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what to feed a thoroughbred in light work

by Travis Watsica Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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  • Cereal based feeds
  • Oat feed
  • Wheat feed
  • Molasses
  • Flaked maize

Whole oats are a common answer, along with vegetable oil, flaxseeds, and plenty of top-quality forage. Some trainers also supplement with bran and additional vitamins and minerals.

Full Answer

What supplements should I Feed my Thoroughbred?

I would always advise against feeding a thoroughbred a pasture or cool mix as, contrary to popular belief, these will not maintain its condition in the longterm. Additional supplements we recommend are: Blue Chip Dynamic is a very good joint and bone supplement but you could use an equivalent.

Can you feed oats to thoroughbreds?

Feeding neat oats would create issues in most breeds but the problem with thoroughbreds is that if you under feed them they lose weight very quickly and, before you know it, look very light. It is then much harder to get the condition back on.

Should I Feed my Thoroughbred a pasture or cool mix?

I would always advise against feeding a thoroughbred a pasture or cool mix as, contrary to popular belief, these will not maintain its condition in the longterm. Additional supplements we recommend are:

Do Thoroughbreds need hard feed?

Thoroughbreds need far more hard feed than many other breeds just to maintain their weight and muscle structure. This is the one area that people seem to have problems with when taking on a thoroughbred… Many are under the impression that if you feed too much it will then become fresh and hard to handle.

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What should I feed my thoroughbred mare?

Feeding properly is the key. I suggest feeding a mix with a balancer included for ease. A good suggestion is Dodson and Horrell Stud Diet or Dodson and Horrell build-up mix. There are other brands of course and you should look at the protein being around 10-14% when building a horse up.

What should you feed a horse in light work?

Most horses doing light or medium work, like hacking and schooling, just need good pasture or hay, made up of a variety of different grasses. Only horses in really hard and fast work, breeding stock or very underweight horses will need high energy concentrate feeds.

What to feed a skinny thoroughbred?

Grain is a great high-calorie option to help a thin horse or an active working horse gain weight when needed. It can be fed at regular intervals with forage throughout the day to avoid gastric upset.

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.

Can horses live on grass alone?

In short, yes, all horses can live on grass alone. Healthy grass for grazing needs to be rich in nutrients to keep a horse healthy. Optimal levels of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) need to be present in the grass. Some areas don't have enough protein available.

How many pounds of grain should a horse eat per day?

A healthy horse can easily eat 2.5 pounds of air-dry feeds every day for every 100 pounds of body weight. It is important to remember that this includes hay in addition to the grain that you would put into the bin. By calculating out the total weight for each feeding, you can then avoid over- or under-feeding.

How do I fatten up my thoroughbred?

One of the simplest and cheapest ways to add fat to your horse's diet is vegetable oil from the grocery store, which can be poured over his regular concentrate ration. Corn oil is palatable to most horses, but you can also use canola, peanut or any other vegetable oil your horse likes.

What can I feed my thoroughbred horse to gain weight?

Maximizing forage intake for weight gain with free-choice, high-quality hay is ideal. The addition of alfalfa-timothy hay pellets, as you have done, is a good idea to contribute more forage to the diet.

What is the best horse feed to put weight on?

Feed lucerne hay. Lucerne (known as alfalfa in North America) is a high energy forage and makes a valuable contribution to raising a horse's calorie intake above their daily requirement to encourage weight gain. Lucerne will also provide your horse with good quality protein which will facilitate muscle development.

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.

How much hay should a thoroughbred horse eat?

The daily dry matter intake of an adult horse performing light work should be about 1.8% of its body weight each day. At least 65% of this amount should be forage. In other words, a 1,000 lb horse should be fed 18 pounds of dry matter each day.

Is corn or oats better for horses?

Oat starch is more digestible in the small intestine than corn starch, and this feature makes oats the safer feed choice when large amounts of cereal grain must be fed. Oat starch reduces the risk of hindgut acidosis, which is caused by starch entering the hindgut and undergoing rapid fermentation.

Equine Feed Calculator | EquiMed - Horse Health Matters

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