Stubbs

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To avoid choke we suggest opting for a range of high-fibre and high-calorie feeds that can be soaked and fed as a wet mash. This mash can be more soup-like for horses that are prone to choke. There are also dangers associated with over-feeding too much of certain vitamins and minerals, as they can cause toxicity problems – just because “some” is good, it doesn’t mean that “lots” is better! Why can fibre feeds be fed in larger amounts than cereal based feeds to horses? SPILLERS HAPPY HOOFand HAPPY HOOF Molasses Freeare low calorie, short chop fibres ideal for laminitics. Over-feeding cereal-based feeds in one meal can also cause digestive upsets, hence the rule of feeding little and often to horses. This is because cereal feeds contain a lot of starch and the horse has a relatively small capacity for absorbing it. If starch reaches the sensitive hind gut, problems such as laminitis and colic can occur. Healthy Tummy plays a major part in Fritz on-going management. It provides him with plenty of slow-release energy required for his workload and condition.

The classic sign of ineffective chewing is quidding – the formation of balls of partially chewed hay that are too large to be swallowed and drop out of the mouth when the horse tries to eat. However, quidding is a rather advanced sign and may not always appear to start with. For example, a large Stubbs scoop of Alfa-A Originalweighs 400g whereas the same scoop of Cool Mix would be about 1.25kg. This means that, to get the same weight of feed, three scoops of Alfa-A Originalwould need to be fed. Both feeds would provide the same amount of energy because both feeds contain 10MJ/kg DE, but horses and ponies will get a lot more chew time from the Alfa-A Original, which is ideal for keeping them occupied when stabled and their digestive system healthy. Weigh your horse before you weigh your feed to ascertain his bodyweight And I will add Thunderbrook balancer as the mix reduces to ensure he gets his vitamins etc, although I do feed less than they advise. Healthy Tummy contains ADM Protexin In-Feed Formula, which supplies prebiotics to promote a healthy microbial population that is vital for fibre digestion and gut healthDermot is a 21-year-old Connemara who, despite being in his senior years, still lives a very active lifestyle. Dermot has poor dentition; various diastemas and having had three teeth removed means he struggles to chew hay effectively and requires a partial forage replacer ration. The amount and kind of work your horse or pony is doing is an important factor when calculating the quantity and type of feed to give. Good quality fibre sources such as Alfa-A Original can meet the energy requirements of most horses and ponies in light to medium work. Just add a balancer or supplement to balance the diet.

The final consideration is to make sure the horse has sufficient time to consume his meals, in an environment where he will be protected from other horses. If a total replacement diet is needed then an area to munch, for an hour or two, in peace will be needed. This could be in a stable or in a fenced-off area. Although difficult to manage, this is the only way that a horse, which needs a considerable percentage of its diet as a soaked feed, will be able to consume enough food to maintain weight and health. Caitlin O’Kane shares with us her horse’s story and transformation – from being diagnosed with grade 4 ulcers to a happy, healthy horse. Arthritis may lead to less movement. Movement is crucial to reducing the risk of impaction and gas colics.Karyce realised she was going to have to make some drastic changes to the lifestyle of Della her Welsh Section C mare – she had to lose some weight as she was at risk of getting laminitis. Sarah-Jane Brown has fed Dengie to her horses for years as she believes it is the best fibre available. She recently represented Great Britain at the European Championships for Veteran Riders with her mare Fliss. Insufficient fermentation in the large intestine may become a problem for the older horse. Research suggests that the number and variety of protozoans greatly reduce in many elderly horses. Protozoa are important, along with vast numbers of bacterial strains for efficient fermentation. 5. What about colic in the older horse? Conner was suffering with faecal water issues that were particularly bad after being on fresh grass or if he was stabled. Gemma also believed that Conner had ulcers from the stressful upbringing he had before she bought him. It was suggested that Gemma tried Conner on Dengie Healthy Tummy which she says made a huge difference. His teeth are getting down to the enamel, hence the need to preserve them but he does eat any feed put in front of him and doesn't quid (he had a trip to the RVC about 3 years ago to fix a problem tooth). So no apparent problem chewing at the moment.