Nutrition Flashcards
Amount of feed per day
2-3 lbs per 100 lbs of body weight
Amount of feed total from roughage
at least 80%
Most important nutrient
water
Temperament feed adjustments
A “hot” horse may need to be fed less grain and more carbohydrates in the form of hay and grasses
Rangy built horse
Require more feed per 100lbs than blocky/chunky horses
Calcium/phosphorus ratio for young horses
1: 1.1 to 3.3
Lactating mares
These mares need the most food of any horse to adequately satisfy their body’s needs in addition to their
foal’s nutritional requirements.
Cellulose
Required for digestion
Proteins
The building blocks of cells, proteins are necessary for growth, repair and maintenance of the body. They are
found in oilseed meals, oats, barley, corn and alfalfa.
Carbohydrates
Starches and sugar create energy
Found in grass, hay and grain
Fatty acids (lipids)
Produce extra energy, especially when carbohydrates are insufficient. Small amounts are used in digestion, particularly of vitamins. These are found in corn oil and wheat-germ oil.
Vitamins
Necessary for vital body functions. These are found in hay, grain, sunlight and vitamin supplements.
Minerals
Build and maintain tissue, especially bones, and act as triggers for body functions. These are found in hay, grain,
salt and mineral supplements
Nonstructural carbohydrates
short, simple chains of sugar, such as starch and sugar, are water soluble in water.
Nonstructural carbohydrates are broken down in the horse’s GI tract to simple sugars such as fructose or glucose and absorbed
Glucose production
Nonstructural carbohydrate digestion
Structure carbohydrates
Longer, complex chains of sugar that make up the cell walls of plants and contribute to the rigidity
of wood. Examples are cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Cellulose has strong cellular bonds and needs help from bacteria to be broken down. Lignin is indigestible, even to bacteria.
Volatile fatty acids, or VFA
formed by the digestion of hay and other roughages.
Diet to improve a horse’s tolerance to exercise in hot weather
High-fat diet
Oil vs grain calories
Oils have 2x the caloric density of grain
A horse’s energy needs - 2 hours of slow walk
12% increase
A horse’s energy needs - 2 hours of fast walk
18% increase
A horse’s energy needs - 2 hours of slow trot
46% increase
A horse’s energy needs - 2 hours of fast trot or slow canter
97% increase
A horse’s energy needs - 2 hours of medium canter
138% increase
Ideal body score
5 on scale of 1 - 9