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Based on feed stuffs available on the market and what we know about Blacky and the relationship between feed and behaviour, we are now going to formulate his ration.
Although there are many other feed stuffs on the market, we will use feed described in the Feed Stuff article and stay away from manufactured feed. Not only it is cheaper than manufactured feed (pellets etc), but you also know what your horse eats.
We know we need to give Blacky 7.250 kg of hard feed. This will need to be divided in 2 rations at least. Lets say 3.5 kg and 3.750 kg, with the bigger ration at night.
These are the ingredients we will use:
- Oaten or wheaten chaff: 2 kg
- Lucerne chaff: 1 kg
- Grassy hay: 2 kg
- Lucerne hay: 1 kg
- Sugar beet (SpeediBeet): 500 g
- Copra (CoolStance): 1.250 kg
- Carrots
- 1 fruit
Because we will wean him off grains, we will provide him with boiled barley at 1.2 kg/day to 50g of copra with the barley decreasing and the copra increasing over a two week period.
As any new feed can cause some upsets to a horse’s digestion, we will introduce the sugar beet and the copra over 2 weeks. Chaff and hay normally do not need an introduction period unless the horse has not been provided with any pasture and/or chaff/hay, or has been starved.
If your horse is old or has teeth problems, you might need to dampen the hay with water so it is easier to chew. You might also need to get rid of big stalks or chop them in smaller bits so the horse does not choke on them.
This regime will need to be monitored so Blacky does not lose weight. Please make a note that quite often a horse will lose weight when his feed regime is changed, especially when introducing new feed over a certain period of time. you can always compensate with more hay during that time of adaptation.
This ration is very simple. We might need to add some vitamins and minerals at a later stage. Only careful monitoring of Blacky's condition will tell whether it needs modifying or extra feed.
During winter, horses use more energy to keep warm and the grass in the paddock might be drying or disappearing. Your horse will be hungrier so you wil need to adjust his ration and maybe add more hay to compensate.
If the level of activity of your horse increases, then you will need to reassess his ration and vitamins and minerals.
I found this article on the DPI web site that might be useful: Small farms, feeding horses
So to summarise:
| Dropping weight |
Worms
Not enough food
Being bullied by other horses
Illness
Higher activity level
Bad teeth
Ulcer |
Reassess ration
Review concentrates
Review quantity in relation to activity and horse's size
Check with vet for any health issues
Ensure the horse can eat its feed peacefully and entirely
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| Putting on too much weight |
Decreased level of activity
Too much feed
Feed too rich
Highly nutritious grass |
Reassess ration
Decrease quantity
Review concentrates
Remove/decrease concentrates if needs be
Review quantity
Increase level of activity
Ensure the horse does not steal other horses rations
Check with vet if the horse is foundering |
| Change in behaviour - too excited, strung, aggressive |
Illness
Intolerance to certain feed
Bad training
High energy feed
Wheather |
Reassess ration
Check with vet
Review concentrates
Review supplements (minerals, vitamins)
Assess each feed by removing/decreasing/adding each feed individually
Research feed content
Lonely horse
Horse may be affected by wheather changes like storms |
| Change in behaviour - lethargic |
Illness
Depressed
Stressed
Weather
Bored
Not enough food |
Reassess ration
Reassess quantity
Check with vet
Lonely horse
Hot weather
Needs stimulating work/exercise
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