General Nutrition - Feeding Convalescing Horses
When illness or injury strike, not only do these have to be treated but they generally involve a change in routine for the horse and an appropriate change in diet too. This can be almost as stressful as the problem itself, so it’s worth considering how best to deal with the situation in order to minimise the risk of secondary setbacks and maximise the chances of a speedy recovery. Correct nutrition may be considered vital for optimum performance but its role in supporting healing, and a subsequent return to work or competition, should not be underestimated.
Vital Fibre
Even quite minor injuries can mean a horse is confined to his stable for a couple of days so it’s important that he has access to plenty of fibre to promote normal gut function and help relieve boredom. The micro-organisms in the horse’s hind gut, which are involved in the digestion of fibre, also have an important role in helping the horse to resist disease and recover from infections, particularly of the digestive tract. Plenty of fibre is therefore important both as a source of nutrients and for helping to keep the horse healthy. With no access to pasture and a reduction in concentrate feed, the horse’s overall nutrient intake can drop significantly. A balancer, such as Baileys Lo-Cal, is ideal in these circumstances as it provides all the vitamins, minerals and quality protein the horse requires, for maintenance and all-important repair, but without the energy that could cause behavioural and digestive upsets. Boredom may also become a problem during prolonged box rest so it can be worth introducing both stable toys and alternative forage sources to keep the horse’s mind active and satisfy his need to chew; succulents are also useful for tempting the sick or fussy horse.
Changing The Horse’s Diet
Ideally sudden changes should not be made to the diet but it may be necessary to drastically reduce a fit horse’s concentrate ration if his work load is suddenly reduced. The bacteria in the horse’s digestive system take time to adjust to a new feed and any sudden changes can disrupt their populations which could result in loose droppings, colic or even laminitis. When changing a diet quickly, a “digestive enhancer”, such as a pre or probiotic, can help the bacteria adapt to the new diet, thus reducing the risk of upsets occurring. Baileys Digest Plus prebiotic acts as a food source for beneficial gut bacteria so that they can thrive at the expense of pathogenic species.
The expected length of time the horse will be on box rest and the current diet will determine how significantly the diet needs to be altered. For short term box rest the concentrates should be reduced by about two thirds and “top dressed” with Lo-Cal balancer to maintain protein and micro-nutrient levels. If the horse on long term box rest requires some concentrates to maintain condition, it is advisable to gradually change to a low energy mix or cube, like Baileys Working Horse & Pony Cubes or Racing Light, over 4 to 5 days after the previous diet has been reduced. Any reduction in the volume of concentrates should be accompanied by an increase in the forage provided.
For horses needing extra condition, Baileys Cooked Cereal Meal is highly digestible and ideal for horses recovering from surgery, especially surgery to the digestive tract. It can be made into a mash so that it is easy to chew and swallow but does need to be fed alongside a vitamin and mineral supplement or balancer as it is not a fully balanced compound feed. Alternatively, where carbohydrates are best avoided, for example in cases of laminitis or azoturia, oil is an excellent source of non-heating calories. Baileys Outshine is a unique extruded supplement which is 25% oil alongside key supporting vitamins and minerals to aid its efficient utilisation. It offers an easy-to-use alternative to straight oil which can prove unpalatable when fed in significant quantities.
Feeding to Heal
Correct nutrition can actually aid healing by providing the nutrients required for tissue development; amino acids, for example, are the building blocks of protein and are essential for soft tissue construction. Some amino acids have to be supplied by the diet as the horse can’t synthesise them himself and are termed “essential”; these are particularly vital for soft tissue repair. With the exception of alfalfa, forages tend not to contain sufficient quality protein to supply essential amino acids, so feeding a balancer should ensure the horse doesn’t go short. Baileys Alfalfa Blend is a combination of alfalfa, soft green oat straw and clover so can be fed to replace some of the forage ration and will supply quality protein aswell as fibre.
Vitamins are essential for body functions and minerals are also integral in cell and tissue structure and vital for the healing process. An easy option for the healing horse at grass, or even the box or barn resting horse, is to supply these in the form of a lick, such as Baileys Paddock Lick Plus. This allows free choice access and contains the essential amino acid, lysine, plus seaweed and Omega oils for good coat condition and overall health. So cutting down the feed for a convalescing horse need not mean cutting down on nutrients; reducing calorie intake in response to reduced workload is essential but a maintenance of other nutrients is equally important in order to support successful healing.