Question
My eight-year-old Thoroughbred mare (16 hands, 1,100 lb or 500 kg) is in moderate body condition. She’s used as a hunter and jumper, and I’d like her to gain some weight. She gets 16-18 hours of turnout daily. As far as feedstuffs, here’s her daily diet: 5 lb (2.3 kg) all-purpose feed; 2 lb (0.90 kg) alfalfa cubes; 3-4 flakes of hay when stalled 6-8 hours a day; round-baled hay when outside. While she has plenty of energy and seems fit, her topline is narrow and lackluster. In addition, she has thin-walled hooves and occasionally suffers from sore heel bulbs. A course of omeprazole and a follow-up antiulcer supplement was intended to prevent gastric ulcers, but I feel she might be suffering from them again. She’s ridden 4-7 days each week. Any ideas?
Answer
Hay quality is an important consideration for horses that are underperforming, as good-quality forage can provide a significant source of calories in addition to supporting digestive health and function.
Even though your mare has near constant access to forage, if the hay is a late maturity grass hay with a low energy value it may not be suitable for a performance horse with higher energy needs. In addition to caloric value, the type and maturity of the forage can influence protein content and quality. Supplementing with higher quality forages that are harvested early or feeding a grass/legume mix can help to increase digestible energy intake and provide a more digestible forage source. Alfalfa pellets are an appropriate option so you may want to increase the amount of those offered.
Having free-choice access to the round bale makes it challenging to gauge forage intake. The mare may not be consuming adequate amounts of hay when turned out. Does she clean up the hay she is offered when stalled?
Five pounds of concentrate per day is a relatively low intake for a horse in regular work. Increasing the amount of feed will provide both an increase in calories as well as vitamins and minerals to support your horse’s higher workload. Have you considered changing feeds? A feed intended for performance horses might be a better choice for your mare. Performance feeds often feature multiple sources of energy: starch (from cereal grains), fermentable fiber (from beet pulp and soy hulls), and fat (from rice bran and oil).
Horses without access to fresh pasture may require vitamin E supplementation for optimal health and performance. Kentucky Equine Research recommends supplementing with Nano‑E to provide a bioavailable source of natural vitamin E to help maintain vitamin E levels and antioxidant status in performance horses.
Consider adding a hoof supplement for optimal hoof growth and improved quality of new growth. Hoof supplements are effective when fed in combination with a balanced diet. Bio‑Bloom PS (Bio-Bloom HF in Australia)is a time-tested hoof and coat conditioner that provides comprehensive support.
Kentucky Equine Research has developed several digestive health products. Depending on how much digestive support is desired, consider RiteTrac or Triacton. RiteTrac contains ingredients that provide superior digestive support including the time-released hindgut buffer EquiShure. RiteTrac is recommended for horses coming off ulcer treatment or those that have repeated digestive issues. Triacton is a pelleted bone and digestive health product ideal for performance horses. Specifically, its digestive-support benefits involve buffering of both the stomach and hindgut. Horse owners in Australia should look for these research-proven digestive supplements.
