My Recommendations for Racehorse Diets
- Joint supplementation. The proper levels of vitamin C, copper, maganese, zinc and silica encourage natural joint fluid...
- Equine Therapy. For those of us who ride our horses on a regular basis, it is easy to tell when they are a little “off”.
- “Tying Up” in thoroughbreds is different than in quarter horses. In quarter horses, a...
What do race horses eat during a race?
During a race, muscle glycogen is the major fuel used by the racehorse, but fat is important to supply calories for lower intensity training and to meet the racehorse’s maintenance energy requirement. Dietary energy is usually expressed in terms of megacalories (Mcal) digestible energy.
What is the best thing to feed a horse?
Your horse can get its essential nutrients from many types of feed. Roughage/Forage Roughage, found in hay or grass, is the bulk of the horse's food. Grass or alfalfa hay, or a combination of the two, are good sources of roughage.
How do you feed a horse with RER?
In a feeding trial, Thoroughbred horses with RER were exercised on a treadmill for five days a week while they consumed hay and a variety of energy supplements.
How much hay to feed a racehorse?
Racehorses should be fed 15-20 lb (7-9 kg) per day of clean grass hay such as timothy or oaten hay. Smaller quantities of alfalfa hay (2-4 lb or 0.9 to 1.8 kg per day) may also be offered. This level of hay intake will meet the racehorse’s maintenance DE requirement and help protect against gastric ulcers and colic.
What is the best feed for thoroughbreds?
Thoroughbreds can be a difficult breed when it comes to gaining (or just maintaining) weight. I've found the best combination to be an alfalfa mix (my preference is alfalfa and orchard), as much grazing time as possible, and supplementing with soaked beet pulp (molasses-free) as needed.
How often do you feed a racehorse?
The typical diet comes in two or three meals a day. In America, that mostly means grain. The traditional grain for horses is oats, but a lot of trainers today use commercial products that are specifically formulated for racehorses and mix in non-saturated fats and fermentable fiber.
What do thoroughbred horses eat?
The traditional sources of energy are provided by whole oats, with varying amounts of cracked corn or rolled barley, whole sunflower seeds, and occasionally cracked lupins and beans, depending on availability.
What do race horses need?
To achieve high performance, racehorses in training must have adequate energy, protein, vita- mins and minerals, and overall feeding must be managed well. Racehorses often require twice as much ener- gy (measured in calories) as do nonworking hors- es.
What's the best hay for racehorses?
Grass Hay for Horses Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass and timothy are all examples of common grasses used for hay. Benefits: Grass hay is lower in protein and energy than legume hay — but it's also higher in fiber, which can make it a good choice for many horses.
Do race horses need oats?
Oats are often what a racehorse is used to eating and be palatable to them. However, oats are not fortified, so horses fed solely oats will need a source of vitamins and minerals added to their feed. Read more at The Horse.
What is the best grain for a thoroughbred?
Grains for Horses and Their CharacteristicsOats. Oats are the most popular and safest grain to feed to horses. ... Barley. Barley is very similar to oats as a feed except for some characteristics that affect how it is used. ... Corn. ... Wheat. ... Milo (Grain Sorghum) ... Molasses (Dried or Liquid) ... Beet Pulp.
What should I feed my ex racehorse?
RE-LEVE®-MIX a high-fibre, low-starch, cereal-free ration. Highly digestible 'Super-Fibres' and oil supply the energy, reducing the reliance on starch. Some ex-racehorses can have excitable tendencies and feeding low starch feeds can help maintain an even, trainable temperament.
How do you fatten up a thoroughbred?
Supplemental fat sources can also be added to your Thoroughbred's diet to help them gain weight more quickly. Rice bran, corn oil, and linseed are all great sources of fat, and therefore energy, for Thoroughbred horses.
What do Olympic horses eat?
Most Olympic horses eat grass hay and the Pacific Northwest produces arguably the best timothy hay in the world. KER has found that second cutting timothy has a desirable nutritional profile (10% protein, 34% ADF, 57% NDF) for performance horses and is extremely palatable.
What does raw eggs do for horses?
Answer. Eggs are an excellent source of protein, as we all know. Protein quality is exceptional because eggs have an ideal balance of amino acids. Remember, the yolk is the sole source of food for a developing chick.
What is a good mix of grain for horses?
The most common are oats, corn, and barley. Milo (sorghum) and wheat are other grains that are fed to horses as well. Grains such as oats, barley, and corn can be fed whole, though many are typically processed to increase digestibility.
Why are bulky foods not recommended for racehorses?
Bulky foods are avoided for racehorses because they fill the gastrointestinal tract, create a thermal load and are thought to compromise lung volume and racing performance.
How does feeding affect horses?
Feeding regimes affect not just performance but also health and welfare. Racehorse rations may meet the horse’s nutritional needs but may leave it with more than a little frustration. To understand why, we need to consider how horses have evolved to feed themselves.
What is the function of saliva in horses?
Saliva is a natural buffer to excess gastric acidity, but in horses, its production depends on pressure on the parotid salivary gland during chewing. If too little time is spent grazing or chewing forage, not enough saliva may be produced to buffer the stomach contents.
How long do horses graze?
Free range. Free-ranging horses graze for up to 17 hours per day, and are able to move about, selecting habitat that allows them to maximise their intake of high-quality food. Similarly, in domestic contexts, horses at pasture can enjoy tremendous variability in the shape and quality of paddocks they are offered, ...
Can we change the gastro-intestinal structure of horses?
We cannot change the horse’s gastro-intestinal structure and function but we can feed horses in ways that promote their health and welfare while still racing them. Those who sponsor racing may soon need to show that the costs horses pay for the sport are mitigated and justified.
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About The Author
Karen Briggs is the author of six books, including the recently updated Understanding Equine Nutrition as well as Understanding The Pony, both published by Eclipse Press. She's written a few thousand articles on subjects ranging from guttural pouch infections to how to compost your manure.
What is the diet of a racehorse?
Racehorses require a diet that is high in energy to fuel the levels of performance needed in today’s sport. They must always be well-hydrated, too, even during daily training routines.
What does a racehorse use to train?
When racehorses train and exercise, their muscles use small adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules to encourage muscle contraction. One element of a racehorse’s diet focuses on optimising its stores of ATP so that its muscles can keep contracting without getting tired.
Do jockeys have to eat a lot of carbs?
Just like their equine counterparts, joc keys also have to stick to strict diets and training regimes. They must remain at a fit and healthy weight so they often avoid overly fatty foods and carbohydrates, whilst steering clear of calorie-rich things like alcohol.
What are the nutritional requirements of a racehorse?
When it comes to nutritional requirements, racehorses are in a class of their own. Broodmares need large quantities of high-quality protein and minerals to grow a large healthy foal during gestation and to produce gallons of nutrient-rich milk daily through lactation. Likewise, young horses require plenty of protein and minerals to add hundreds of pounds of muscle and bone during their first year of life. Racehorses must produce one thing–performance–and it requires heaps of energy. While racehorses certainly have a requirement for other nutrients, diet formulation for them usually begins and ends with energy.
How much hay should a horse eat?
Racehorses should be fed 15-20 lb (7-9 kg) per day of clean grass hay such as timothy or oaten hay.
Why is fat important for a racehorse?
During a race, muscle glycogen is the major fuel used by the racehorse, but fat is important to supply calories for lower intensity training and to meet the racehorse’s maintenance energy requirement.
Why is fiber important for horses?
The end products of fiber fermentation can be used as energy sources throughout the day because fermentation continues long after a meal has been eaten.
What is the ATP used in horse exercise?
When a horse exercises, its muscles use small molecules called ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to stimulate muscle contraction. Horse muscle has very little stored ATP, but it has numerous metabolic pathways that can produce ATP as quickly as it is used. These pathways use several fuels to produce ATP, and one objective of feeding a racehorse is ...
How did horses survive?
In the wild, horses survived by grazing relatively poor-quality grasslands. Their digestive system evolved to efficiently utilize this type of diet, but their nutrient requirements were also fairly low. Today’s racehorse has energy requirements that cannot be met by forage alone.
Where is glycogen stored in a horse?
The most important fuels for the racehorse are glycogen (a string of glucose molecules), which is stored predominantly in the muscle and to a lesser degree in the liver, and fat, which is stored mostly in adipose tissue and to a lesser degree in the muscle. During a race, muscle glycogen is the major fuel used by the racehorse, ...
What are the sources of energy for horses?
Sources of energy. The traditional sources of energy are provided by whole oats, with varying amounts of cracked corn or rolled barley, whole sunflower seeds, and occasionally cracked lupins and beans, depending on availability. Whole oats are normally well tolerated by most racehorses and are normally provided at feeding rates ...
What is needed for a 2-3 year old horse?
In young and growing 2-3 year old horses, additional energy, protein, calcium and trace minerals must be provided for performance and growth, as well as enable bone modelling and development of muscle. The ration must provide all the essential requirements, whilst catering for a horse’s individual needs according to its weight and stage ...
What is ration in horse training?
The ration must provide all the essential requirements, whilst catering for a horse’s individual needs according to its weight and stage of training, age, exercise demand and temperament. Adjustments to the feed mix, type of additives, and reduction in bulk of feed may need to be made during a horse’s preparation to maintain vitality and ensure ...
Why do horses need front cannon bones?
The front cannon bones of young horses in particular, must thicken and strengthen to adapt to increased loading forces imposed by all-out galloping around corners on a race track . Equally important is an adequate supply of phosphorus as phosphorus deficiency can result in retarded bone formation and poor appetite.
Why is 500kg of protein needed?
This increased protein requirement is needed for increased muscle development and mass with increased physical condition; an increased muscle protein content and also to replenish nitrogen lost in sweat.
How does energy affect a horse?
Once a horse comes into training, the energy requirement to fuel muscle activity and body functions increases in proportion to the intensity and duration of exercise. By the time the horse is fit and ready to race, its energy intake is double that required to maintain it when at rest and grazing, although the horse may not be able to eat a larger volume of feed. In young, growing 2 year olds, adequate energy must be provided for growth, development and performance. An inadequate intake of energy will reduce growth and response to training and will result in weight loss and less than optimal performance.
Can you add barley to horse feed?
It is recommended that any new feed ingredient be added to the diet in a gradual and step-wise fashion to reduce the risk of digestive upset. 1 The amount of barley may be increased, and oats reduced for excitable horses and for horses prone to tying up.
What is the best feed for a horse?
The nutrient requirements of a horse vary with its age, weight and the amount of work it performs. Good quality hay is sufficient feed for a mature horse that is ridden very little. With an increase in work, grain should be added to its diet.
What are the minerals needed for horses?
Small amounts of minerals usually are needed. Iron, copper, phosphorous, calcium and magnesium are examples of minerals that are important for a horse's body. Without iron, blood cannot carry oxygen to the body's cells. Without calci um and phosphorous, bones and teeth will not form properly.
What is a complete feed?
A complete feed is a grain mix that is high in fiber because it contains a forage or high-fiber byproducts feed such as hulls. Complete feeds are held together, usually by extrusion (puffed up like dog food) or by forming into pellets. If you are feeding a commercial complete feed, you will not need to feed hay (follow the label for feeding recommendations). There are also feeds for specific classes of horses. Some feeds are specially formulated for young, growing horses (weanlings and yearlings); and for geriatric (aged) horses that are old and have specific nutritional needs. Some commercial feed companies make pre-mixed, convenient, easy-to-use formulated feeds for horses that are on different hay diets such as grass or alfalfa. You should not need to add any other supplements to the diet. These feeds may be more expensive than developing your own ration, but they are good for the owner who does not want to spend time to research their horse's diet.
How much roughage should a horse eat?
For example, a 1,100 pound horse requires at least 11 pounds of roughage.
Why is it important to know how to feed a horse?
Understanding the function of the horse's gastrointestinal (GI) tract is critical for maintaining its health and preventing conditions such laminitis.
How much water does a horse drink?
A horse drinks about 10 to 12 gallons of water daily depending on the work it is doing. In hot weather, a horse may drink up to 15 to 20 gallons of water. In very cold weather, water heaters may be needed to prevent the water from freezing. Energy in feeds is measured in Mega calories (Mcal) of digestible energy (DE).
What are the parts of a horse made of?
Proteins eventually become muscle, internal organs, bone and blood. Skin, hair, hooves and many other parts of a horse also are made of protein. Protein not needed to maintain or build a horse's body is either converted into energy or passed through the digestive system.
What to feed an ex-racehorse?
In relation to the diet, try to establish what the horse’s current diet is as it will give you some idea of the amount of energy it is taking to keep them in the condition they are in. In most cases, it is likely to be necessary to go back to basics starting with ad-lib forage and then gradually introduce new feeds over a week to ten days.
Feeding High Quality Fibre to Your Ex-Racehorse is Key
Not all thoroughbreds or ex-racehorses have hot temperaments, but clearly many do which is why the stereotype exists. For condition without the fizz, the key is to use high quality fibre and oil as energy source such as in Dengie Alfa-A Oil or Dengie Performance Fibre.
Feeding Recommendations If Your Ex-Racehorse has Gastric Ulcers
When high quality fibre is fed alongside oil such as in Alfa-A Oil, it can provide as much energy as a conditioning mix or cube but with much lower levels of starch which is why they are less likely to result in over-excitability. This also means they are more suitable for those with gastric ulcers.
