appetising and easy to handle. Fed in small quantities, Outshine is particularly useful for increasing the “non-starch”, slow release calorie content of the horse’s diet without significantly increasing the volume fed.

Chaff & Chop

Dengie Alfa A Oil 20kg £14.95

Alfa-A Oil is our fibre feed with the highest slow-release energy level, ideal for fuelling horses in work, promoting weight gain and generating exceptional condition. A blend of alfalfa and rapeseed oil providing 12.5MJ/kg of Digestible Energy from fibre and oil – a comparable energy level to a competition or conditioning mix or cube, but with 10x less starch. Alfa-A Oil is rich in highly digestible fibre and packed with natural vitamins and minerals. Alfalfa is a widely recognised ingredient for promoting digestive health due to its natural buffering properties. Alfa-A Oil is approved by BETA for horses and ponies prone to Equine Gastric Ulcers Syndrome. Abundant in quality protein for aiding topline and muscle development. Contains no added sugar and is naturally low in starch at just 2%. High in oil for show ring condition, healthy skin and exceptional coat shine. Free from molasses, preservatives and straw. Contains 100% natural ingredients grown in the UK.

Mollichaff Condition 15kg £10.75

Mollichaff Condition Complete contains a balanced blend of alfalfa, dried grass, oat straw, fibre pellets, barley, soya flakes, soya oil and mint. It also includes Yea-sacc®, a prebiotic, vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. Soya oil is included to provide essential fatty acids to help improve skin condition and encourage a healthy, glossy coat. Mollichaff Condition Complete is suitable for encouraging weight gain in underweight horses and ponies and can also help to maintain weight and condition in competition horses and ponies. Always feed at least 1.5% of bodyweight in total food per day (including forage), even to overweight horses and ponies.

Straights

Micronised Linseed 20kg £24.95

A ready to feed micronized linseed meal mix. Linseed oil is high in omega 3, 6 & 9 fatty acids. Micronised linseed is a more beneficial source of energy than cereal based feeds as it is easier to digest. A diet supplemented with linseed can help to manage nutrition effectively.

Rolled Oats 20kg £9.50

Rolled to assist digestion whilst avoiding significant nutrient losses.

Supplements

NAF M-Power 900g £65

NAF delivers Extra Performance for muscle development, topline and condition. NAF understands the nutritional demands of performance, how cereal based feeds are often unsuitable for many horses' digestion and how important it is to ensure the muscles are free from toxin build up. To help develop muscle and maintain it NAF have formulated MPower, naturally, for Five Star Performance. MPower delivers Extra Performance over traditional muscle builders by combining an effective amino acid profile (the precursors to a quality source of protein for building muscle tissue) with a powerful blend of naturally sourced antioxidants (omicha, turmeric, licorice, rosehips) in addition to Vitamin E and Selenium for clean strong powerful muscle tissue.

NAF EnerG 2L £19.99

Fortified with vitamins and trace elements, this fast acting, veterinary approved liquid formula is designed to support the performance of the hardworking equine athlete. The sports horse demands more of his body to perform to his full potential. As his performance increases so too does his requirement for specific nutrients. It’s well known that essential salts are lost through sweat. However, it’s not just the electrolytes that are required in higher levels. This is where EnerG becomes so valuable. EnerG provides controlled levels of iron, balanced with copper and zinc, all important nutrients required by the horse for performance, to maximise the benefits of this unique synergistic formulation, thus optimizing energy metabolism. EnerG contains these essential elements, together with an unrivalled spectrum of Vitamin B complexes, to support the health and efficiency of red blood cells and energy metabolism. EnerG also provides Vitamin K3, the most effective form of this important vitamin, for blood clotting and bone metabolism. Importantly, EnerG is a carefully targeted product that simply provides the nutrients necessary to support blood profiles and energy metabolism, so it can be safely added to any diet.