Feeding the Top Performer

 

By Juliet M. Getty, Ph.D.

 

We all admire the equine athlete, the captivating blend of speed, control, grace and endurance. But the added stress of performance requires an optimal diet, with plenty of energy from carbohydrates and fats, high quality protein, adequate minerals, and vitamins.

 

Carbohydrates, the cornerstone

 

Carbohydrates supply the foundation for energy needs and fuel quick power bursts. The most significant source of carbohydrates should be forage, fed free-choice to provide an amount equal to 2 to 3% of his body weight. This is central to your horses’ health. When forage is consistently available (beyond what you believe they’ll initially eat), horses will ultimately self-regulate their intake and eat only what their bodies need. Since the horse’s stomach continually produces acid, an empty stomach will lead to discomfort, ulcers, and irregular hormonal changes.

 

Besides forage, feed concentrated meals, usually a commercial “performance” mix. But don’t overdo it. The stomach has a relatively small capacity; a too-generous meal can lead to colic. Too much starch at one time also increases stomach acid, potentially leading to ulcers or exacerbating an existing ulceration. Large, starchy meals may trigger laminitis, and in young horses, high-starch diets can lead to osteopathic disorders. And there are other things to be aware of: If starch is fed in excess without enough forage, the calcium-phosphorus imbalance can lead to tying up, irregular heartbeat, inability to regulate body temperature, impaired joint and bone development, or porous bones than can easily fracture. Limit the grain content of your horse’s diet to 2 lbs at a time (less for growing horses) and combine it with other feedstuffs (i.e. hay pellets, beet pulp, and fatty feeds) to create a meal of no more than 4 lbs. Remember proportion: Rely on forage for the majority of the horse’s feed.

 

Fats for staying power

 

Fat promotes endurance as another energy source, thereby sparing carbohydrates from being used up too quickly. Fat also prevents lactic acid buildup (lactic acid slows muscle recovery). And fat steadies the blood sugar and insulin response, which smoothes temperament.

 

But not all fats are the same:

·         Sources such as flax, chia, and fish oils are high in omega-3 fatty acids – these reduce pain and inflammation. They also protect the heart, lungs, joint, feet, and immune function, as well as regulate blood insulin levels. Flaxseed meal and chia are powerhouses omega-3 source for all horses, especially athletes. When feeding flaxseed meal, choose a commercial product that has added calcium (to correct for the high phosphorus levels naturally found in flax). Chia is also high in phosphorus, so adding a high calcium feed, such as alfalfa, will balance out the calcium to phosphorus ratio.

·         Avoid overuse of popular fats (especially corn and soybean oils) – they are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which actually increase inflammation, and hence, pain.

·         Rice bran is an excellent fat source; here again, choose a product with added calcium to balance its high phosphorus content. Rice bran oil contains gamma oryzanol, a natural steroid that promotes muscle development.

 

When switching to fat as an energy source, it’s best to “train” your horse’s body to choose fat for energy. To do this, increase the exercise intensity, giving your horse at least a month of hard training with extra fat in his diet.

 

Protein, the body-builder

 

Protein builds healthy muscle, bone, tendons, and blood, as well as hundreds of other body proteins involved in keeping systems in top working order. A grass-alfalfa hay mixture (no more than 50% alfalfa) will offer a high quality forage-based protein. Commercial feeds should supply between 14 and 16 percent crude protein; most producers boost overall protein quality by adding individual amino acids such as lysine, methionine, and tyrosine, as well as alfalfa and soybean meal.  

 

Necessary vitamins and minerals

 

Grazing on healthy pasture is the best source of vitamins and minerals, but for many horses, hay is the likely forage source. Once fresh grass is cut, dried, and stored as hay, its nutritive value diminishes. For the performance horse, pay close attention to the following: 

 

·         B vitamins for the nervous and digestive systems, and to derive energy from feed. Give a B-complex supplement without added iron, unnecessary to supplement in horses.

·         Vitamin A: Beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, is lost in hay. 1-2 lbs of carrots, spread out over the day, will satisfy the horse’s need—and his sweet tooth.

·         Vitamin D protects his bones and joints, and maintains muscle function. D is produced from sunlight, but horses without much sun exposure (or that are bathed or sprayed frequently) need to have added Vitamin D.

·         Vitamin C neutralizes damaging free radicals caused by intense exercise stress; promotes respiratory function; reduces inflammation; and prevents lung hemorrhages. C is necessary for collagen production, giving bones and joints their strength. The performance horse should have 3,000 to 10,000 mg of C daily.

·         Vitamin E and selenium: Depending on the work load, supplement 1-5 IU of vitamin E per lb of body weight, and up to 5 mg total selenium per day. Selenium is toxic in relatively small amounts so take time to calculate the total in the whole diet. 

·         Minerals: Copper and zinc work together to produce healthy bones, cartilage, and connective tissue, improve stress tolerance and endurance. Too much zinc depresses copper absorption; a ratio of 4:1 zinc to copper is best. A 2:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus is ideal, though horses can tolerate a ratio of up to 6:1. Magnesium is important for muscle function and a calm disposition; the ratio to calcium should be no less than 1:2.

 

Most prepared mineral supplements are balanced. Never offer minerals free-choice; it is not proven that horses cannot discern their need, and overconsumption can result in systemic imbalances, deficiencies, and toxicity.

 

Salt, electrolytes and water

 

·         Your horse needs salt: 1 to 2.5 ounces daily (2 to 5 tablespoons). A plain, white salt block should always be available, but some horses do not lick them adequately. Table salt can be offered free choice and/or added to meals. Use non-iodized salt if your horse already is getting iodine in his feed.

·         Hay is the best chloride source (needed with salt) so offer plenty before exercise.

·         Electrolyte preparations should be added when your horse is exercised and/or heavily sweating, but they do not satisfy the entire requirement – the horse must be in proper sodium balance before using electrolytes.  Electrolytes are added to simply replace what is lost from perspiration.

·         Adequate salt encourages water consumption; even slight dehydration can negatively impact performance. Always offer clean, fresh water; salt and/or electrolytes should never be added to the main water supply.

 

 

Optimal performance requires optimal nutrition. Provide a high-quality, healthful diet of forage, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and minerals to help your equine athlete meet his toughest performance challenges.

 

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Supporting Materials

September 2010 Forage for Thought

Choose a quality, commercial feed designed for performance or offer basic feed ingredients and add appropriate supplementation

 

·         If you choose a commercial feed, go with one that is not mostly made from cereal grains (oats, corn, barley) but rather, contains nutritious, low starch ingredients. Triple Crown and ADM Alliance feeds offer several products from which to choose.

·         Commercial feeds are fortified with vitamins and minerals but in order for your horse to receive his requirement, the feed must be fed according to recommended amounts. If you feed less than recommended, it is important to add a comprehensive supplement to fill in the gaps.

·         Check the vitamin E level of the commercial feed – extra vitamin E is required for athletes.

 

·         If you decide to feed basic ingredients, you can offer beet pulp, grass hay pellets, alfalfa pellets, and/or rice bran (stabilized, and also calcium-fortified). Oats can be added in small quantities (no more than 2 lbs at a time).

 

Feed hay before you feed grain or concentrated feeds.  If you feed grain first, the hay will “push” the grain toward the hind gut, where is won’t get adequately digested (grain is digested in the foregut) and you run the risk of colic and laminitis (through hindgut microbial fermentation).

 

One strong recommendation:  Have your hay tested. You want to make certain that it contains adequate protein, is not overly high in indigestible fiber, has proper sugar/starch levels, and has balanced minerals, including selenium. You can contact your county extension service or use a reputable lab such as Equi-Analytical – www.equi-analytical.com  Their fee is under $30 and is well worth it. 

 

·         See Chapter 1 – Ground Rules for Feeding a Horse in Feed Your Horse Like A Horse for a complete explanation of how to read a hay analysis report.

 

Supplements worth considering:

 

·         Comprehensive vitamin/mineral supplement. Important to fill in nutritional gaps found in hay or when not feeding commercially fortified feed at recommended levels.  One that is flaxseed meal based will provide the omega-3 fatty acids necessary to keep insulin levels regulated.  Recommended: Glanzen Complete or Reitsport HA-100 Complete (for added joint support).—custom products made by Horsetech. 

 

·         Flaxseed meal.  If vitamins and minerals are provided from another source, add basic flaxseed meal from a commercial source to allow for extended shelf life and proper calcium fortification. Recommended: Nutra Flax by Horsetech. Add one scoop (1/2 cup by volume, 2 ounces by weight) per 400 lbs of body weight.

 

·         Vitamin E (with or without added selenium, depending on the selenium content in hay, or from other feed sources). Evaluate other supplementation (from a commercially fortified feed) and supplement enough vitamin E to add 1 to 5 IU per pound of body weight. If your hay is low in selenium, or your horse is not getting any from another source (such as his commercial feed), consider a vitamin E/Se supplement that allows you to add enough vitamin E without over-supplementing selenium. Selenium should not exceed 5 mgs per day. Recommended:  SuPer E Natural (2000 IU vitamin E per serving) or SuPer E/Se Natural (2000 IU vitamin E plus 1 mg of Selenium per serving) by Gateway.

 

·         Magnesium and thiamin for proper muscle function and calm demeanor.  Many horses do well with added magnesium and B vitamins, in particular, vitamin B1 (thiamin) to remedy any borderline deficiencies that are responsible for muscle fatigue and behavior that causes them to easily startle at minor distractions.  Recommended: MMX by Horsetech.

 

 

Chapter References in Feed Your Horse Like A Horse:

 

·         Evaluating a hay analysis report: Chapter 1: Ground Rules for Feeding A Horse, Pages 21-24.

·         How to Read a Feed Label: Chapter 1: Ground Rules for Feeding A Horse, Page 18.

·         Salt, Electrolytes, and Water: Chapter 1: Ground Rules for Feeding A Horse, Page 24; and Chapter 7: Fundamentals of Water and Electrolytes, Pages 103-107.

·         Protein Requirements: Chapter 4: Fundamentals of Protein and Amino Acids, Pages 52-60; and Chapter 20: Athletes, Page 382.

·         Nutrient Requirements for Athletes: Chapter 20: Athletes, Pages 377-387.

·         Ergogenic Aids for Athletes: Chapter 20: Athletes, Pages 389-390

·         Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH): Chapter 20: Athletes, Page 388.

·         Preparing for Travel: Chapter 17: Stress and Behavior, Pages 308-314.

·         Training and Boarding: Chapter 17: Stress and Behavior, Pages 314-315.

·         Joints and Bones: Chapter 15: Joints, Hair, Hooves, and Skin, Pages 257-269; and Chapter 20: Athletes, Page 389.

·         Ulcers: Chapter 14: Digestive Problems, Pages 231-241.

·         Vitamin E: Chapter 6: Fundamentals of Vitamins, Pages 96-98; and Chapter 20: Athletes, Page 385.

·         Selenium: Chapter 5: Fundamentals of Minerals, Page 75.

 

 

 

 

For permission to reprint this article, in part or in its entirety, arrange for a private consultation or schedule Dr. Getty as a speaker, please contact her directly at drgetty@gettyequinenutrition.biz