By Eileen Coite
County Extension Director, Sampson County
There are many learning opportunities for NC youth in the horse industry, including local 4-H and Pony Clubs, FFA, and breed organizations. Our NC 4-H Horse Program hosts many events, including clinics, contests, and shows. 4-H Horse Clubs are available in many counties. There are five 4-H districts across the state too, with many events coming up in early 2019. Take a look at our NC 4-H Horse Program website for a wealth of information on programs offered:
https://equinehusbandry.ces.ncsu.edu/equinehusbandry-nc-4-h-horse-program/
Read through the monthly newsletters to find out what's coming up and what's been going on. Check out the calendar of events. Scroll through the educational material and educational events offered. Contact your county extension 4-H or livestock agent to find out about horse clubs in your county, and how to get involved today!
Monday, December 17, 2018
Monday, December 10, 2018
Winter Water Consumption
Ensuring our horses continue to drink enough water during cold winter weather can be a tough task, but it is an important one.
Dehydration can lead to impaction colic due to decreased water intake and is certainly a problem we'd all like to a void. An adult horse needs to drink between 5 and 10 gallons of water a day to stay adequately hydrated. This time of year hay tends to be the primary source of forage so the water content is significantly less than what they get from fresh grasses, which make water intake even more important. Here are a few tips to encourage increased consumption:
Dehydration can lead to impaction colic due to decreased water intake and is certainly a problem we'd all like to a void. An adult horse needs to drink between 5 and 10 gallons of water a day to stay adequately hydrated. This time of year hay tends to be the primary source of forage so the water content is significantly less than what they get from fresh grasses, which make water intake even more important. Here are a few tips to encourage increased consumption:
- Always have fresh, clean water available, breaking the ice regularly and removing any ""chunks"" (but be sure to move those chunks outside the pasture fence or stall to avoid bruising feet)
- Horses tend drink the majority of their water within 3 hours of feeding times, so plan to provide the thawed or warmed water within that period
- Warm the water - electric trough heaters properly managed and heated buckets work well if available, or simply pouring a bucket of warm water in once or twice a day will help
- Provide access to salt or mineral blocks to improve your horses' thirst
- Adding electrolytes directly to the feed can help stimulate water consumption
- Allow access to forage 24 hours a day to keep the fermentation process of digestion continually working
- Feeding a warm mash is a quick way to add a little hydration to the diet - start with a little water and increase it a bit every day until they are accustomed to the different texture of the wet feed
Monday, December 3, 2018
So, what is quality horse hay?
This is a question that a lot of people ask and are
asked. And the answer, as so many
Extension answers are, is “It Depends”.
Of course, there are many factors that go into determining if the hay is
“good.” A previous article on the NC
Horse Blog talked about how to understand a forage report. You can find that entry here. And that is certainly the place to start when
trying to determine the quality of the hay.
Another factor is the horse that you are feeding. Different classes of horses have different
nutritional needs. Are you feeding a
“pasture ornament” or a pregnant mare or an endurance competitor? Or maybe you have some weaned foals to keep
growing. All these animals have
different nutritional requirements. And
many can be met by hay/forage.
It seems many folks think they can look at hay and tell how
good of quality it is. And this is a
good preliminary judgement. Some things
to look at are: are there weeds (or other contaminants) present; are there
seedheads or blooms present (this indicates maturity at cutting); does it smell
like fresh cut grass (or are there burnt, moldy or fermented aromas), is it low
in moisture and is it green. But,
ultimately, the true determination of quality is the chemical analysis.
At the State Fair every year, there is a forage show. You should check it out October 2019 – it’s
always in the Jim Graham building beside the restaurant. This year, one of the classes had three
entries, and the entry with the lowest visual score (based on characteristics
listed above) won the class as it was highest in protein and energy. Without the chemical analysis, you would not
know how good that hay was. In fact, the hay had enough protein to feed a
maintenance horse and breeding stallion.
It was just shy of enough protein to feed a performance horse. Additionally, the hay had enough energy to
feed a maintenance horse, breeding stallion, performance horse, broodmare, and
growing horse. And many folks would have
passed it by just after looking at it.
Below is a brief table with some of the nutritional
requirements for various classes of horses.
Table 1. Crude
protein, acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber requirements for
various feeding classes of horses (expressed on a 100% dry matter basis).
Referenced from Paul Siciliano Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Animal Sciences,
Colorado State University, who is now with NC State University.
Feeding
Class
|
%
Crude Protein
|
%
Acid Detergent Fiber
|
%
Neutral Detergent Fiber
|
Maintenance
|
10
|
37-40
|
50-65
|
Breeding
Stallion
|
10
|
37-40
|
50-65
|
Performance
|
10-12
|
30-37
|
40-60
|
Broodmare
|
12-18
|
30-37
|
40-60
|
Growing
Horse
|
14-18
|
30-35
|
40-5
|
While visual inspection is good place to start, the only
true way to know the nutritional value of the hay is to have it analyzed. The NC Department of Agriculture performs
forage analysis for $10 per sample. Your
Cooperative Extension agent can help you with the sampling and the forms.
Monday, November 26, 2018
Security Around the Horse Barn
As much as we would like to be able to just tie our horses to
the trailer to watch a class at the horse show, leave the tack room open all
day for ease of access for ourselves and clients, and not worry about the
horses kept at the farm a couple of miles away, things can happen. Equipment, tack, and horses can go missing due to theft. Being careful and having a security plan in place
can prevent the loss of valuable equipment and even the loss of a horse –
otherwise known as rustling.
First the property.
Horse barn owners may want to consider placing some video cameras, or
even trail cameras, to be able to observe who is coming and going around the
barn. Conspicuous camera systems are a
good deterrent to theft, as long as they are placed where they are difficult to
tamper with. Camera can be on a wireless
network, and images/videos can be stored for later review. Cameras should have high resolution even at
night in order to be able to identify who is coming and going. They can be set to start recording when a
motion sensor it tripped to save time in reviewing and storage space.
Alarm systems can be pretty simple, or can be very
sophisticated. They can consist of infrared
beams or pressure sensors that will trigger an alarm when tripped. However, around a barn there can be animals
moving about that can cause false alarms, so set sensors so they aren’t tripped
by raccoon, dogs, or cats that may be roaming around.
If there is no one close enough to hear an alarm, it is hard to investigate
immediately, but the noise itself can be a deterrent. Be aware that alarms can be tripped
intentionally to get an idea of response.
Keep access gates and barn doors locked during hours when
there should be no one present around the barn or paddocks. If clients need to get to the barn during
off-hours, they should have a contact number to gain access. While a lock keeps honest people honest, they
also provide a measure of deterrence to would-be thieves and helps keep
valuable tack and equipment, not to mention horses, secure.
Perhaps the most important part of securing property is also
the simplest – be observant about who is coming and going any given day. Check references for a new farrier, feed
dealer, or even new clients. Ask friends
and neighbors about anything unusual that may have happened, and enlist their
help in being observant around the neighborhood. Around a busy barn, it may be easy for a
thief to grab some tack and load it into a truck or trailer, or just hitch up a
trailer and just leave without people noticing until it is too late. Again, be observant and ask everyone around the
barn to also observe what is going on.
Now for the horses. A
lot of the things mentioned above will also protect horses. Having good identification and good photos of
each horse, including distinguishing features, is very useful and can be
critical in recovering a horse that was stolen.
Many veterinarians and others recommend that horses be microchipped for
identification and most veterinarians have microchip readers that aid in
getting horses back to their owners. Freeze branding is an outward means of identifying
horses and will deter theft is there is an obvious identifying mark that is
registered to a farm or ranch. Several states record brands for identification purposes.
Horses have been stolen from horse shows and other places
off the farm. As was stated earlier, we
should be able to tie a horse to the trailer for a short time while watching a
class at a horse show without worrying about someone untying the lead rope and
walking away with the horse, but this does happen. Be security conscious when at horse shows,
trail rides, or other equine events and take turns watching the classes while
someone keeps an eye on the tack and the horses. Being good neighbors while at an event helps
keep everyone’s property safe and secure.
These are just a few things to consider in making sure that
horses tack, and equipment stay where they are supposed to be. Have conversations with family, friends, and
neighbors and get other ideas to consider that won’t break the bank, yet will
provide a measure of security around the farm and at events. Implementing a few security measures is less
expensive and less painful than replacing equipment or dealing with the loss of a
favorite horse.
Monday, November 19, 2018
Hauling Safely and Your Driver's License
Eileen A. Coite
County Extension Director
Sampson County Cooperative Extension
Having the right type
of driver’s license and tags on your vehicle sounds simple enough, but is it?
If you are hauling agricultural commodities and livestock, there are certainly
rules and guidelines to be familiar with.
This is just one component to remember when driving on public roads,
hauling ag commodities. There are many
guidelines to follow and be familiar with.
Today, let’s focus on the driver’s license.
First, we need to think about what, who, where, and how
something is being hauled.
Is this a truck and trailer, a semi load of a crop or
livestock, a tobacco trailer, etc. There
are so many different situations and scenarios, and it is difficult to address
them all here, but hopefully we can scratch the surface.
Let me mention two resources upfront that will help with
questions. First, the NC Highway Patrol
is offering educational opportunities for NC drivers that haul livestock,
horses, and other agricultural products.
Troopers in the commercial motor vehicle division are tasked with
offering this education to us, and they are very thorough, knowledgeable, and
willing to help us understand. The
second, very useful resource is a booklet created by NC Farm Bureau, titled
“HAULIN’ AG: A Guide to Transporting
Farm Products and Equipment in NC” (Fourth Edition). The booklet is a nice summary of
federal highway laws that help us understand the many laws and regulations we
must learn.
A limited quantity of the Haulin’ Ag booklet is available at
the Sampson County Extension Center and at the Sampson County Farm Bureau
office, but also can be found on the Farm Bureau website: www.ncfb.org
under the public policy tab, or at www.HaulinAg.org
.
There are actually six types of licenses available to
drivers, three regular and three are
commercial. First, let’s review the rules for a regular
driver’s license. If you are exempt from
requirements of a commercial driver’s license (CDL), this applies to you.
Know the weight of your vehicle(s). Every trailer (and truck) has a gross vehicle
weight rating (GVRW) listed on the body of the vehicle. Look for a metal plate on your trailer, which
lists all specifications, including the GVRW.
For regular passenger vehicles, a class C regular license will
suffice. According to the DMV, a class C
license allows you to “operate any combination of noncommercial motor
vehicles that have a GVRW of more than 10,000 pounds and less than 26,001
pounds, as long as the driver is 18 years of age or older.”
There are two other classes of “regular” licenses. These are a Class A and Class B. The only real difference between the two of
these is that the Class A is for any vehicle towing a vehicle of 10,000 pounds
or more and the Class B is for a vehicle that weighs 26,001 pounds or more. If
the combined tow vehicle and trailer weigh 26,001 pounds or more, you
will need a Class A license, but as stated earlier, if you tow vehicle alone
weighs over 26,000 pounds, you will need a Class B license. Another good place to find this explanation is
simply on the back of your driver’s license.
Many drivers on the road today have a commercial driver’s
license. There are also Class A, B, and
C types of CDLs. The following drivers of
vehicles are exempt from obtaining a CDL:
1.
Vehicles for personal use
2.
Military vehicles
3.
Emergency vehicles
4.
Farm vehicles (that meet all exemption requirements)
a.
Operated by the farmer or employees for the exclusive
use of farm
b.
Used for the transport of agricultural products,
supplies, or equipment to and from the farm
c.
Not use as for hire
d.
Used within 150 miles of the farmer’s farm
As you review these exemptions, please note that an
exemption from a CDL does not include an exemption from the proper vehicle classification
requirements.
Please know that I am not an expert on these regulations,
this is merely my research and interpretation of the law, and reviewing
informational materials provided, such as the “Haulin’ Ag” booklet. The real experts are the Division of Motor
Vehicles and our NC State Highway Patrol force. Much of the information I have
provided here can also be viewed at the NC Division of Motor Vehicles website,
at www.ncdot.gov or directly from the General
Statutes, found at www.ncleg.net . Another
suggestion for specific questions is to call the NCHP Fayetteville office at
910-486-1058 and ask for a motor carrier section officer.
A free, special event will be held at the Sampson County Livestock
Facility on Saturday, December 1, 2018 for horse owners and livestock
producers, to review safety and maintenance procedures for trailers, as well as
tips on having the right license, tags, etc. If you would like to attend this
educational workshop offered by Cooperative Extension and the NCHP, please
register by calling 910-592-7161. Those
attending are welcome to bring their trailer for a safety inspection. Pre-registration is required for planning
purposes. Copies of the Haulin’ Ag
Booklet will be available for those attending the workshop.
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Equine Colic - Do's & Don'ts
Winter is coming and with the change of weather, we often see an increase in incidents of colic. There are varying levels of "belly-aches" but all should be treated with proper care and caution. Check out these guidelines to learn more: https://thehorse.com/features/dealing-with-equine-colic/
Monday, October 22, 2018
Make a Winter Plan for Your Horse
It is late October and the horse shows, trail rides, and
other equine activities are drawing to a close.
Well, not really totally shut down, but there are fewer opportunities to
go ride somewhere, plus the weather is a lot less likely to cooperate with
riding plans. It’s not really in the
best interest of your horse to just turn out into the pasture for the winter and
let all the lessons learned from training and riding just fade away over the
winter. Nor is it good to allow your
horse to get too much condition from incorrect rationing and not enough
exercise. Making a plan now to keep your
horse in good shape during the winter months will pay dividends when the trail
riding and horse show season starts again next year, which is March in this
area of North Carolina. Here are a few
things to pay attention to:
Nutrition – don’t let your horse need to work off “extra”
pounds next spring! A horse owner needs to make sure that the horse is getting
the needed energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins needed for the level of
activity the horse will be at during the winter. Feeding extra energy to a horse that is not
exercising much leads to those unwanted pounds, so get a forage test on the hay
to be fed, and supplement only the energy and protein needed to meet the needs
of the horse – and no more! See your NC Cooperative
Extension Livestock Agent for assistance with forage testing. Ensure that minerals and vitamins are
available during the winter months through the ration or through access to free
choice mineral supplements.
Activity – Rather than just turning out for the winter
months, consider setting an activity level and routine during those months when
the weather may not be conducive to riding a lot. Exercise doesn’t always mean getting into the
saddle and riding. Working the horse in
a round pen on a lunge line can reach a level of activity that will keep the
hose’s muscle tone good and will help the horse reach mid-season form more
quickly next spring. When the weather is
good for riding, work on some things with the horse that were not up to par
last season, either in the show ring or on the trail. This can include working on loading and
unloading the trailer, waiting for the rider commands, or getting used to a
certain obstacle so that will not be a problem at the next show or trail ride. Set
up a calendar for the different activities planned and stick to it. Your horse will appreciate both the attention
and the company!
Grooming – A little attention paid to grooming during the
off months will help the horse stay clean, will help build the bond between
horse and rider, and will help identify any physical or health problems that me
not be that noticeable from a distance.
Early detection of these problems can help get an infection cleared up
before it becomes a major inflammation. Checking
feet will get foot problems identified and fixed, and checking teeth can make
sure that any dental needs are identified and addressed before wasting feed and
losing body condition of the horse. Frequent
brushing gets rid of dirt and loose hair, making the coat more efficient in
handling adverse weather conditions.
Untangling and removing foreign objects from the horse’s mane frequently
will save a lot of time and aggravation when preparing for the first horse show
next spring.
Having a plan for working with horses during the off-season
makes a lot of sense over just feeding and letting them run loose in the
pasture for a few months. Monitoring
activity levels, knowing what is being fed, and keeping up with grooming
chores, farrier needs, and general health items will yield dividends for both
the horse and the horse owner.
For more information on horse care, nutrition, or health
matters, contact your NC Cooperative Extension Livestock Agent, or the
Cooperative Extension Center in your state.
Monday, October 15, 2018
Managing Horse Manure
Did
you know that one 1,000 lb. horse can
produce about 10 tons of manure each year?
With that much manure being produced by each horse it is important to
have a manure management plan. Manure is
an excellent nutrient resource for soils and considered valuable to farmers and
garden owners. Each pound of fresh
manure contains about 0.2 lbs. of nitrogen, 0.03 pounds of phosphorous, 0.06
pounds of potassium. If stored and
handled properly, horse manure can easily be used as fertilizer on pastures,
gardens, lawns, etc.
PC: eXtension.org
A
comprehensive horse manure management plan includes the following:
·
Estimated
yearly animal manure production
·
Estimated
yearly nutrient production
·
Plans
for collecting, handling, and storing
·
Emergency
action plan that deals with accidental manure spills or other environmental emergencies
·
If
you plan to apply manure to land, please also include the following:
o Estimated yearly
crop nutrient use potential
o Rotating crops
o Available land for
application throughout the year
Manure
storage is a critical piece of a manure management plan. The type of storage facility will vary
depending on the number of horses, manure end use, and available
equipment. Barns with less than 15
horses or that often pasture horses may want to consider small, temporary
bins or wire continuous bins. Barns with
15 or more horses will want to consider a larger, more permanent facility that
you can access with larger equipment.
Prior to construction, contact your local Soil and Water Conservation
District (SWCD) or USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office to
assist you with designing and building a storage site or facility.
Wooden bins for
holding manure.
PC: UMN Extension
For
more information please click here: https://extension.umn.edu/horse-care-and-management/managing-and-composting-horse-manure
Monday, October 8, 2018
You Want Me To Give What To Who?
That’s right. . .how many of you horse owners have heard the
phrase. . .”Well, they’re going to need ____medication___times a day”? We cringe when we hear that phrase because
some of our hooved babies do NOT take medicine willingly. Here are a few tips that will hopefully help
you win the fight over giving meds.
·
Ask if the medication comes in a powdered form. Powdered forms can often be mixed with your animal’s
daily rations and eaten without them even knowing it.
·
IF a powdered version is NOT available, then capsules
can normally be opened and sprinkled on the daily rations with no problems;
however, certain medications MUST be taken whole, so be sure to ask your
veterinarian if you can open and sprinkle.
·
The tablet form of medications can be crushed
(using a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder) and sprinkled over daily rations. Again, be sure to ask your veterinarian if
this method would be appropriate.
·
Feed the medicated horse alone to see if they “nose
through” the medicine or not. This will
also keep other, less picky horses from eating medication that they don’t need.
·
Always check the bucket just to make sure the
“patient” ate what they were supposed to and didn’t leave any of the medicine
behind.
·
If your horse won’t eat their meds with feed,
try hiding it in their “favorite treat”.
If this doesn’t work, and you’re able, grind down the medication and add
it to an oral syringe of applesauce or some thinned out molasses. This should make it more appealing to your
horse. Sometimes horses will tolerate
the oral syringe better if the end of it is dipped or covered in molasses or
peanut butter.
If you have already tried all of these tips and still need
help, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Cooperative Extension
Office for more ideas.
Monday, October 1, 2018
Getting Your Mare Pregnant
There
are two different ways you can get your mare pregnant, one being live cover (natural breeding by the stallion) and the other being artificial insemination. There are pros and cons to both practices.
Live
cover is the natural way to breed your mare. Through natural breeding there is more sperm deposited into the mare so a higher pregnancy rate can be seen over chilled or frozen semen. There is simply less room for human error when you allow nature to take it's course. There are risks though for this higher pregnancy rate so you much weigh your options carefully. Live cover is more dangerous for the stallion, mare and handlers. It can be traumatic for the mare as the stallion can get mouthy as well as the weight of the stallion on the mare. Getting the 2 horses together can be hard to schedule and having them get along can be another story. The stallion will breed the mare multiple times in a day and allowing access to
each other all day is difficult but can be done if managed properly. Lastly, some stallions don’t perform well under live
cover (they will ejaculate when dismounting, some need guidance while some refuse
manipulation, and the mare can move away from the stallion)
Artificial
Insemination is the use of chilled semen that has recently been collected from a stallion or the use of frozen semen. Through the use of artificial insemination you can can obtain different
bloodlines from all over the world and you don't have to take your mare to the stallion of your choice. Artificial insemination also allows you to extend the breeding season and decrease the chance of injury to your mare.There is also freedom in not having to schedule live cover breeding sessions, this allows for stallions and mares to stay active in
their sport. The downfall to artificial insemination is that it has a lower pregnancy rate compared to natural service. The main reasons AI has a lower success rate is that there are many ways you can mishandle chilled or frozen semen which will decrease semen quality not to mention, frozen sperm is constantly under duress. With shipping the semen there is a chance of bringing in diseases from different parts of the world so it is important to make sure the stallion is
clear of any diseases. Lastly, artificial insemination does require intensive management of the mare so that you know when she is ovulating
(AI needs to be at the end of her cycle when she is about to ovulate).
Whether
you are going to use AI or live cover there has been some research done to help
you be successful. It is important to understand how the collection of the semen
directly impacts the pregnancy rate. Research by Elizabeth S. Metcalf, has been done showing that stallions
that are collected every day as compared to every other day show higher
pregnancy rates on mares both in live cover scenarios as well as chilled semen. This
is due to the fact that fertility is mainly determined by the mare and the
timing of her ovulation. When a stallion is collected every day and semen is readily
available, so the stallion’s collection schedule is based on the mare’s
readiness rather than to accommodate the schedule of the stallion farm. Another factor that increases pregnancy rate whether you are using live cover or artificial insemination is the number of insemination per cycle .
Monday, September 24, 2018
Hurricane Aftermath: Mosquito Control
Large populations of mosquitoes can emerge days to weeks after heavy rains and flooding. Most are "nuisance" mosquitoes, but some can cary viruses such as West Nile and Equine Encephalitis (EEE). To protect yourself from these vector-borne diseases:
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants while outdoors.
- Use mosquito repellent that contains DEET (30-50% concentration) or picardin (7-15% concentration).
- If possible, use fly sheets and insect repellents on horse(s) to prevent biting.
- Talk to your veterinarian to keep your horse(s) up-to-date on their EEE and West Nile vaccinations.
For more information about insect repellents, check out this link from NC State University: Insect Repellents
Hurricane Relief Supplies Needed
Now that the rivers have finally crested in the southeastern counties of North Carolina, relief efforts can expand safely and reach more
people who are in dire need. Farmers in
the affected counties are in need of a lot of resources, including feed, hay,
fencing materials, livestock panels, veterinary supplies and many other items
that are needed on farms to work with livestock and, of course, with horses.
Many people have already sent needed agricultural items to
the affected areas, and there are agricultural distribution points set up in at
least two locations so far, with that number likely to increase as flood waters
recede. There is a real shortage of hay
packaged in small square bales. These bales
are good to use in boats and trucks when horses or livestock are found needing
something to eat. While large round
bales are great and more readily available, they are more difficult to use in
these early situations in flooded areas.
Anyone who has small square bales to donate, or has fencing materials,
livestock panels or veterinary supplies to donate should call the NCDA&CS Agriculture
Weather Emergency Hotline at 1-866-645-9403 to receive instructions on where
items can be sent to meet the most need.
The folks at the NCDS&CS are working with the Ag Emergency
Operations at NC State to meet agricultural needs, including the needs of horse
owners.
Horse owners should also be aware that there are groups
active in the flooded counties offering to provide assistance that have other
goals in mind. There are cases where a
group has offered assistance, the horse owner has accepted the help, and their
horses are not seen again. I’d call that
rustling, which I believe is still a felony.
Horse owners, and all livestock farmers, need to be aware and check the credentials
for anyone working in the recovery effort.
Certainly, there is plenty to do in cleaning up pastures and structures
after a major storm like this. Horse
owners should not have to worry about the legitimacy of a group offering help,
but unfortunately there are plenty of folks looking to take advantage of people
in difficult situations.
Again, to get guidance on where to take small bales of hay,
fencing materials, veterinary supplies, or other agriculture flood relief
items, call the NCDA&CS Agriculture Weather Emergency Hotline at
1-866-645-9403.
Monday, September 17, 2018
Nutrition for Older Horses
Horses
have relatively long life spans, as compared to other livestock and companion
animals. Proper nutrition, maintenance, and veterinary care allow horses to
have longer and more productive lives, but as horses age, their needs change
and additional care may be required to keep them healthy. There is no set age
for when a horse is deemed old because horses, like people, age at different
rates.
When
caring for an older horse, it is important to understand how the horse’s body
changes as it ages and how these changes impact the horse’s health
requirements. One important area to consider when caring for an older horse is
nutrition.
Nutritional
needs of aging horses can vary greatly between individuals. As horses age,
meeting their nutritional requirements becomes more difficult. One reason for
this is poor dentition. The natural circular chewing motion characteristic of
horses leads to sharp points developing on the outside of the horse’s upper
molars and the inside of the horse’s lower molars. Filing the horse’s teeth one
to two times per year will improve his chewing ability and digestion. Some
older horses may not have teeth due to them wearing away over time. This leaves
horses with little ability to chew and digest foods they would normally eat.
This problem can be addressed by changing the type of food the horse eats. Some
feed companies make senior horse feeds that have a softer texture than ordinary
horse feeds. Concentrates fed in pellet form can be wet down and softened to
make it easier for the horse to chew. Forage in the form of hay cubes or
pellets can also be wet down and softened.
As
horses age, they may become less able to glean nutrients from food due to
reduced nutrient absorption, lowered ability to digest fiber, and reduced
gastrointestinal motility, which is caused by intestinal damage from parasites.
Lifelong parasite control is an important part of maintaining a horse’s health.
Older
horses that are having difficulty maintaining their body condition should be
given highly digestible, high-energy feeds. Beet pulp is often used for this
purpose because it is a highly digestible fiber source.
Digestibility
can be improved by selecting commercial feeds containing grains that have been
processed by crimping, cracking, rolling, or steam flaking. This breaks the
grain’s seed coat, making it easier to digest. It is important to feed good
quality grain and forage that is free of mold and dust, as moldy and dusty
feeds can cause gastrointestinal tract problems and are not easily digestible.
Some
older horses may hold their weight more easily and become too heavy as a result
of less exercise. These horses may accumulate fat at an unhealthy rate, which
could be harmful to their health. This makes it important to monitor the horse
to ensure he is meeting his nutritional requirements without gaining excess
weight.
For more information on this topic, see this bulletin from the University of Georgia Extension - Caring for the Older Horse: Common Problems and Solutions.
By
Amber Long, Bladen County Summer Intern
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