a) oats
Oats are a cereal and have a high starch content, therefore they yield energy and can have a heating effect on may horses. Good oats are plump, shiny and free of any dust, pale yellow in colour and they smell sweet. The oats are bruised to break the husk and to improve digestibility. Once bruised their nutritional value starts to decrease so they are best eaten within three weeks of bruising. Oats are low in protein and calcium and relatively high in phosphorous. Boiled oats are more fattening and have a less heating effect. Oats are usually fed to horses in high performance sports where fitness and stamina are important. Oats can make up 90% of the training horses concentrate but owners should be aware they lack in some amino acids and has a low calcium to phosphorous ratio.
b) barley
Barley is a high energy food and is low in protein and calcium and relatively high in phosphorous. The barley grain is rounder and plumper than the oat and have a clean shiny appearance - it should be cooked whole or crushed, flaked, heat treated or crimped. Barley can be used for up to 50% of the concentrate ration but no more because it is low in fibre. It suits horses in high performance sports where fitness and stamina are important. Horses in poor condition may benefit from part of their ration being boiled barley.
c) maize
Maize is a high energy feed and contains little fibre and is low in protein and calcium and high in phosphorous. It is normally fed cooked (but not boiled) and flaked and should be a bright golden colour as well as crisp and clean. Maize should not make up more than 25% of the horses ration. It is fattening and heating and not particularly digestible. Care must be taken with rations of maize as it can cause an allergic reaction. Maize can suit fussy eaters who tend to drop weight during intensive training.
d) linseed
Linseed is high in energy, high in protein and phosphorous and low in calcium. It supplies one of the most easily digestible forms of fat for a horse. Linseeds are the seed of the flax plant but cannot be fed raw or without soaking because the seeds contain prussic acid which is toxic to horses in large quantities. The seeds are small, dark brown and shiny. The seeds should be soaked overnight, and new water replaced and simmered for about one hour. It makes a tempting feed and is easily digested and it’s great for putting on condition and making the coat shine. It's a great source of Omega 3 without the added Omega 6 which should be given less generously.
e) beans and peas
Beans and peas are high energy and heating. They can be served split, heat-treated, crushed, crimped or flaked. Soya bean meal can be used for horses in intensive training because it provides a good source of protein.
f) bran
Bran is the offal from wheat and bran flakes should be broad, sweet smelling and pink. It is a low energy feed and is ideal for horses at rest because it acts as a bulk feed. The crude protein level is high but not of good quality and it is not easily digested. The calcium to phosphorous ratio is poor so a calcium supplement like limestone flour must be given if fed regularly.
g) sugar beet pulp
This is a very useful non heating feed and it is highly digestible and a good source of energy and fibre. The sugar is instantly converted into energy while the fibre is fermented in the large intestine. It has very good calcium to phosphorous ratios and can be used to correct calcium and phosphorous imbalances caused by cereals. It must be soaked in twice it’s weight of water for 12 hours before feeding. Cubes must be soaked in three times their weight of water for 24 hours.
h) chaff
Chaff is chopped lucerne, hay or oat straw, often mixed with molasses to improve it’s taste.
Limestone flour, garlic and other herbs can also be added to help balance the feed nutritionally;
e.g. alfalfa leaf is alkaline so it is beneficial in treating bladder irritations from over-acidity. It is antioxidant, and high in chlorophyll, protein, vitamins and trace minerals. Alfalfa has been used for years in the prevention of cancer. It inactivates carcinogens in the liver and small intestines before their growth causes major problems.
Burdock root is a blood cleanser, an anti-rheumatic, and has shown anti-tumour properties. It is great for any skin problems; eczema, psoriasis, allergic skin disorders, great for the liver. Loaded with calcium and phosphorus and B vitamins, burdock has a balanced diuretic action that helps the body eliminate waste materials. It helps in cleansing the body of environmental toxins and so takes a load off the liver and kidneys.
Dandelion leaves are full of minerals, trace minerals, vitamins and protein. Dandelion root is an excellent liver tonic and support. Nettle leaf has been used as a fortifying herb for centuries because it is full of minerals and trace minerals. It is especially effective for allergy symptoms in the respiratory tract and skin allergies when combined with burdock root. It is helpful for rheumatic conditions, blood pressure regulation and anaemia.
Animals have been treated for centuries with garlic for worms, bacteria, fungus, virus, ticks, lice and parasites. Garlic is ideal for respiratory disorders and the entire digestive system.
Flax seed provides omega 3 essential fatty acids which are important because they regulate response to pain and inflammation, regulate the flow of substances in and out of the cells, prevent blood cells from clumping together, are necessary for kidney function and fluid balance, regulating nerve transmission, are the primary energy source for the heart muscle, direct endocrine hormones to their proper destination, dilate or constrict blood vessels, regulate pressure in eye, joint and blood vessels, and regulate steroid production and hormone synthesis etc.
Nutritional yeast provides full spectrum of the B vitamins. Lecithin provides phosphatidylcholine for the brain, emulsifies fat to take some of the load off the liver.
Ginger is beneficial for the entire digestive system, cardiovascular system. Rose hips (powdered) are full of vitamin C and they taste delicious. Pumpkin seeds raw and ground help the body to rid itself of worms and parasites. (Herb information sourced from www.naturalhorse.com).
Chaff is a high fibre food and aids digestion encouraging the horse to chew it’s food more thoroughly.
i) cubes/pellets/nuts
Concentrate cubes or nuts are a compound feed and contain forage and concentrate rations so are very high in fibre. They are best for horses who are unable to eat hay, or when hay is expensive. Succulents should be fed as well because they can be boring to the horse. There are cubes designed for broodmares, yearlings, foals, racehorses, and eventers.
Pellets are high in protein and are fed with cereals and roughage. Compound feeds contain a good balance of nutrients so no supplements need to be added.
j) Coarse mixes are designed to make up the entire concentrate ration, they are highly palatable and a combination of cereals and bulk feeds with added vitamins, minerals, trace elements and protein. They can contain all or some of the following; nuts, pellets, barley, maize, molasses, grass meal, rolled oats, linseed and bran.
k) Succulents includes root vegetables such as carrots, swedes, turnips, parsnips and beets. They can contain good sources of vitamins, minerals and trace elements, depending on the soil they were grown in. Carrots are cooling and easily digested. They contain beta-carotene and Vitamin A, and can be useful for horses off their food, or for those short on grass. The other vegetables are of less nutritional value but are enjoyed by horses. They are good for fussy feeders and those with stable vices.
l) Hay is the most common type of forage that is fed to horses, and it is approximately 28 to 38% fibre, and has a low DE level. Hay is high in calcium and low in phosphorous as well as high levels of potassium and vitamins A, E and K. If it is dried in the sun it also contains high levels of Vitamin D. The protein content of hay depends on two things - the type of hay and the age of the hay when cut. Legume hays have higher protein content than grass hays and the younger the hay the higher the protein level. The hay should have a high leaf content, few weeds, and should smell pleasant and slightly sweet. There should be no visible mould, and no dust. The hay should be green rather than yellow or brown.
m) haylage/horsehage - this is an alternative form of hay. This is hay (often alfalfa) which is harvested, and then stored in anerobic conditions while it still has a relatively high moisture content. It is often baled as usual and coated with heavy plastic to encourage fermentation. This (if done well) maintains high levels of nutrients in the hay. It has high levels of protein, carbohydrates, carotene, and vitamins, although lower than sun-cured hay in Vitamin D.
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