As we move into British Summer Time, it’s the perfect moment to reassess our horse’s diet and plans for the coming months. Jennifer Little from Equinutrition shares her insights on what horse owners should consider during this transition.
With longer days, it’s tempting to rush into spring and summer, but these changes can pose challenges for your horse. Now is a great time to evaluate your horse’s body condition, workload, and management, and plan for the months ahead.
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Spring and Body Condition Scoring
Winter often leads to weight loss in some horses, while summer can cause weight gain in others. Now is the perfect time to review your horse’s body condition using Body Condition Scoring (BCS). This scale, ranging from 1-5 or 1-9, helps assess fat and muscle levels. Ideal BCS is 3/5 or 5/9, indicating a healthy horse with low disease risk and good performance potential.
Horses in ideal condition have well-covered necks without a crest, defined shoulders, easily felt ribs, and round rumps. Horses below ideal condition may need diet adjustments to prevent weight loss, while those above ideal condition risk diseases like Equine Metabolic Syndrome and laminitis. Adjusting management and diet now can help achieve desired fat loss before spring. Assessing your horse’s BCS is a valuable first step in planning for spring changes.
Spring Fever (Enthusiastic Behaviour)!
With longer daylight hours, horses may exhibit more enthusiastic behaviours. This, combined with equine obesity, often leads to reduced hard feeds. However, reducing feed can limit essential vitamins and minerals. Instead, consider a balancer, which provides necessary nutrients with fewer calories. Balancers typically have a feeding rate of 100g/100kg body weight, so a 500kg horse needs 0.5kg per day. Alternatively, use vitamin and mineral blocks like Horslyx Balancer, requiring just 250g per day for a 500kg horse.
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Fibre and Forages in Spring
Spring brings changes in grazing and fibre sources for horses, shifting from winter forages like hay to fresh grass. This transition should be gradual, over at least two weeks, to avoid disrupting the bacteria in the horse’s hindgut, which can lead to acidosis or colic. Introduce new grass or fields gradually to help the bacteria adapt and maintain a healthy digestive system. Proper planning ensures your horse’s continued health.
Spring and Workload
Spring is a good time to plan your horse’s workload, especially if you have summer competitions or events. An ideal Body Condition Score (BCS) for performance is 2.5-3.5/5 (4-6/9).
Spring grass can meet many nutritional needs at low work levels but may lack some vitamins and minerals. A balancer can help. At higher work levels, spring grass might not provide enough protein and energy, requiring a suitable compound feed. Introduce new feeds gradually to support gut health.
Ensure your horse’s diet is balanced to maintain health and performance throughout the year.
The Horslyx Digestion Balancer ensures consistent provision of vitamins and minerals as your horse transitions between different workloads and management styles, from stable to field. This balancer also includes prebiotics and probiotics to support the hindgut bacterial population, crucial during seasonal changes. It contains Slippery Elm and Seaweed Meal for mucilage, which helps buffer stomach acidity, and Actisaf, a live probiotic yeast, to maintain gut health.
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Spring Checklist for Your Horse
🌸 Spring into Action with Your Horse! 🌸
Diary or Wall Planner: Keep track of Body Condition Scores (BCS), management changes, and upcoming competitions or events. A visual planner can help you stay organized and motivated.
Assess Body Condition Scores: Regularly check your horse’s BCS to ensure they are in optimal health. Aim for a BCS of 2.5-3.5/5 (4-6/9) for peak performance.
Review Feeding Rates: Compare actual feeding rates with the recommended minimums for compound feeds. Adjust as needed to maintain a balanced diet.
Plan Management Changes: Anticipate shifts from stable to field management. Gradual transitions help maintain gut health and overall well-being.
Increase Workloads Gradually: Prepare for a busy summer by gradually increasing your horse’s workload. This helps build fitness and prevents injuries.
This checklist will help you and your horse smoothly transition into the vibrant spring season! 🌷🐴
