Question
I own a 10-year-old, 15.1-hand (155-cm) Morgan gelding in moderate work. He is in a stall 17 hours a day and in a paddock for the other 7 hours. He is chubby, probably a body condition score of 6, as the fat along his barrel is spongy and he has fat accumulation along his withers and behind his shoulder. I am feeding him in a way to circumvent many allergies, including rice, wheat, molasses, flax, junegrass, crowngrass, timothy, red clover, dandelion, and English plantain. His diet includes hay (about 5 flakes each day), alfalfa pellets (1 quart), and some soaked grass/alfalfa compressed hay (1 quart) mixed with supplements (aloe vera juice, vitamin E, psyllium, glucosamine, and chondroitin sulfate). In the growing season, his paddock is grassy, allowing him to graze as much as he chooses. He has access to a mineral block, too. Because of his limited feed, I worry that his diet isn’t balanced, especially in regard to selenium, considering our area of Canada is known to be selenium-deficient. While he is lazy at times, his energy increases when we jump and do more challenging work. I hope to condition him for his first FEI competition in about six months. Can you review his diet and offer your expertise?
Answer
The current hay-based diet is supplying enough digestible energy (calories) to meet your gelding’s energy needs, as evidenced by his weight. As you suspected, his diet lacks essential vitamins and minerals. Allowing free-choice access to a mineral block may supply some of these essential minerals but not all. Top-dressing a complete vitamin and mineral supplement onto feed would be more appropriate, so you know, without question, that he is consuming appropriate amounts to meet his nutrient requirements. Micro-Max (Gold Pellet in Australia) is a suitable supplement for your allergy-prone gelding, as it is an alfalfa- and yeast-based pellet that will provide the necessary trace minerals and vitamins to balance the hay ration.
Event horses need a variety of energy sources in their diets to fuel exercise and recovery. As your gelding’s workload increases, he will benefit from the inclusion of soluble carbohydrates (starch and sugar) and dietary fat in his diet. Oats are a great source of soluble carbohydrates and are commonly used in commercial feeds. Other energy sources that will add value to your horse’s diet and should not affect his food allergies are beet pulp, soybean meal, and vegetable oil (soybean, canola).
Can you offer alfalfa hay instead of alfalfa pellets? Good-quality alfalfa hay is often more palatable than alfalfa pellets and is a more cost-effective way to feed larger amounts. Horses that don’t receive a commercial feed may need an additional source of phosphorus in their diet, depending on the nutrient composition of the forage and how much is consumed. I suggest feeding oats (1.5 lb; 0.7 kg) and soybean meal (1 lb; 0.45 kg), as both are good sources of phosphorus. Commercial supplements are available that supply dicalcium phosphate as an additional source of calcium and phosphorus.
Immune-supporting nutrients such as vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial to horses with allergies. Daily supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids can strengthen immunity and reduce the severity of allergic reactions. Long-chain fatty acids DHA and EPA found in fish oil and algae products have greater biological anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties compared to short-chain fatty acids from plant-based sources, such as flax. EO•3 is a high-quality single-source fish oil that will provide a comprehensive omega-3 fatty acid profile. EO•3 is a rich source of DHA and EPA, and 1-2 oz daily significantly boosts dietary omega-3 fatty acid levels.
Vitamin E supplements, such as Nano•E, are recommended year-round to maintain optimal vitamin E status when horses have restricted access to fresh grass. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that supports muscle and nerve health. If you want to supplement with additional selenium and magnesium, KER offers an antioxidant blend, Preserve PS (Preserve in Australia).
