Call us on: 01869 249 442

Categories


eFeed.co.uk -The UK's first online feed merchant!

Welcome to eFeed.co.uk. The UK's first online feed merchant! We are looking forward to offering you exciting deals, s... read more

Barley is high in protein and provides digestible energy.  It is high in fat and calories and so is exceptionally good for putting weight on a thin horse. It can also help to keep weight on a horse in winter. It is less likely than other grains, such as oats, to trigger ‘hot’ or ‘fizzy’ behaviour.

However, barley is not a perfect grain and has a poor phosphorus to calcium ratio. It lacks Vitamin A and Vitamin D so always ensure that these are provided from another source.

The grains are hard so need to either be crushed, rolled or cooked (steamed or boiled) before feeding to the horse.  It’s important that grains are provided in the correct form for the horse to utilise.

Some horses don’t like the taste of barley, so mixing it with molasses or cooking the barley can take away the taste.

Don’t forget that if you’re looking to introduce a new feed to your horse’s diet, it should always be done slowly to help prevent any digestive issues caused by changing feed.

Posted: 28/09/2015 10:59:21
The average horse needs around two tablespoons of salt per day, more when they are ‘working’ and more during heat! This needs to be provided alongside plenty of water. Salt is lost through sweating, urine, and faeces.

Sodium (salt) is the main electrolyte found in blood and the fluid surrounding cells. If salt levels are low, the blood will not be able to hold enough water. In turn, the adrenal gland releases the hormone aldosterone.  This hormone tells the kidneys that sodium should not leave the body.  The kidneys then hold onto the salt and excrete potassium instead which causes an electrolyte imbalance. Lack of salt can also cause the horse to avoid drinking water as they seek to hold onto sodium and keep the body from flushing it away.

The main electrolytes found in a horse’s body are:
  • Sodium
  • Chloride
  • Potassium
  • Magnesium
  • Calcium
Salt stimulates thirst, so can facilitate the excretion of excess potassium in the body.  Supplying sodium and chloride (i.e. salt) can correct any electrolyte imbalances. The correct sodium balance is necessary for proper thirst response in the horse and body water equilibrium.

The results or signs of not enough salt in the horse’s body can be:
  • Lack of or inadequate sweating
  • Tying up (a muscular disorder)
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Dehydration
  • Impaired performance
  • Exacerbation of problems such as azoturia
  • Increased risk of colic
  • Dull coat
  • Sunken eyes
  • Depression
  • Listlessness
  • Dark urine
Inadequate salt levels can result in abnormal eating behaviour, for example licking or chewing objects which have salt on them or licking or eating dirt.  They may chew rails, wood, trees or lick your hands which may show that they are craving salt.

The work your horse does will depend on how you need to supplement his diet with salt. For those at rest or in very light work, a salt lick and/or adding salt to the diet may be enough. For horses in hard work, a more complete electrolyte supplement may be required as horses can lose a lot of electrolytes through hard work. If you’re concerned about how to supplement your horse’s diet, calling one of the free nutritional helplines available can be a huge help. If you’re concerned about your horse’s wellbeing, you should speak to your vet.



Posted: 15/09/2015 15:43:27

In addition to an impressive range of horse feeds, we also sell a number of electrolytes supplements. These supplements can be added to the horse’s diet to help prevent electrolyte deficiency. They’re particularly useful to horses in hard work and during hot weather.

Baileys Aqua-Aide - contains key salts, including potassium chloride and magnesium, in addition to the commonly included sodium chloride, plus sufficient dextrose for optimum absorption. It can be fed ad hoc (whenever the horse sweats), on an ongoing basis or before, during and after competition days. Its highly palatable formulation can be administered in water or wet (sloppy) feed.

NAF Electro Salts -  a nutritionally balanced combination of four essential salts, in glucose for easy absorption. To replace salts lost as a result of exertion and during hot weather.

Dodson & Horrell Electrolytes - a dietetic mineral feedingstuff that contains electrolyte salts specifically designed to compensate for nutrient and electrolyte loss in the cases of heavy sweating in horses & ponies.

Posted: 02/09/2015 11:33:36

Syndication

RSS