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> A month or so ago there was a post about some studies on the
> equine digestive track (I lost the original post - did anyone out
> there keep it?). As I recall, the study showed that grain passed
> fairly quickly from the stomach into the small intestine - and was
> available as energy within 1 hour of the time it was consumed. Which
> implied that a morning feeding was not a problem.
At the Outlaw Trail, I was told by one of the vets that the energy in hay
takes about 2 hours to become available and the energy in grain takes
about 4 hours. So I figure if my horse is going to be going on for more
than four hours, there is no reason not to feed grain (as it is rich in
complex carbohydrates and simple sugars). I have been feeding my horse
4-way grain for years, before, during, and after an endurance ride. Of
course, I feed him this at home too.
At a ride, I increase all his feeds to provide for the additional energy
requirements...with Bermuda Hay offered to him at all times (except when
he is going down the trail)...just like at home. I feed very little
alfalfa, at home or away.
I always make sure that my horse has feed in front of him.
And, of course, he is allowed to eat whatever he wants along the trail,
so long as he doesn't stop to eat. One of his favorite delicacies is
dead pine needles...go figure. He also is rather keen on pepper tree,
and is more than happy to share whatever I am eating, apples, granola
bars, crackers (as long as they don't have cheese on/in them).
I usually take about 5lbs of grain with electrolytes mixed in along with
me in a fanny pack, and when I get off and walk, I open up the zipper on
the top and he eats out of it as we walk along. I like to use grain as
it provides alot of energy without all the bulk of hay so it takes much
less time for him to eat alot of calories.
I don't feed bran mashes (but then, he doesn't get bran mashes at home
either). At home, he is also allowed to eat anything along the trail
that he can snatch as he goes by, so sticks, dead mustard plant, poison
oak, are all a regular part of his diet.
None of these things concern me, if he were to stop eating them, that's
when I worry.
>
> > ride. The only hard and fast rule I have heard of concerns
> > grain. At a clinic an experienced endurance vet pointed out that
> > for many reasons it is counterindicated to feed much grain less
> > than four prior to a ride. So Misty gets her morning grain at
> > least four hours prior the start of a ride. Getting up a 1:30
> > to 2:00 AM is a pain but probably a good thing to do.
>
> > Truman
I would like to hear the many reasons that grain is contraindicated. The
only one I have heard was Courtney Hart saying that...if your horse needs
to be treated for colic, it is much easier to do this if he hasn't just
wolfed down a bunch of grain. Nothing about it causing colic. And since
I don't let my horse wolf it down (he gets it mixed in with all the other
crap he eats), I figured it wouldn't be a problem. If there are other
reasons, I would be very interested in hearing them.
kat
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