Test 8 Flashcards
Prepare a feed chart for a specific type of horse
Take into account the type of horse, its size, its condition, its work load, temperament, the time of year etc. Try to find out type of previous feed so as not to make a sudden change. Make sure to reassess regularly especially if any of the conditions above change.
Make sure the horse is getting the correct amount of feed with correct nutrients and the diet is balanced.
Start by weighing the horse using a weight band. A horse eats 2.5% of its bodyweight per day this is then divided into roughage and concentrates.
A simple way to remember:
a. If the horse weighs 500kgs it will require 12.5kgs of feed per day.
If the horse weighs 1000kgs it will require 25kg of feed per day.
b. This is then divided into roughage and concentrate needs.
c. A guide to percentages
At rest 100% roughage
In light work 80-90% roughage 10-20% concentrates
Medium work 60-70% roughage, 30-40% concentrates
Heavy work 50-50% roughage/concentrates
Know how to prepare sugar beet
High in fibre, the molasses pulp is also high in sugar.
It is a good source of protein and energy. If your horses in light work or is excitable it would be best to use the un-molassed variety.
Sugar beet comes in several forms, pellets, shreds, molassed, un-molassed and speedy beet.
Preparation times - Pellets 24 hours, Shreds 12 hours, Speedy beet 20 minutes.
Soak in a bucket for the advised preparation time because if sugar beet is not soaked, it can swell up in the horses’s stomach and cause colic or death.
Know the basic system for keeping grazing areas from becoming ‘horse sick’. General paddock maintenance.
All paddocks need maintenance to retain the condition and feed valuer of the grazing, otherwise they become horse sick.
Horse sick is a term for a paddock being over grazed ie no resting period, no removal of droppings, no fertilising etc.
To keep the grazing and maintenance good, remove droppings regularly, fertilise, top, rest, spray etc.
Don’t overstock your paddocks: an ideal amount is one acre per horse.
For advice go to seed merchants, fertiliser companies, farming contractors, or agronomist.
WARNING there is a period of wilt after spraying which can make the weeds palatable, so do not turn horses into a sprayed paddock until all sprayed weeks are cleared. This is particularly important with Ragwort, as it is lethal if eaten. Ideally ragwort should be dug up by hand and burnt, including plants at the early rosette stage. Gloves must be worn as Ragwort is an irritant. It is advisable to wear protective clothing (gloves, long sleeves etc) to prevent irritation to the skin and toxins being absorbed by the body.
Know and demonstrate how to pull a tail
A pulled tail is used for showing, dressage, hunting etc, to make the tail look neat and tidy and show iff the horse’s hind quarters.
You need a pulling comb or tail comb, body brush, water brush and tail bandage.
Pull a little at a time over the course of several days. Pulling after work is best as it opens up the pores and us less likely to cause so much irritation.
Make sure at all times you are safe. Seek help if horse finds this uncomfortable.
Stand to the side. Pull a few hairs at a time from the side of the dock, working your way down. Make sure not to pull out to many at a time as thus will cause discomfort to the horse. After pulling apply a tail bandage to help lay the tail but only leave on for 30 minutes.
Know the difference between work and exercise
Exercise is giving the horse physical movement but without asking it to put a great deal of effort in (going for a gentle walk vs a session at the gym). Exercise will keep a horse ‘ticking over’ and is used just to keep your horse supple, although regular exercise can lead to greater fitness. ‘Work’ should be of sufficient effort to result in improvement in fitness, muscle tone and way of going. Exercise instead of work can depend on rider or conditions eg if weather bad (snow or ice).
Dress a horse for travelling
All horses must have protection when travelling,
Journey time will be a deciding factor on types of travel equipment. A horse might get quite hot so use a lighter rug.
Tie your horse up with head collar and lead rope. Put on traveling rug. Apply boots or bandages. Put on tail bandage and/or tail guard. Put on poll guard. Lastly put a bridle over head collar to assist when loading the horse. The bridle is removed once the horse is safely loaded and ramps or partitions closed.
Have some knowledge of how to prepare a lorry/trailer for travelling
Make sure to take all contact numbers in case of emergencies - vet, breakdown service, insurance details, destination. All horses should have their passports with them when they travel.
Plan your journey: what route, how long will it take, what equipment will you need for the horse and yourself?
-learn how to check oil, water and fuel in a lorry
-have the floor checked regularly to make sure it is sound ie no rotting.
-get someone to stand behind vehicle to check lights, indicators
-the manufacturers guide will list tyre pressures
-have trailer or lorry serviced every year
know how to load and unload a horse/pony into a trailer or box
What to wear when loading - sturdy boots, riding hat, gloves to lead.
Make sure the lorry or trailer is parked in a safe place and the ramp is on level ground.
What is a safe place?
A few scenarios:
-If your horse does not like leaving his friends it would be very silly to park next to them.
-If your horse is difficult to load try to park so that the ramp is not so steep and there is a wall/fence on one or both sides.
Once your horse is ready, lead him purposely forward from the shoulder. Walk straight towards and up the ramp. Do not look back at the horse, expect him to go on.
Once loaded ask your assistant to close partition, do up back strap and close ramp.
NOTE when putting up the ramp, do not stand directly underneath but always stand to one side. This applies again when unloading.
Once this is done, remove bridle and tie horse to string attached to the tie ring. Do not tie up too loose (in case he tried to turn round/bite his neighbour) or too tight (so the horse cannot find his natural balance).
To unload with front ramp untie, put bridle over head collar and ask assistant to lower ramp. Walk horse down ramp. Do not look back when leading.
To unload with rear ramp untie, put bridle over head collar and ask assistant to lower ramp. Undo back strap, open partition (if travelling on own) and back the horse down the ramp completely.
NOTE Putting a bridle on gives you extra control that is sometimes needed when loading and unloading.
Know the fire precautions in your yard
For safety and to comply with government legislation everyone should be aware of fire precautions. Know how you would proceed if a fire broke out.
Refer to the fire procedures on your yard which probably read:
-sound alarm
-dial 999
-let all horses out into nearest paddock, those closest to the fire first
-go to assembly point - Do NOT take unnecessary risks
-The person in charge should take a roll-call of persons and a list of horses and ponies to ensure all persons and animals are in a safe place away from danger area.
Know how to weigh hard feeds
Use a set of kitchen scales or a spring balance.
You weigh feeds to make sure that the feed you give your horse is the correct quantity. Guessing weights can lead to the horse not receiving the correct rations.
Weigh all hard feeds. You would be surprised how much they differ. ie a scoop of mix weighs totally different from a scoop of cubes.
Using the same scoop measure one scoop of each feed then weight individually.
Know different types of mixed feeds available
There are many manufacturers. Every manufacturer is different but they all have specialist complete mixes ranging from quiet mix through to a competition mix.
You would use the different products depending on your horse, its work, its temperament, its age, its condition, time of year etc.
A basic guide is:
-cool/pasture mix - horse/pony in light work
-hacking mix - horse/pony in medium work
-laminitis mix - horse/pony prone to laminitis
-veteran mix - for older horses/ponies
-competition mix - horse/pony in hard work
stud mix - mare in foal or lactating
Know the procedure for changing the horse’s diet
The horse’s stomach cannot cope with sudden changes - possibility of colic if the diet is changed too quickly.
If the horse is put on box rest, even for a couple days, concentrate feeds must be kept to an absolute minimum and the horse fed little and often preferably with succulents
NOTE - succulents are carrots, apples etc.
