Workload and feeding
There are many factors that contribute towards how much your horse should receive in his daily ration, and workload is one of these factors. However, with spring finally here and many workloads creeping up- how do you know when it’s time to increase your horse’s feed?
First of all, let’s discuss workload. This is an important issue and many people overestimate what their horse’s workload actually is. You might be surprised to hear that light work can include ridden exercise every day…so don’t assume that because you’re riding your horse for an hour six days a week that he’s now in hard work as that might not be the case.
If your horse’s workload has increased, you need to work out if you need to up his feed, but be aware that you might not need to. Not only does work have a bearing on the amount of energy or feed a horse needs, but the time of year, the nutrients he’s picking up naturally from the grass and the quality for his forage do too, so it’s not as easy as looking at the back of your feed sack. No doubt that this is a great place to start, but as any horse owner will know, not all horses follow the guidelines!
The best way to accommodate for a change in regime is to monitor your horse closely and change feed, if needed, after the workload has increased. Over feeding can lead to behavioural issues that could make him more difficult to ride, and could also lead to weight gain. Weigh him regularly, take pictures of him, condition score and adjust by small amounts as required…don’t let what you think your horse’s workload is and what it actually is cause you to overfeed and create problems that otherwise may not be there.
Posted: 23/04/2013 11:45:19