|
The basic ingredient of any diet should be
fiber and by that I mean quality fiber such
as good hay, alfalfa or mixtures of dried
grasses and measured amounts of chopped
straw. Fiber should make up between 50% and
100% of the daily feed intake and even the
horse in the hardest of work should not need
more than 50% of the diet in hard feed. The
hard feed element is then supplied by the
addition of commercial cubes and mixtures
tailored to the workload of the horse in
question.
There are many very talented nutritionists
employed by the leading horse feed companies
who are experts in the design and
implementation of compound horse feeds.
These companies have balanced their feeds
and provide a wide selection so you can feed
just the right micronutrients in accordance
with the work rate of your horse. There are
of course times when specialists feeds
should be used such as breeding, weaning and
rearing and for the older horse there are
many top quality veteran diets available.
Also during times of illness or convalescent
special care must be taken with the diet and
particular caution must be observed when
considering the diet of
laminitic ponies.
On the market today are some extremely
effective supplements and additives to help
you with your horse’s diet and condition.
Don't be afraid to try some of these out you
may well be surprised at just how good some
of them are, remembering that all animals
are different and results are not always
going to be the same. If in doubt ask your
supplier and if they don't know about what
they are selling you then I recommend you go
elsewhere.
|