Post by JackieJATaylor on Oct 5, 2006 23:52:26 GMT 1
Question:
Hello Jackie
I’m getting a new little mare next week, a 15.2hh TB aged 15 years. I’d like to know where to start with her feed.
Background: she’s a good-doer for a TB who’s been at grass all summer. She’s been off-work due to some back issues (which I attribute to bad saddling, although we’re looking at longer term damage too, I think). She has had poor feet and has had steroid injections into her hocks once, two years ago – no need was seen to repeat these. I’m told she can be pretty ‘mare-ish’ when in season, although she’s not generally fizzy.
Over previous winters, she has been on a diet of haylage and a feed of Happy Hoof. She is currently on Formula4Feet as well. This winter she will be on hay.
I’d like to know which way to go with feeds, ensuring that she gets adequate nutrition for her feet and support for those hocks, just in case.
We’re in a low copper area ( Somerset). I’ve had recommendations for Simple System, but that was for 2kg of luciebix per day (which would work out at 3 bags per month – I imagine this was to provide calcium?), Total Eclipse and Linseed.
She’ll be long lining as we return to being saddled and then worked lightly.
Best wishes,
Jane
Answer:
Hi Jane, thank you for your question and donation.
I think with the issues your mare has had, and the age she is, you are quite right to want to ensure her nutrition is properly adequate.
I favour a feeding system based on a good balancer, firstly to suppy a supportive micronutrient profile and hopefully ensure all the vitamin and mineral 'RDA's' are met, and secondly to help ensure adequate quality protein.
All of the issues you mention, poor feet and joint problems, even muscular recovery, need the support of a generous supply of amino acids like lysine and methionine, and glycine and proline, as well as the vits and mins. If a horse is working hard and being fed the full recommended amount of a quality compound feed these needs should be met, but the majority of leisure horses will never need that amount of food, so the concept of a balancer comes into it's own.
I usually recommend TopSpec as it is a low starch and sugar formula which I know is safe for horses who have known metabolic problems, and so equally so for those who are 'maturing' and may begin to suffer hormonal imbalances. D&H Ultimate balancer is another good one which should be fine for a TB, and contains a few extras for stiff joints, and Bailey's Lo-Cal is a good budget version in my experience.
I personally do like to use alfalfa for extra calories for mature horses as it also gives you the added benefit of another quality protein boost, which may be very beneficial over winter when you are relying on hay. A lot of hay in the UK is cut quite late and fairly low in protein, falling under the minimum maintenance requirement of 8%, and as protein requirements only rise in the older horse (due to lower absorption) I think this is often beneficial.
Buy June cut meadow hay if you can, and if you have a regular supply it would be worth sending a sample to D&H for proximal analysis. This will tell you the protein, energy, sugar levels etc and is very good value for £5.00.
With adlib hay, in light work, a kilo or so of alfalfa or Alfa-beet with a balancer should be perfectly adequate in terms of calories - you could probably drop the alfalfa in spring when the grass protein starts to rise and just stick to a balancer, knowing your horse will still be getting a full dose of vits and mins.
I do think it is worth feeding some additional linseed or linseed oil, especially over winter, to top up the Omega 3 fatty acids which are beneficial to joint health, as well as giving a horse a wonderful shiny coat. Linseed is low cost and so can be added to every horses basic diet.
Beyond that it is really up to you whether you choose to feed a specific joint supplement for things like extra chondroitin or glucosamine as a prevention. A diet as described above should contain all the 'raw materials' a horse needs to maintain healthy joints, bone and cartilage, so unless your mare has a specific problem, they will hopefully not become necessary.
The balancers mentioned all contain a good daily dose of copper, 10 times more than some feeds and balancers on the market, and include some bioavailable sources, but it is difficult to be sure if a horse is getting enough in a very deficient area without knowing exactly how much is in the forage portion of the diet - hay varies enormously. Again, the only way to really know for sure is to analyse your hay or pasture for minerals (or alternatively buy your hay from a different area to avoid the problem!)
Copper deficiency is often manifest by a loss of richness in a horses coat colour, or those 'peroxiode ends' to a dark mane, sometimes de-pigmented spots in the coat. So if she keeps a rich coat and looks well I would assume the balancer is providing adequate - that is the general idea.
Lastly if she gets a bit 'hormonal' in the summer, try her on a little Vitex agnus castus. This herb forms the basis to many 'Moody mare' supplements but can be purchased on it's own too, and at 15g a day many people find it helpful.
I hope she turns out to be your ideal horse anyway.
Jackie
Hello Jackie
I’m getting a new little mare next week, a 15.2hh TB aged 15 years. I’d like to know where to start with her feed.
Background: she’s a good-doer for a TB who’s been at grass all summer. She’s been off-work due to some back issues (which I attribute to bad saddling, although we’re looking at longer term damage too, I think). She has had poor feet and has had steroid injections into her hocks once, two years ago – no need was seen to repeat these. I’m told she can be pretty ‘mare-ish’ when in season, although she’s not generally fizzy.
Over previous winters, she has been on a diet of haylage and a feed of Happy Hoof. She is currently on Formula4Feet as well. This winter she will be on hay.
I’d like to know which way to go with feeds, ensuring that she gets adequate nutrition for her feet and support for those hocks, just in case.
We’re in a low copper area ( Somerset). I’ve had recommendations for Simple System, but that was for 2kg of luciebix per day (which would work out at 3 bags per month – I imagine this was to provide calcium?), Total Eclipse and Linseed.
She’ll be long lining as we return to being saddled and then worked lightly.
Best wishes,
Jane
Answer:
Hi Jane, thank you for your question and donation.
I think with the issues your mare has had, and the age she is, you are quite right to want to ensure her nutrition is properly adequate.
I favour a feeding system based on a good balancer, firstly to suppy a supportive micronutrient profile and hopefully ensure all the vitamin and mineral 'RDA's' are met, and secondly to help ensure adequate quality protein.
All of the issues you mention, poor feet and joint problems, even muscular recovery, need the support of a generous supply of amino acids like lysine and methionine, and glycine and proline, as well as the vits and mins. If a horse is working hard and being fed the full recommended amount of a quality compound feed these needs should be met, but the majority of leisure horses will never need that amount of food, so the concept of a balancer comes into it's own.
I usually recommend TopSpec as it is a low starch and sugar formula which I know is safe for horses who have known metabolic problems, and so equally so for those who are 'maturing' and may begin to suffer hormonal imbalances. D&H Ultimate balancer is another good one which should be fine for a TB, and contains a few extras for stiff joints, and Bailey's Lo-Cal is a good budget version in my experience.
I personally do like to use alfalfa for extra calories for mature horses as it also gives you the added benefit of another quality protein boost, which may be very beneficial over winter when you are relying on hay. A lot of hay in the UK is cut quite late and fairly low in protein, falling under the minimum maintenance requirement of 8%, and as protein requirements only rise in the older horse (due to lower absorption) I think this is often beneficial.
Buy June cut meadow hay if you can, and if you have a regular supply it would be worth sending a sample to D&H for proximal analysis. This will tell you the protein, energy, sugar levels etc and is very good value for £5.00.
With adlib hay, in light work, a kilo or so of alfalfa or Alfa-beet with a balancer should be perfectly adequate in terms of calories - you could probably drop the alfalfa in spring when the grass protein starts to rise and just stick to a balancer, knowing your horse will still be getting a full dose of vits and mins.
I do think it is worth feeding some additional linseed or linseed oil, especially over winter, to top up the Omega 3 fatty acids which are beneficial to joint health, as well as giving a horse a wonderful shiny coat. Linseed is low cost and so can be added to every horses basic diet.
Beyond that it is really up to you whether you choose to feed a specific joint supplement for things like extra chondroitin or glucosamine as a prevention. A diet as described above should contain all the 'raw materials' a horse needs to maintain healthy joints, bone and cartilage, so unless your mare has a specific problem, they will hopefully not become necessary.
The balancers mentioned all contain a good daily dose of copper, 10 times more than some feeds and balancers on the market, and include some bioavailable sources, but it is difficult to be sure if a horse is getting enough in a very deficient area without knowing exactly how much is in the forage portion of the diet - hay varies enormously. Again, the only way to really know for sure is to analyse your hay or pasture for minerals (or alternatively buy your hay from a different area to avoid the problem!)
Copper deficiency is often manifest by a loss of richness in a horses coat colour, or those 'peroxiode ends' to a dark mane, sometimes de-pigmented spots in the coat. So if she keeps a rich coat and looks well I would assume the balancer is providing adequate - that is the general idea.
Lastly if she gets a bit 'hormonal' in the summer, try her on a little Vitex agnus castus. This herb forms the basis to many 'Moody mare' supplements but can be purchased on it's own too, and at 15g a day many people find it helpful.
I hope she turns out to be your ideal horse anyway.
Jackie