A common question asked regarding feeding the performance horse is when should the horse be fed hay relative to grain and exercise. Should the horse receive hay before, with or after a grain meal.

D. S. Meyer and L. A. Lawrence. 1997 Equitation over fences: a lesson manual for the novice rider. In: Proc. Equine Nutr. Phsiol. Soc. 15:300.

Chromium is essential nutrient in humans and at this time its only known role is that is a component of the glucose tolerant factor (GTF) which potentiates the action of insulin. This paper discusses the study performed to determine the affect of Chromium supplementation on metabolic response in exercised trained thoroughbreds.

Recent research has demonstrated that feeding supplement fat to thoroughbred horses altered blood glucose and insulin levels compared to a grain based diet and these changes influenced substrate selection during a standardized exercise test.

Pagan, J.D., I. Burger and S.G. Jackson. 1998. The long-term effects of feeding fat to two-year-old Thoroughbreds in training. In: J.D. Pagan (Ed.) Advances in Equine Nutrition. pp. 281-288. Nottingham University Press. Nottingham, United Kingdom. The following seven month study was conducted using 12 two year old Thoroughbreds to evaluate the long-term effects of feeding […]

Lawrence, L. A., E. A. Ott, G. J. Miller, P.W. Poulos, G.Piotrowski and R. L. Asquith. 1994. The mechanical and chemical properties of equine third metacarpals as affected by age. J. Anim. Sci. 72:2617 – 2623.

Pagan, J.D., H.Q. Murphy and S.G. Jackson. 1993. A comparison of different standard exercise tests (SET) for assessing fitness on a high-speed treadmill. In: Proc. 13th Equine Nutr. and Physiol. Soc. Symp. Gainesville, Florida. p. 160. Six Thoroughbred racehorses were used to evaluate two different types of standardized exercise tests (SET) on a 6′ inclined […]

Energy is the factor that should be considered first when evaluating the nutrition of the performance horse, since it is the factor most likely influenced by exercise. A number of studies have evaluated different sources of energy for performance horses. Different levels of fat and protein have been fed to horses in an attempt to alter performance.

Jackson, S.G. and Pagan, J.D. 1992 Respiratory stress and the performance horse. Journal Equine Veterinary Science 12:5:272-273. Access the article.

Greiwe K M, TN Meacham, GF Fregin, JL Walberg. 1989. Effect of added dietary fat on exercising horses. Proc. 11th Equine Nutr. and Physiol. Symp., Stillwater, OK.