Mary Allen
When the cold season is just around the corner, the need for clothing and nutrition changes not only for us humans. The horses now also have very special needs that owners must take into account in order to continue to ensure good health. Horses are among the animals that are not usually kept in the stable in winter, but are also outdoors a lot. Not only when you go horseback riding, but also on nice afternoons. This article is about how the animal gets through the winter healthy, whereby we have focused primarily on the nutrition of horses in winter and have some tips ready.
The nutritional needs of horses in winter
As soon as autumn comes to an end and winter is just around the corner, a lot changes for the horses. It starts with the grass on the meadows or on the pasture. The grass is not as lush as it was in spring or summer. It also contains fewer vitamins, minerals, and proteins, so it is not easy to meet these needs of horses. In addition, the animals are of course exposed to colder temperatures throughout the day. This means that the animal’s body has to regulate these temperatures and thus needs more energy than on warmer days. The change of coat, in which the horses are now, puts additional strain on the organism and should by no means be underestimated.
The optimal feeding of horses in winter at a glance:
- At least 1.5 kilograms of hay per 100 kilograms of body weight every day.
- concentrated feed.
- Possibly additional mineral feed (100g per day for an adult, large horse).
- Mesh menu 2-3 times a week replaces a meal, can be fed warm and stabilizes the intestinal flora.
- Only high-quality hay and straw.
- Feed more energy-rich food when she sheds her fur.
- Adapt the dosage to the needs of the animals.
- Juice feed provides plenty of vitamins.
- Feed appropriately.
- Ensure a varied diet.
The roughage – also indispensable in winter
Roughage forms the basis of horse nutrition and is therefore the most important of all the components. This includes hay and straw, which should always be available in sufficient quantities. Especially in the cold season, hay is particularly important, since the fresh pasture grass is no longer available and this hole in the diet naturally has to be filled. When choosing the roughage, you absolutely have to pay attention to first-class quality. For example, low-quality hay does not contain as many vitamins and minerals as the high-quality versions. Furthermore, digestion is not stimulated properly, which can lead to serious illnesses such as colic. Even diseases that can only be recognized months later are not uncommon with inferior roughage.
When it comes to roughage, it is best if the horses are provided with it around the clock and in large quantities. Horses that have unrestricted access to good-quality roughage tend to cope much better with the cool temperatures and changes in winter. But feeding roughage is also extremely important in summer.
Good to know: The daily consumption per adult horse is around 1.5 kilograms of hay and straw per 100 kilograms of horse weight.
Of course, not every horse owner has that much hay available. In these cases you can, for example, use a special straw for feeding. This fills you up nicely and provides the horse with low-protein energy. Furthermore, fodder straw contains many vitamins and minerals as well as other nutrients, which are very important for daily requirements. Incidentally, the straw also serves as comfortable padding when sleeping and offers additional warmth when it gets very cold outside.
When it comes to hay and straw, you should also make sure that the animals get enough herbs and additional vitamins, as it can happen again and again that the hay does not cover the daily requirement for vitamins and minerals.
The juice feed for horses as a source of vitamins
In winter there is no lush grass on the pastures or in the paddocks, which of course is anything but beneficial for the horses and their vitamin requirements. For this reason, it is important that you offer your animal a balance. The special juice feed ensures that there is no lack of vitamins. Juice feed is about vital vitamins, which can be found in fruit and vegetables, for example. Beetroot, carrots, apples, beet pulp, and bananas are particularly suitable. When feeding juice food, however, it is very important to provide a healthy variety. So you can be sure that all vitamins are covered. In addition, of course, you also ensure that there is enough variety in the juice feed and that it never gets boring.
The concentrated feed for horses
Horses also need concentrated feed in winter. With the concentrated feed, it is possible for the animal to replenish its energy reserves. If you don’t feed concentrated feed in winter, it can unfortunately quickly happen that the animal becomes emaciated, weak and suffers from symptoms of weakness. Diseases are of course not uncommon. When choosing and dosing, it is important to take into account the condition and movement or work of the animals.
Pellets are very high on the obesity scale for concentrated feed. Muesli and oats are also on this list and serve as a reliable source of energy for the animals. However, it is always very important to consider how much of the concentrate the horse is getting per day. When it comes to dosing, several factors play an important role, and none of these factors should be neglected. If you don’t work a lot with your horse in winter, it naturally needs less concentrated feed than a horse that is ridden anew every day. Emaciated animals also need more concentrated feed than horses that are well fed. Attention should also be paid to the raw fiber and starch content of the concentrated feed. Since both factors affect the animal’s organism, the raw fiber-rich energy supplier should always be preferred to the starch-rich products. Starch is much more difficult to digest, which of course would require additional energy.
Many keepers also like to use sugar beets at this time of year, which swell in liquid for a while before feeding. In addition, some herbs, wheat clover, salt and minerals are added before feeding. The result is a tasty feed mixture rich in raw fiber but low in starch, which provides a lot of energy and is also very healthy for horses. In addition, the animals accept this feed mix very well. Incidentally, various oils can also be mixed in here, which are also rich in vitamins and minerals and can be optimally utilized by the body.
Mash – easily digestible and high quality at the same time
Many horse owners want to offer their animals a warm horse meal every now and then in winter. The mesh is particularly well suited for this. This is a mix of different ingredients. Depending on the variety, they contain wheat clover, glucose, linseed, grated carrots, oatmeal, beetroot and apple pomace. Mesh is not only very easy to digest and requires little energy, it even stimulates digestion. However, it should be noted that mesh is not high-quality horse feed, but only a tasty and, in winter, warm meal for in between meals. It is important that this is not given more than two to three times a week.
Vitamin supply for horses in winter
Many horse owners are always afraid of the cold winter months of the year, which affects beginners in particular. No wonder, because supplying the horses with vitamins is no longer as easy as it is during the rest of the year. The vitamin supply of horses in winter is therefore an important point and should never be underestimated. But you have to know that horses normally absorb the vitamins from grass, herbs and roots. Unfortunately, this point is completely omitted in winter. Although some vitamins can also be added via the roughage, this is by far not enough.
Especially when the horses are trained and ridden in winter, it is important to pay attention to the vitamins. This is where the supplementary feed comes into play, which ensures that the animals do not lose any important vitamins even in winter and that no dangerous deficiencies occur that could have serious consequences for their health. There are now a large number of different vitamin supplements that have been produced precisely for this purpose. This makes it possible to take the individual needs of the animals into account and to add the right product as a supplement to the normal feed. The various supplementary feeds for horses are also available in different forms. They are available as pellets, powder or even in liquid form. Anyone who is not sure which products are suitable for their own horse or which additional nutritional supplements must be given should definitely contact a vet beforehand.
My horse is declining – what should I do?
As already mentioned, a horse has a lot more work to do in winter than in summer. Both changing the fur and maintaining the body’s temperature consume a lot of energy during the day. The danger of an undersupply is therefore particularly high at this time of year and should never be underestimated. This is especially true at the beginning of winter, when the horses first have to adapt. For this reason, it is recommended that a healthy, large horse should add around 100 grams of mineral feed to the actual feed. The mineral feed should have a high availability in terms of organically bound trace elements as well as zinc and copper. A high biotin and vitamin content is now also very important.
Also in winter pay attention to a species-appropriate diet
Horses should be fed appropriately at any time of the year – even in winter. Of course, it is much more difficult to ensure a balanced diet during the cold season than in summer, but it is always important to feed your cat a balanced, varied, and species-appropriate diet. Horses depend on their owners, especially in winter, and need wholesome, high-quality horse feed to stay healthy and strong. There are many different ways of giving the animals different types of food in addition to the roughage, whereby it is always necessary to decide individually what the animal really needs and what food might not be particularly optimal.