When good hay alone is not enough
This article is presented with the support of Sentinel Horse Nutrition.
As riders, we know that forage should be the main component of every horse's diet because the horse's digestive system is best suited to digest it.
But here's the point: even high-quality grass or hay may not always provide the nutrients needed by a sport horse to maintain weight, muscle, and energy throughout a full training and competition program.
So what's the solution?
(Hint: The answer is not more hay!
) Although it is always best to consult with a veterinarian or equine nutritionist before making any changes to the diet, you can consider adding a ration balancer or a vitamin/mineral supplement specifically formulated for horses with a forage-based diet.
Why is forage alone not enough?
It's true that fresh grass and high-quality dry forage can meet many, if not most, of a horse's nutritional needs.
However, their nutritional value is not as consistent as you might think.
As local agricultural extension centers also confirm, the nutritional composition of pasture grasses and legumes changes rapidly from night to day and from season to season.
For example, consider a lush spring pasture.
Initially, it is rich in nutrients, but as it matures, it becomes more fibrous, and the digestible protein and nutrients needed to provide energy decrease.
Other factors can also change the nutritional value of the pasture, including overgrazing and poor management.
This is especially true when the soil is nutrient-poor.
After cutting and drying hay, the levels of vitamin E and beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A) decrease significantly.
Therefore, the freshness and the duration of storage of the hay are as important as the type of hay; for example, alfalfa hay versus orchard grass.
And of course, the nutritional value of hay will vary with each batch you purchase.
This is particularly important when feeding horses with higher needs.
Including high-level sport horses, breeding horses, young horses, or horses recovering from stress or illness.
Horses in these categories often require nutritional support beyond what even the best pasture or hay can provide.
Grain is not a reliable filler for this gap either.
In enriched feeds, to benefit from the declared advantages of vitamins and minerals, you must consume the amount recommended by the manufacturer.
And this amount often provides more calories than ideal for easy-keeping and low-need horses.
This is where a ration balancer designed for low-need horses — or horses whose bodies cannot tolerate large amounts of grain — can be helpful.
What is missing in my horse's diet?
Most horse keepers regularly evaluate hay based on color, smell, maturity, and leafiness.
However, to obtain a more accurate and definitive assessment of the nutritional content of hay, it is better to take a representative sample from several bales in a batch and send it to a lab for testing.
A basic analysis usually includes digestible energy values, fiber, crude protein, sugar and starch levels, as well as some minerals.
Upon request, sometimes additional tests for counting mold and other minerals and vitamins can also be conducted.
Of course, you should consider the time of harvesting and drying mentioned earlier, as well as the duration that the shipment has been stored in the warehouse.
Since forage constitutes a large part of most horses' diets, even small imbalances can have an impact over time.
Pasture samples can also be sent to commercial laboratories for analysis.
However, the nutrient levels in green pasture, which are constantly changing, are much more difficult to determine accurately than hay.
At best, you will only get a snapshot of the pasture content at a specific hour of the day, in a specific week, and in a specific season.
What to look for in a balancer or supplement So once you have a clear picture of the nutritional value of your horse's current forage — including its weaknesses — what's the next step?
Searching for a suitable ration balancer or supplement is as much about filling deficiencies as it is about avoiding "over-supplying" certain nutrients.
Also, keep in mind that if you are feeding something other than forage, some compounds may interfere with the absorption of others.
Giving multiple supplements simultaneously can also be risky for the same reasons.
Although forage should be the main pillar of your horse's feeding program, it may not be sufficient on its own.
Do enough research and make sure you are targeting your horse's needs as accurately as possible.
You should correct imbalances without overdoing it and without imposing additional calories or protein on the diet.
Things to consider include: formulas specifically designed for horses with forage-based diets, with lower or more concentrated intake, minimal starch and sugar, and nutrient percentages that align with the horse's established needs amounts of vitamins A and E that adequately compensate for their common reduced levels in stored hay essential amino acids for muscle growth and development omega-3 fatty acids for skin, coat, and hoof health, along with organic mineral micronutrients (copper, selenium, manganese, zinc) in easily absorbable forms Depending on your horse's needs, consider Sentinel Care Topline 30 or Sentinel Simply Lite to provide the components of a suitable balancer Summary Before making any changes to your horse's diet, it is best to gather the necessary information and assess all factors.
To ensure you are on the right track, consult your veterinarian or contact a qualified equine nutrition specialist for a ration analysis.
Ultimately, the judicious use of supplements can turn suitable forage into a much healthier and more complete diet for the horse.
Source: Practical Horseman – Health