How To Prevent Winter Weight Reduction In Horses

Winter months can be hard on horses, particularly
stocks with a high metabolic processes who have a
tendency to stay on the lighter side. Many horse
owners acknowledge that their equines lose flesh
during the winter season, even though the amount
of supply remains the equivalent. There are a
couple of things equine owners can do to keep
their equines plump and happy during the cold
season.

Horses are happiest outside, and should be
turned out as often as possible, weather
permitting. In the winter, using a blanket is a
good idea, even for a horse that grows a thick
winter coat. One primary reason horses lose
weight in the winter is because they burn more
calories to keep warm. Wearing a blanket is an
extra layer of protection against the cold and
will lessen the amount of calories burned to
keep the body temperature stable.

Supplements are also an excellent way to prevent
horses from losing weight in the winter. There
are a wide variety of weight gain supplements
available, and they vary in cost and quality.
One should not assume that a supplement is
better because it is higher priced. Some weight
gain supplements are actually appetite
stimulants. They increase a horse's appetite
instead of providing additional calories. With
breeds such as the Thoroughbred, the problem
isn't that the horse has a weak appetite, but
that the horse's metabolism is high and burns
through calories faster than a slower, stockier
breed.

To increase caloric intake during the winter,
one should look for a fat or protein supplement
rather than an appetite stimulant. There is
abundant information online directly from the
supplement companies, but it's always advisable
to ask a veterinarian as well. A veterinarian
will be knowledgeable about the calorie
requirements of different breeds as well as
fat/protein/carbohydrate ratios.

Many horse owners assume that increasing a
horse's grain in the winter will help keep
weight on the animal. Increasing grain
definitely increases calories, but feeding
additional sweet feed also increases the amount
of sugar intake. Horse owners who feed sweet
feed should be aware of the extra sugar their
horses are eating. In some cases, extra sugar
can make a horse more excitable.

In general, when upping a horse's food intake,
hay is a better option than grain. First, hay
does not contain extra sugar. Second, grazing on
hay throughout the day is closer to a horse's
natural eating pattern. Horses' digestive
systems are designed to process small amounts of
food continuously throughout the day. Feeding
large servings of grain overloads their
digestive tract and, while common practice, it
is actually quite un-natural for a horse.
Grazing on hay gives a horse the extra calories
he needs while preserving his natural habits as
well.

Because horses' nutritional needs are so
different from those of humans, many horse
owners find it difficult to figure out how best
to manage their feed. With a little research and
help from a veterinarian, it is possible to keep
a horse in good weight and top form in cold
weather. Each horse is different, but most
horses will benefit from a blanket during
turn-out, a good quality equine supplement, and
extra hay during the winter.

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This article offers some advise and tips to
winter weight control in your horse. Resourced
from http://www.dodsonandhorrell.com

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