Box Rest & Recovery
How do I change my horse's diet now he's on box rest? ↓
We normally try to avoid abrupt dietary changes but, if injury or illness suddenly confine a horse to barracks, some corresponding adaptation of the diet will be required. In the first instance, a reduction in energy-providing hard feed will be necessary but the vitamins, minerals and quality protein this provides should be replaced with a balancer, like Lo-Cal or Performance Balancer.
Forage should preferably ad lib to keep the horse occupied and the gut healthy whilst a digestive enhancer, like Digest Plus prebiotic, may be useful to help the gut bacteria adapt to the change in diet and reduction of exercise.
To read more about adapting your horse’s diet when he’s on box rest, take a look at the following article:
Feeding for Recovery
Products you may be interested in include:
No.14 Lo-Cal balancer
No.19 Performance Balancer
Digest Plus prebioticWhat can I feed my horse who's losing weight whilst on box rest? ↓
Unless your horse’s illness specifically requires a low or no-starch diet, the recommended amount of a conditioning feed, like Top Line Conditioning Mix or Cubes will help promote and maintain condition while your horse is not in work. Both are designed to be non-heating but, if your horse is likely to become stressy or excitable, it is worth considering Slow Release Condition & Competition Mix as a reduced starch source option or Ease & Excel or Ease & Excel Cubes as low starch, low sugar condtioning feeds.
If you need or prefer to avoid cereal-based calories completely, a combination of balancer, to provide essential vitamins, minerals and quality protein, plus Outshine high oil supplement, for slow release calories, represents a calorie-dense but non-heating alternative. Other sources of slow release calories which can be fed alongside a balancer include, Alfalfa Plus Oil, Speedi-Beet and Fibre-Beet. Remember that fibre-based calorie sources are not as energy-dense as oil or cereals so need to be fed in greater quantities to deliver significant additional calories.
For more information about feeding on for recovery and low starch diets to promote condition, take a look at the following articles:
Feeding for Recovery
Not All Oils Are Equal
Conditioned to Perfection
All About Energy
Products you may be interested in include:
No.17 Top Line Conditioning Mix
No.4 Top Line Conditioning Cubes
No.20 Slow Release Condtion & Competition MixEase & Excel Cubes
No.14 Lo-Cal balancer
Outshine
Alfalfa Plus Oil
Speedi-Beet
Fibre-BeetCan I do anything to aid healing? ↓
Whilst there’s no proof, it makes sense to assume that providing optimum nutrition to an ill or injured horse may aid healing by providing the nutrients required for tissue repair and to support the immune system. As forage alone is unlikely to supply these nutrients, it is important ensure that, whilst initially reducing calorie intake in response to reduced workload, the maintenance of other nutrients is very important. An easy option for the healing horse at grass, or even the box or barn-resting horse, is to supply these essential nutrients through a balancer, like Lo-Cal or Performance Balancer or perhaps a molassed broad spectrum lick, which would allow free choice access.
Antioxidants, like vitamin E and selenium, are important to help the body combat free radicals which may be more prevalent when the body is under the stress of illness or injury. Selenium also plays an important role in supporting the immune system so this and other key minerals are included in Baileys’ balancers, and other feeds, in an organic or chelated form which is more readily absorbed and utilised by the horse’s body, ensuring none goes to waste.
Articles you may be interested in include:
Feeding for Recovery
Products you may be interested in include:
No.14 Lo-Cal balancer
No.19 Performance Balancer
Paddock Lick Plus
My horse is normally a good-doer and now he's on box rest, I'm afraid he'll get really fat; help! ↓
Your main issue here will be in maintaining fibre intake without providing too many calories which could go to his waistline. Feed the recommended amount of Lo-Cal or Performance Balancer to provide essential nutrients, without calories, then choose low calorie fibre and forage sources to keep him chewing.
Coarse, late-cut hay will have few calories than soft, leafier earlier-cut hay or haylage and you could mix it with some oat straw, if necessary, to bring the overall energy intake down. Take care when introducing oat straw as the higher level of indigestible fibre it contains, can lead to compaction problems if over-consumed.
You may then need to be creative with your horse’s forage ration, feeding it from small-holed nets and even one net inside another, in order to make a little last a long time.
To read more about feeding good-doers, take a look at the following articles:
Fat Club
Conditioned to Perfection
Products you may be interested in include:
No.14 Lo-Cal balancer
No.19 Performance BalancerWhat can I do to relieve the stress and boredom of prolonged box rest? ↓
Since the horse is designed to eat for 18 out of every 24 hours, giving him access to ad lib forage is essential to help maintain his psychological well-being as well as gut health. The illness or injury will dictate how much movement is to be encouraged during confinement as, if allowed, hanging nets or placing heaps of forage around his box or pen, will mean he can move from one to the other, mimicking normal grazing behaviour.
Ensuring adequate forage intake – never less than the equivalent of 1.5% of bodyweight – not only keeps the gut moving but will also help to maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria. Some species are involved in fibre fermentation, while some produce B vitamins, which the horse can utilise, and some are involved in supporting the immune response. A healthy gut therefore has many benefits and a pre or probiotic supplement, like Digest Plus prebiotic, may be helpful to help restore bacterial balance.
Feeding alternative fibre sources, in addition to hay or haylage, will provide variety and encourage natural foraging behaviour. Any of the Baileys Fibre Range can be fed in a separate bucket from any hard feed, as an alternative or additional fibre source. Speedi-Beet or Fibre-Beet may also be given this way, either with or without additional chop, whilst Fibre Plus Nuggets smell and taste delicious and can be fed from the floor or in a boredom ball.
Articles you may be interested in include:
Feeding for Recovery
Products you may be intersted in include:
Digestive Plus prebiotic
Speedi-Beet
Fibre-Beet
Fibre Plus Nuggets
