Feeding program

[rainechyldes]

[QUOTE=midwestrocket;4237392]
I cannot help but to think my own nutritional program…I am a figure competitor and I wouldn’t turn to oats for for my body…too much of a good thing! granted oats are a complex carbohydrate but I’m thinking of distance horses like runners…I realize that marathon runners carb up the night before to shove as much glycogen into the muscle to take the distance…but protein is equally as important! we are all, after all, one great big protein ball aren’t we??? Oats I’m sure will do something…Granted I have no intentions of carbing up my horse the night before a distance ride…sounds like colic to me!But after heavy excercise the body needs protein to repair itself…so why do you shy away from higher protein feeds? Just trying to wrap my mind around things :)[/QUOTE]

I don’t shy away from high protein feeds in that I think protein is evil. The issue is, if I’m feeding a high protein diet all the time, protein is a lesser optimal energy source for a distance horse. A distance horse should be getting the majority of their energy from fats/starches- not protein - in order to be competitive and not go metabolic/crash etc. . An average mature horse only requires 8-10% protein in their diet, I opt for 12-14% max as a rule.

I tend to feed the same all season/before/during a race day, I like a horse with lots of hind gut activity all the time (re: bulk- forage, beet pulp, hay-in order to prevent metabolic issues) I want my horse diving into those goods, so they get that diet all the time, the worst scenario to have is a horse who stops eating during an event because they are handed different foods (I’ve had it happen, and I learned my lesson:)) = add to that, that fats shouldn’t be given really be give pre/during race day- as it can lower the overall consumption of the horse , so it’s always (well for me) a big balancing act, how much is to much, how much is too little?

Oats seem to have the right numbers - but I’m not a fan of early morning nerves rocket rides at race start. So I think my experiment will be limited oats before (very limited) and a higher concentration post racing- and I’ll see what results that gets me.

Im far from an expert horse nutritionist all I’m basically trying to do is take what works at the moment(Which has been working for him for 3 seasons - so I know for the most part I’ve got his meals ‘right’, and just need to add something that will bring him back faster post race and help with recovery.

[ride2endure]

I forgot to make note the other day, that the fat is only given on days we work as well.

I figured my feeding plan around the fact that I want to ensure that nutrient-wise, Huck is getting all that he can in as little as possible. In looking at most feeds, I found that a horse in moderate work weighing around 900# needed something like 8-10# a day to ensure all nutrient requirements were met. I hated the idea of feeding so much of one food stuff!

Ideally, I want to feed a ration balancer such as Progressive Nutrition’s ProAdvantage grass formula to supplement Huck’s pasture intake. However, I can’t find ANY ration balancer locally, and the closest thing I can get is TC 30%. It is a 30% protein supplement, but because of the nutrient concentration I can feed the recommended amount - which is 1.5# for my horse. I’m trying to decide if I want to switch to PN or not.

Since I know Huck’s nutrients are being met through the TC30%, I then address his calorie needs - so I add the fat supplement. I use the beet pulp to hold everything together, and want to make sure he’ll eat the beet pulp at rides. Huck prefers his workout feedings with the beet pulp to his regular feeding w/o beet pulp.

I’m by no means an equine nutritionist, but so far this plan seems to be working and keeping Huck in good shape.

midwestrocket - If I can convince my husband, I’m aiming for the Fair Hill CTR in September. Otherwise, we’ll be at the Fort Valley 30 in late October.

[rainechyldes]

Yeah ration balancer is difficult to find here as well, so I can’t even say yay or naye, I’ve never had a long term opportunity to even try feeding it:/
Which sucks, I think it might be quite useful.

[Kyzteke]

Well, remember – you are not satisfied with the recovery of your guy.

If you really want to get technical, you might draw some blood, but it’s probably easier to just try & experiment.

Make sure you are looking at USEABLE calories, including protein. Protein is the source of tissue & muscle replacement, so if he seems tired and stiff it could be he is shy of protein, at least right after the ride.

Fat is good, but I was told a horse cannot utilize more than 30% fat in their diet, and it often takes months/years for a horse to adapt to this sort of diet.

I’ve also heard that an active endurance horse needs more selenium than the “offical” amt. listed in most sources. Maybe have his Se+ level drawn? Places like Ridecamp have plenty of discussions about this sort of thing.

Interesting note: I am involved with a breed called the Akhal Teke. They are from Central Asia and are a breed of great antiquity – equal or older than the Arab. Like the Arab, they were the war horse of a nomadic tribe and had to be capable of traveling great distances (like 200+ miles) carrying alot of weight – and do it at speed. The “breed” was held in great esteem by Darius of Persia and several major wars were actually fought to gain these horses – so fabled was their endurance, speed & elegance.

Well, what is so interesting is that, according to multiple sources, the feedstuff for the warhorses was barley, chopped lucern (alfalfa) and mutton fat!! They rolled it into balls and fed it. The horses rarely grazed during “war season” as they were staked out in front of the yurt all the time.

And the Arab tribesmen fed camel’s milk & dates!

I once had a horse that ate hamburgers (with onions).

[Auventera_Two]

Could it be as simple as WATER and/or electrolytes? There was one ride in which I was not happy with my horse’s recovery. She passed the vet check with flying colors, but I knew she “just wasn’t right.” The vet couldn’t see it because she didn’t know the horse, but I could. The only thing I could trace it back to was that she didn’t drink enough. Skin tenting and membranes got an A but I still don’t think it was enough water for her. She does better on rides where we have stream crossing because she likes to drink the cool/fresh water.

Now I know that if I can get her some cold water, she’ll drink twice or 3x as much and she’ll look and feel so much better.

I’ve seen all sorts of weird concoctions and recipes fed to horses at rides, and I guess every person just has to develop what works for their horse, regardless of how “weird” people think it is. I make cookies for my horse that have oatmeal, shredded carrots, flax, bran, honey, molasses, wheat flour, and some electrolytes, etc. Sometimes I can’t even get her to eat her grain at a stop, but if I whip out the rubbermaid full of cookies, she comes alive. I try to put stuff in the cookies that will be beneficial to her on the trail.

[rainechyldes]

@Kyzteke;4239674

Well, remember – you are not satisfied with the recovery of your guy.

If you really want to get technical, you might draw some blood, but it’s probably easier to just try & experiment.

Done actually - I do it every spring, and every fall. Didn’t have anything booked at the vet right after this past ride, as this is the first time I noticed anything different- wasn’t prepared for the slower recovery he presented. So I have it set for the vet to draw blood after the next one.

His Se+ is usually fine, but one idea I’ve come up with is something along those lines, maybe because his blood is drawn before/after a competitive season, the levels are fine, but I’m missing the boat during the season, when his levels of certain things might be lowering- but not seeing it, because of when the blood is normally pulled.

[rainechyldes]

[QUOTE=Auventera Two;4240268]
Could it be as simple as WATER and/or electrolytes? There was one ride in which I was not happy with my horse’s recovery. She passed the vet check with flying colors, but I knew she “just wasn’t right.” The vet couldn’t see it because she didn’t know the horse, but I could. The only thing I could trace it back to was that she didn’t drink enough. Skin tenting and membranes got an A but I still don’t think it was enough water for her. She does better on rides where we have stream crossing because she likes to drink the cool/fresh water. [/QUOTE]

I thought about that too. I’d love to blame it on that, it’d ease my mind a ton. hehe. Sadly I dont think I can This horse is a massive eating/drinking machine - and did his usual tanking up at every water crossing/vet stop without fail -was a fair bit of water on the trail too- this year, which was very nice, so he got more then his usual fare of water and snacks then he usually does at this event, it’s been wetter then normal here.

Electrolytes he was on his usual dosage, I did up them a tad more then I usually do post ride, because it was quite hot.

He looked ‘ok’ sat post-ride, sunday he was a bit sucked up, which is normalish for him- by sunday afternoon he’s usually fully recovered. I would honestly he didn’t rebound until Tuesday about lunch time.

Maybe I’m being anal, but thats sending me a big nasty red flag, it’s very unlike him. So yeah I’m definitely concerned and open to ideas. He’s definitely not complaining about the addition of oats so far, I shall report. lol

[rainechyldes]

[QUOTE=Kyzteke;4239674]
Interesting note: I am involved with a breed called the Akhal Teke. They are from Central Asia and are a breed of great antiquity – equal or older than the Arab. Like the Arab, they were the war horse of a nomadic tribe and had to be capable of traveling great distances (like 200+ miles) carrying alot of weight – and do it at speed. The “breed” was held in great esteem by Darius of Persia and several major wars were actually fought to gain these horses – so fabled was their endurance, speed & elegance.[/QUOTE]

I’ve always loved Tekes (from a distance) Cool, I’ve never met anyone whose involved with them before. I’ve heard they can be downright difficult and ornery, but I always took that with a grain of salt, since I run appy crosses, and we all know what they say about appies:) I keep swearing one of these days I’m going to get me one ( A Teke.)