TIME is money. Many yards are feeding fewer times a day due to lack of time and staff costs.

This can result in horses being fed feeds that are too big to be efficiently digested, leading to increased problems including colic, tying-up, developmental orthopedic disease (DOD), and gastric upsets. The maximum feed size for a typical 15.2hh 500kg horse is 2kg dry weight (one heaped Stubbs scoop of cubes).

The solution to the above problem is to increase the nutrient density of the ration and to keep feed sizes within the capacity of the stomach (a horse’s stomach is only the size of a rugby ball).

The most cost-effective way of doing this is to base the feed regime on a feed balancer. Most feed balancers, designed to promote condition and top line, are formulated on a high-quality protein base.

They contain vitamins and minerals, to ensure a balanced diet, and yeast products to improve fibre digestibility and to support a healthy digestive system.

Additional calories (energy) can be supplied in various forms to suit different horses including grass chops, sugar beet, cubes, mixes, high-oil flakes and liquid oil.

If your feeds are too big, move to a more conditioning or higher energy cube or mix. Oil is an excellent way of increasing the calorie content of a ration, but it should be introduced gradually over three weeks to allow the horse to utilise it efficiently.

Many horses being prepped for sales are with the yards producing them for a very short period of time. Feeding a very calorie-dense feed – which not only promotes condition but supports the development of muscle – is important. Feeding these horses in sympathy with their digestive system should be an important consideration, especially as many will go straight into training.

The use of high-oil flakes and a feed balancer will considerably reduce the quantities of hard feed required, thus increasing the horse’s appetite for forage with both nutritional and behavioural benefits.

Feeding this way will reduce the likelihood of horses getting digestive upsets and also developing stereotypical behaviour.

Dublin Horse Show (July 20th-24th) falls earlier this year, so people will have less time to get their horses ready. The goodness of the summer grass will not be there for as long, unless we have an unusual early spring.

Using a feed that is higher in protein and energy will help horses put on the condition more quickly. However, it is better to start early and to slowly promote the weight gain and muscle development, especially with youngstock, where even growth rates should be maintained, and for older horses prone to excitability.

Lastly, don’t underestimate the value of feeding good quality forage. Forage should make up the majority of our horses’ feed regimes (with the exception of racehorses) and thus its quality is paramount.

Consulting a feed company for advice is a great way to find out if you are doing everything right and sometimes a small tweak to a successful feeding regime can make all the difference.

Katy Mickle is Senior Nutritionist with Top-Spec

Telephone: 062 85401