The recent floods and wet weather have impacted on the way we care for our horses, whether this has been a huge change due to damage to property or a decision as to whether to keep horses indoors until field conditions improve.
For many horses this is quite a change in routine and feeding structure. As owners, we need to consider this and plan what can we do to ensure our horses are well looked after and healthy…
Hydration is very important to gut health and wellbeing. It is sensible to keep replenishing stabled horse’s water throughout the day - and as a rule of thumb it is worth replacing the whole bucket, not just topping up. At the same time, you can monitor what your horse is drinking.
Fussy drinkers may be tempted by apple pieces in their water, or even apple juice, some even have a particular bucket they prefer to drink from. If you are struggling to get your horse to drink, then play around with ideas. For example, you can wet down your feeds, which not only makes them more palatable, but also supplies moisture to the hind gut which can help to prevent colic and gut impactions.
Feeding fibre is eseential. Good quality meadow hay is a great option for those who want a low calorie bulk feed that won’t give ‘fizz’ to horses. Again this can be soaked, dampened or steamed to add moisture at the same time as reducing dust. If horses have come inside and are cold and soaked, the best feed is high fibre based hay, chaff or pony nuts that will slowly release energy and sustain for a longer period of time. Forage also helps to warm the horse from the inside out. Hay has an additional advantage in that it can be fed off the floor or from a floor manger if you wish to increase neck and back stretching. Another benefit is that hay takes a long time to chew, which not only keeps the horse busy, it also encourages saliva production which can support healthy gastric function.
Your horse may be having additional forage if kept outside on grass. If they are stable kept, the rule of thumb is to continue with a similar regime. Feed little and often, possibly dividing two am and pm feeds into three feeds and interspersing with ad lib hay. Again, fibre is one of the keys to helping prevent gut impactions and colic issues. Plain grass chops, high fibre pony nuts and high fibre mixes are perfect for this and won’t cause ‘fizz’. The addition of a balancer in powder or nut form will ensure that your horse or pony gets the vitamins and minerals they require. Competition horses may require additional ‘energy giving’ feed as they prepare for the new season, but this should be fed according to work. If you are unable to exercise your horse, consider upping fibre and reducing (or removing) starchy based ‘hard’ feeds to help prevent problems ranging from behavioural issues to azoturia.
Lastly, make the time your horse spends inside as fun as it can be. Some equines enjoy horse toys such as footballs, while others love to admire themselves in stable mirrors (which can also reduce stress and anxiety). A cheap ‘home made’ toy can be made by drilling large holes through suedes, turnips, parsnips and carrots and stringing them up carefully in your horse’s stable. They can provide hours of fun, while also adding a succulent and additional fibre ration to the diet.