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FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
A. General questions about horse feed
1. What type of feed should I feed first in the morning: concentrate or forage?
2. How many times a day do I feed my horse?
3. Is there a specially adapted menu for horses that are sensitive to colics?
4. Why is forage so important?
5. Are proteins dangerous or essential?
6. How many kilos of feed do I feed my horse/pony?
7. What is the difference between chunks and mixes?
8. What is the difference between white and black oats?
9. Do I need to top up the diet my horse is on with extra bran?
10. What is a premium feed?
11. Is silage maize/silage grass a good feed for my horse?
12. My horse eats all its straw while stabled. Why is this and how do I address this?
13. Why do some horse feeds have a higher fat content?
14. What about the widely held belief that: In spring there is so much grass, I don't
need to feed my horses any extra feed concentrate. Is there any truth in this?
15. Why should I buy premixed feed if I can just as easily mix it myself?
16. I want to feed my young horses extra calcium. That is why I add chalk feed.
17. Do I need to feed my mare in foal something extra?
18. What should I feed my horse to allow it to settle, to be more temperate?
A 1. What type of feed should I feed first in the morning: concentrate or forage?
This is a matter of some debate. Both types of feed have their merits and drawbacks. The best thing to do is to feed the concentrate separate from the forage, i.e. allow some time before feeding forage after first having fed the feed concentrate. This allows for optimal digestion for the small stomach that horses and ponies have. An excessive supply of feed results in a very poor digestive efficiency with nutrients failing to be duly absorbed.
A 2. How many times a day do I feed my horse?
Twice a day is not really enough. Because of the small content size of the stomach, horses are forced to feed on small portions several times a day. Which means that feeding three times a day is not a luxury. Not only does this serve to prevent digestive upsets, it also counters boredom. The effects of wind sucking, crib biting, etc. are cases in point.
A 3. Is there a specially adapted menu for horses that are sensitive to colics?
Yes, horses that are sensitive to colics are best fed on feeds which contain a high level of fibre such as hay, straw, Strucomix, etc. Here too, the trick is to feed the horse several times a day. By feeding small amounts on a regular basis, the digestive system (especially the blind gut and the large intestine) is kept properly filled, thereby reducing the odds of colics. The crude fibre contained in the forage keeps the digestive system going and serves to determine the pace of transit.
A 4. Why is forage so important?
Crude fibre supplies the energy needed in the long term. It takes twenty hours after the animal has fed on a good portion of hay before the meal has been fully converted into fuel. Crude fibre also serves as the indispensable stimulator for the intestines. Starch and sugars supply a fast, immediate burst of energy which the horse can draw on with immediate effect. The energy derived from crude fibre on the other hand is only gradually made available. Millions of bacteria inside the large intestine see to it that the crude fibre is converted into volatile fatty acids such as acetic acid, butyric acid and propionic acid. These volatile fatty acids inside the bloodstream serve as the primary source of energy for the organs, muscles and nerves.
A 5. Are proteins dangerous or essential?
Proteins are needed to produce body fibres, skin, hair, muscle cells, connective tissue and hooves. Proteins are a vital part of the brains, the blood, enzymes, hormones and are needed for producing milk. Sufficient levels of protein in the body are essential for growth, reproduction, lactation, resistance against disease and for recovery and the replacement of all body tissues such as muscle cells. An oversupply of protein in rations is said to exist when in excess of 150 % of daily requirements is being fed. Too much protein in rations will be converted into either energy or body fat by the horse, but the conversion process is a particularly economical one. Carbohydrates (grains) supply three times more energy; fats supply six times more energy. In addition, a huge amount of heat is released when energy is released from proteins which in turn causes profuse sweating in the animal.
Other effects of protein oversupply in daily rations include:
overburdening of the liver, as a result of break-down products of the protein metabolism;
high urine ammonia levels, bad for the horse's respiration;
undue stress, as a result of changes in blood nitrogen levels, causing a number of hormone
contents (chiefly thyroid) to change, which in turn may serve to cause azoturia (tying-up);
skin problems such as summer scabies;
swollen legs as a result of an unduly strained liver.
All of the above serves to explain why we do not use undue amounts of protein in Cavalor feed concentrate.
The proteins we do use however are the best quality available.
A 6. How many kilos of feed do I feed my horse/pony?
This is not something which can be established just off the cuff as it depends on a variety of different factors. Due account must be taken of the type of performance the animal is expected to turn in, its overall condition, whether or not the animal is in foal, the breed of horse... In order to devise a proper ration, due account must also be taken of the quality and amount of forage the animal is being fed. Only then is it possible to determine the number of kilos of concentrate and/or any supplements that are required. For this, please feel free to consult our FRASC ration calculator software. Please note however that every horse is different. The calculations serve as a guideline only. In all cases, the 'eye of the master' is required to make the necessary adjustments.
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A 7. What is the difference between chunks and mixes?
The principle is identical: various ingredients mixed according to different formulas. The production of chunks involves the mixture being milled before being pressed into the desired shape. The difference in price is in the way the ingredients look; the visual aspect is totally irrelevant for chunks, but it is important when it comes to mixes and muesli. Whether or not a barley flake is nicely flat and rounded or whether it has been crushed into small pieces, its nutritional value is the same.
A 8. What is the difference between white and black oats?
Black oats are grown in warmer climate areas, which serves to ensure a more consistent quality. The bushel weight of this type of oat is often considerably higher. Also, the husk of the black oat is slightly thinner, something which nutritionists assume to be an advantage during digestion. Strictly nutritionally speaking however, there is little difference between the two types (bar the fact that white oats may have slightly more sugars). Still, most horse lovers tend to favour the black variety.
A 9. Do I need to top up the diet my horse is on with extra bran?
Bran is good for the intestines of the horse. Which explains why they have been mixed into the Cavalor horse feeds in the shape of wheat bran pellets. As such, there is no real need to add extra bran, although you may chose to do so to a limited amount to prevent rations from becoming improperly balanced.
A 10. What is a premium feed?
Premium is a concentrated feed which includes ingredients that have been thermically processed (extruded, expanded), to make for better digestibility and to compact the size of daily rations.
A 11. Is silage maize/silage grass a good feed for my horse?
There is no harm in adding a small amount of silage maize to the rations that are served, but we would advise against adding too much as this gives the animal too much energy and not enough essential amino acids. For silage grass, it is the quality that matters more than anything else. Preferably coarse stalks and twigs which have been harvested at the right time (i.e. not prematurely) and not overfertilised. This provides a quality of silage grass which does not contain excessive amounts of protein and makes for a good quality horse feed. If you have silage grass available which is very high on protein, you will need to adjust the ration by using a feed concentrate which is low on protein, such as Pianissimo.
A 12. My horse eats all its straw while stabled. Why is this and how do I address this?
On average, adult horses eat anywhere between 10 and 11 kg dry substance a day. If the horse is not getting enough, it will go out and try to supplement whatever it is, it is not getting. If there is no hay around, the horse will turn to eat straw. At worst, the horse will even take to eating wood shavings or other stable litter. Often, this kind of behaviour is also prompted by boredom: the horses have too much spare time and finish eating too quickly. Feeding extra hay is the best solution, preferably as much and as often as desired. Too much straw may cause digestive problems, as the equine digestive system has trouble digesting the lignin inside the straw.
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A 13. Why do some horse feeds have a higher fat content?
A higher fat content has a glycogen-saving effect on aerobic action.
Fats contain 2.5 times more energy than carbohydrates and proteins.
Horses sweat considerably less, which means less depletion of electrolytes.
It is a safe source of energy, without lactic acid and/or liver problems.
A 14. What about the widely held belief that: In spring there is so much grass, I don't
need to feed my horses any extra feed concentrate. Is there any truth in this?
A misconception. There may well be a lot of grass available this time of year, but this young grass has a very specific composition: containing very little in the way of crude fibre, little energy, a very high level of protein and a lack of minerals such as copper and magnesium. The result is often apparent in young horses: distended, over-filled joints. Which is why it is paramount to adjust feeding during this time of year using a feed concentrate which balances out these deficiencies whilst containing only a moderate level of protein.
A 15. Why should I buy premixed feed if I can just as easily mix it myself?
Composing a reliable diet involves a huge number of factors which need to be duly considered. This in itself requires considerable expertise. Every proportion has to be just right in order to avoid ending up with deficiencies or excesses. The effects of which usually do not show until after a protracted time span. Two other elements in the equation are those of consistent quality and the guarantees on offer.
A 16. I want to feed my young horses extra calcium. That is why I add chalk feed.
This is an often-made mistake. Feeding just the calcium (Ca) means that you will be having side effects such as a poor absorption of phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg). Which is when you start getting horses who end up with crooked legs as they get older. So it is very important to make sure that what you give in all cases is a well balanced supplement or feed.
A 17. Do I need to feed my mare in foal something extra?
Switch to the Probreed mare mix during the last three months of the pregnancy. Prior to that, the normal ration adequately meets the mare's requirements. Probreed contains all the vitamins and minerals needed for the foal to properly develop. Probreed is a complete feed which does not to be topped up with any supplements.
A 18. What should I feed my horse to allow it to settle, to be more temperate?
The first thing to do is to cut back on the oats and the wheat. Protein levels too must be retrenched. Other than that, feed the horse hay ad libitum for extra crude fibres, as well as softened beet pulp and flax chaff. Herbs will also produce some level of result. A range of supplements can also be considered: extra vitamin B1 has a relaxing effect in high doses, magnesium-acetate brings down stress, with tryptophan - an amino acid - also having a stress-inhibiting effect in certain concentrations. These products and specific compositions are all available as part of the Pianissimo feed and the Cavalor Calm feed supplement.
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