Proper nourishment

[Kathryn Zuckweiler <zuckweiler@yahoo.com>]

Hello!  I am a new subscriber to ridecamp, and for that matter, new to
endurance riding.  My 5-year-old Arab/QH mare and I have a background
in lower-level dressage and pleasure trail riding.  We really want to
spend more time outdoors and less time in the ring, and would be
grateful for any advice on conditioning for novice-level endurance
rides.

Also, we have just moved (last month) from Iowa City, Iowa to Houston,
Texas.  In Iowa, she was pastured on rich green grass and thrived (she
did not get any grain).  In Texas, she is pastured, but the pasture
has minimal nutritional value and she receives one scoop of an oats,
corn, alfalfa mixture twice daily.  There are no salt licks available
to any of the horses in the barn where we board (this is foreign to me
- all our horses in Iowa had 24-hour access to trace-mineralized salt
licks).  I am concerned that my mare is undernourished as she has
considerably less-than-normal energy and tires quickly.  Her temp and
other vital signs are normal, she is eating well (and actually seems
hungry often to me), she is alert (I really don't believe she is
depressed - she has made friends with two of the horses she is
pastured with and meets me at the gate like normal). Obviously I need
to supplement her diet and would like any input anybody may be able to
offer.  I have considered alfalfa pellets (more than what is in the
grain she already gets) and perhaps a vitamin supplement.  I am
unfamiliar with feeding for proper nutrition in this climate, and I
also am unfamiliar with any nutritional needs specific to endurance
riding.

Any input would be welcome.  You may respond to me privately at
zuckweiler@yahoo.com.  Thanks very much!

Kathy and Bala Fire





_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com