As the eventing season is finally upon us, we’ve being thinking about feeding for competition. There are many different takes on feeding the competition horse, but there are some tips that apply however you feed your competition horse.
* The first one relates to workload. During a fitness programme, a horse’s workload will change, and while it’s key to ensure your horse is receiving the correct nutrition to match a demanding schedule, overfeeding can cause an awful lot of problems. In general, it’s important to increase workload before you increase the energy levels supplied by your horse’s diet unless there’s a specific reason that your horse requires extra calories, such as being underweight.
* Think about how you’re supplying this extra energy. If you have a horse who is a little hot, look at slow release options or, conversely, for horses who need a bit of extra umph, look at products that provide instant energy…some even provide the two.
* Don’t forget that whatever level your horse competes at, fibre is important, in fact, some people run their horses on full fibre diets whilst competing at the highest level. For example, a product like Alfa-A oil contains 12.5 MJ/kg of slow release energy, which is a similar level to some competition mixes. Even if you opt for more conventional feed, fibre is still needed in the diet.
* If you’re changing your horse’s feed or introducing an extra element, make sure you do it gradually. Sudden changes or additions to the diet can upset the horse’s digestive system, so introduce these slowly to allow the horse’s gut and the bacteria within it time to adjust.
* Monitor your horse. It’s important to keep a careful eye on your competition horse’s weight, but it’s also key to be aware of any behavioural of performance issues that arise. This might not be down to the horse’s feed, but being extra vigilant could help you nip an issue in the bud, whether a change in management regime, feeding or a visit from the vet is required.
We offer a number of feeds ideal for competition horses…here are just a few…
Possiable feeds
I want to feed my horse…fibre
Dengie Alfa-A Oil
Dodson & Horrell Fibergy
Pure Feed- Pure Racing
My horse needs…slow release energy
Allen & Page Calm & Condition
Spillers – Response Slow Release Mix
Baileys No 6 Endurance Mix
Dodson & Horrell- Staypower Muesli
TopSpec- Performance Cubes
My horse needs…a bit of extra oomph
Spillers- Response Instant Energy Mix
Dodson & Horrell- Competition Concentrate
Baileys- No.19 Performance Balancer