Re: grain- too much? not enough? -long

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

There are alot of formulas to figure out how much of feed an individual
horse needs, but you've already figured out for yourself the best
method---by checking out the body condition and going from there.  It sounds
like both horses are in good shape on their current rations, but here are a
few general rules of thumb that might be helpful.

First of all, you generally don't want to feed more than four pounds of
grain at any one meal.  More than that temporarily overwhelms the ability of
the digestive system to adequately break down the grain, and so it
'overflows' into the cecum, where it can potentially lead to cecal acidosis,
laminitis, colic and so on.  So my recommendations are no more than four
pounds of grain per meal and no more than a total of about 10-12 pounds per
day.

However---that's straight grain, and you were describing a commercial feed
that probably contains substantial forage/fiber.  Look at the feed tag---if
the crude fiber content is greater than 18%, it's basically a Bag O' Hay and
you can feed it all day long if you want to.  As the fiber content
decreases, the percentage of grain in it increases, and the more careful you
need to be with it.  Anything under about 10% crude fiber is primarily a
grain product and should be fed according to the above limitations (no more
than 4 lbs per meal, etc).  Midway between those two, use your
judgment---ie, it probably isn't going to be a problem to feed six pounds of
a 12-13% crude fiber feed at any given time (for example, a beet pulp based
feed like Complete Advantage).  Most senior feeds are around 16-18% crude
fiber, so in your case with your sister's horse, an extra pound probably
isn't going to matter a whole lot either way.  I just wouldn't let an older
horse especially get too tubby, as they can be more prone to laminitis
problems and you don't want to go there.  As long as he stays more or less
at his current weight, you're probably just fine.

As for needing more during cold weather, where are you located?  Remember
that horses are a lot more comfortable in cold weather than people are, and
as long as they're in good body condition and have a good winter coat and a
windbreak (or in your case, a stall at night), you don't need to make
special changes in their nutrition program to allow for the cold.  That's
assuming we're not talking temps that fall below freezing every night.  Even
then, extra fiber or grain doesn't do much to directly help keep horses
warm---fiber works a lot better in cows than it does in horses to generate
what's called heat increment (the heat of digestion that then can be used to
maintain body temperature).  Horses just aren't efficient enough to really
do a very good job at that.  Grain or fat doesn't generate any heat
increment at all (or virtually none) so the only way they help maintain heat
during cold weather is only by adding to existing stores of body fat.  And
it sounds like both of your horses already have enough of that.  If
maintaining body heat really *is* an issue, then the best way to temporarily
increase core body temperature is by feeding a high protein forage, like
alfalfa.  The excess protein is metabolized as an energy source and the
pathway produces a fair amount of heat increment, thereby increasing core
temperatures by about a degree (which is substantial) for a few hours.
However, that's really not necessary unless your horses are in *really* cold
climates or are otherwise having a hard time maintaining body temps (ie,
sick, thin, no hair coat, wet, no shelter, etc).

Hope this helps, Kelly.  Good luck. :-))

Susan G


> My sister's arab is 15 hands, and 19 years old.
> She is now in college, so I'm responsible for
> feeding him and exercising him. I also ride my
> horse, so my sister's horse is only ridden half
> as much as when she was here. She feeds him 4
> pounds of Manna Pro Senior at night with 3 large
> flakes of hay, and 4 pounds again in the morning
> with just 1 flake of hay. He is at a good healthy
> weight right now.. I say he's a little over
> weight, she doesn't agree. She wants me to
> increase his food one pound because it's getting
> colder. I think this seems like way too much
> grain to be eating at one time, especially since
> he is only being exercised half as much. Is this
> too much? or does that sound about right? I've
> been trying to read about feeding, and types of
> feed, and what they do.. but it's getting pretty
> confusing. I would think it would be better to
> give him extra hay in the winter rather then
> grain... but I just am not sure.
> My horse is 13 years old, and 15.3 hands. I ride
> him about 4 times a week. He eats 2 pounds of
> Manna's Classic 10 pellets with up to 4 flakes of
> hay, depending on the temperature, and 2 pounds
> in the morning with 2 flakes. Is that enough? My
> sister thinks he needs more?? He is in good
> condition now. You can't see his ribs when you
> look at him, but if you feel for them on his
> sides they are easy to feel. They are at a barn
> now where they have to stay in 12 x 12 ft stalls
> from about 6- 7pm to about 11 am.  I wish we
> could leave them out in the pasture, but they
> make all the horses stay in for that amount of
> time so the horses wont kill all the grass. The
> rest of the day they are out in a large pasture
> with plenty of grass.
>
> I'd really like to know any advice or what you
> think about this. I dont want to over feed my
> sister's horse, and I definitely dont want to
> under feed my horse. Thanks for any help.
> -Kelly
>
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