|
Home
Josey Western Store
Josey Videos & Books
Horses for Sale
Josey Clinic Schedule
Where's Martha?
R.E. & Martha's Corner-FAQ on Feeding
Saddles |
Bits |
Leg Wraps |
Feeding |
Grooming |
Trailer Safety
| Equine Health
Questions Answered by:
Purina Mills, LLC.
| Q: What is a good feed and feeding
regiment to help put weight on a malnourished Senior Horse? |
It takes awhile to put weight back on an older horse once
they've lost weight. The first thing needs to be a vet check-up
to determine if the horse has anything wrong healthwise (thyroid
condition, Cushings Disease, parasites, blood disorders, etc.).
If your vet has the proper equipment, a dental exam is highly
recommended. Not all vets have the newest equipment to handle
proper floating of teeth. If this is the case, you might want to
have someone who specializes in Equine Dentistry
examine the horse.
Purina Mills was the first feed company to develop a feed for older
horse, named Equine Senior. We did extensive research for several
years to determine what an older horse requires nutritionally. What
we found was that older horses have a harder time digesting fiber
because their digestive systems have slowed down. They also begin
to have challenges to their
immune system, requiring higher levels of Vitamin E, Vitamin C,
Zinc, and Folic Acid. Feeding a 14% Protein, found in Equine
Senior, is necessary to help them maintain muscle tissue. The
quality of protein and other ingredients is very important in
helping an older horse process feed, hay, and pasture.
One thing that also happens is older horses, due to their difficulty
digesting hay or pasture, will graze, but once they've chewed the
grass they spit it out. It's not something you may notice, since
they're usually small dried balls of fiber. They cannot process it
properly.
Equine Senior is designed to be fed as a complete feed, requiring no
additional hay or pasture. This is the best way to feed if you're
not sure what quality your hay or pasture is or if your horse is
having a hard time processing hay or pasture. You can also feed
Equine Senior with hay or pasture, as long as it is good quality.
Try to feed as least 2 or more times per day. Be consistent with
your feeding times. Keep clean, fresh water available at all
times. Make sure you have salt available free choice.
Remember to feed based on the weight of your horse. If they are
underweight, you will have to feed more calories to get them to the
weight they need to be. Weigh your feed to know exactly how many
pounds you are feeding per day. Directions for how much to feed are
on the back of the feed bag. |
| |
| Q: Do all horses get the same feed? |
| A: Horses should be fed based on their age, weight, and level
of activity. |
| For example: A performance horse, like a barrel horse, roping
horse, cutting horse, etc. needs to be fed a diet with a higher
level of calories than a horse that may only be ridden once or twice
a week. As activity levels increase, a 14% protein and higher amount
of energy should be supplied in the diet. If activity level
decreases, no less than 10% protein should be fed, including a lower
level or energy. It is important to feed a good quality hay, which
keeps the digestive tract working properly. Hay or forage also
provides some level of energy. Other considerations should be given
to young growing horses, older horse, breeding horses, etc. All of
these types require different types of feeds. Knowing the wight of
you horse is also important to determine how much to feed. If your
veterinarian has a scale, be sure to weigh your horse while you are
at the vet clinic. You can also use a horse weight tape to get a
good idea of your horse's weight. You should be able to get one of
these at your local Purina dealer. If they don't have one in stock,
they can order one for you. Be sure to weigh your feed too. All
feeds weigh differently. You can use a fishing scale, diet scale, or
take your feed to your local feed dealer. They usually have a scale
and can weigh it for you. They are also a good source of information
on how to feed. |
| |
| Q: What is the best time to feed my
horse? |
| A: Feeding times vary, depending on what you're doing with
your horse. You should be feeding at least twice a day and it is
best to feed every 12 hours. I know many rodeo people who feed at
10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. to accommodate their rodeo schedule and
give their horse time to recover from the rodeo performance. Most
people who work will feed differently because of their schedule. The
main thing is to be consistent as much as possible. If you're
feeding a good balanced feed and good quality hay or pasture, you're
less likely to have a problem. |
| |
| Q: What is the difference between
Strategy and Omolene 200? |
| A: Strategy is a pelleted feed and Omolene 200 is a sweet
grain mix feed. Purina originally designed Strategy for large
breeding operations where the farm would have many different age
groups of horses, including broodmares, stallions, young growing
horses, and horses in training. These farms wanted one feed they
could feed to all these groups safely, butgive them all the proper
balanced nutrition they needed for their age, weight, and level of
activity. That is why we can recommend Strategy for any lifestage.
Strategy is 14% protein and 6% fat. Omolene is available in 3 types:
Omolene 100 is recommended for Adult Horses who need a maintenance
ration because they are not being ridden much and is 110% protein
and 4.5% fat. Omolene 200 is for Performance horses, growing horses
over a year of age, and breeding horses. It is 14% protein and 6 %
fat. Omolene 300 id designed for young growing horses under a year
of age or lactating broodmares being fed with their foals. It is 16%
protein and 4.5 % fat. Strategy has a slightly higher level of
amino acid, Lysine, which helps the young, growing horse. |
| |
| Q: What is a good feeding program for
older horses? |
| A: Older horses have challenges with their immune
system, digestive system, etc. Purina recommends Equine Senior for
older horses. It is a pelleted feed with an added nugget, Athlete,
and has a processed molasses coating that is easier for the older
horse to chew. It also has a higher fiber level, because a lot of
older horsess have teeth problems and a slower digestive system,
making it harder for them to eat and digest fiber. Older horses can
get to the point where they might chew hay or pasture, but don't
swallow it because it's too hard for them to digest it. You can feed
Equine Senior as a complete feed (Complete feeds provide all the
nutrients in the horse's diet, including hay). It also has a higher
levers of Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Zinc and Folic Acid to help the
older horse with their immune system. |
| |
| Q: Is it good to feed your horse 3
times a day? |
| A: Purina recommends feeding at least twice a day, unless you
have a horse who is not being ridden much and is only being fed a
small amount of feed. A horse's stomach is small and cannot handle
large amount of feed or grain at one time. If too much is fed at one
time it can cause digestive upsets and lead ato colic or laminitis.
It is always best to feed the highest quality of feed and hay you
can. It should be balanced and provide the nutrients your horse
requires for their age, weight, and activity level. A nutrient dense
feed is best, because you don't have to feed as much per day. You
might need to feed 3 or more times per day if your horse's activity
level is high, requiring more calories to maintain body condition
and level of activity. |
| |
| Q: If I'm going to run my horse at a
show around 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. could I feed him a 1/2 feeding around
mid afternoon and the other half after I run? |
| A: This depends on what time you feed in the morning. If you
feed at 7:00 a.m. you might want to feed a partial feeding at 7:00
a.m. and the remainder after your run. It is important to feed on a
consistent basis, including hay. I know some people who feed at
10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. to accommodate their show schedule. |
| |
| Q: If I'm feeding another Purina feed
like Sweet 10, which is a 10% feed, could I mix it with Omolene 200
to help give me a little extra with the athlete in Omolene? |
| A: Anytime you mix feeds, you change the balance of the
protein, including protein, energy, vitamins and minerals. If your
horse is not being ridden much, a 10% protein feed would work. You
would be better off feeding Omolene 100 instead of Sweet 10, because
it is more nutrient dense and balanced. You wouldn't have to feed as
much Omolene 100 as Sweet 10. If your activity level is higher, we
would recommend Omolene 200. |
| |
Q: If I'm feeding Omolene 200
could I add an additive, like Equine Bloom, to help enhance main and
tail growth? |
| A: Omolene 200 is a balanced feed and does not need
additives. Make sure you are feeding a good quality hay or pasture.
Suring the summer, you might need to use some electrolytes if you're
riding and hauling your horse a lot. Anytime you use additives, you
change the balance of the feed. Adding vitamins and/or minerals can
actually inhibit the absorption of some nutrients. Adding vitamins
and/or minerals can also create toxicity problems. Some people like
to mix oats and Omolene 200 because they think it makes their horse
sweat less. What causes a horse to sweat it outside tempertaure and
humidity, level of activity, and fiber in the diet. Oats are high in
fiber. They are also very deficient in vitamins and minerals,
creating a dietary imbalance. |
|
