Nutritional advice: Horses

Question 1

3 ways you can assess a horse/

Answer 1

Weight, Fat score, Work Load

Question 2

Main points about hay

Answer 2

Suitable for light work, does not contain much protein, deficient in minerals

Question 3

What can a predominately hay diet lead to?

Answer 3

Overfed but undernourished, dull coat, poor feet development , lack of muscle

Question 4

What does soaking hay do?

Answer 4

Removes dust and calories whilst keeping the same DM

Question 5

What can happen to a horse on a low fibre diet?

Answer 5

Less chewing therefore less buffering saliva= gastric ulcers
Less fibre means the bacteria in the hindgut aren’t being fed= potential weightloss
More likely to chew wood and shavings etc.

Question 6

When should you recommend straw?

Answer 6

If a horse is not losing weight on soaked hay

Question 7

How long does fibre digestion take in the large intestine?

Answer 7

up to 65 hours, it absorbs water and electrolytes and also produces B vitamins

Question 8

What is the solution to increase minerals?

Answer 8

use a balancer

Question 9

How much forage should you advise?

Answer 9

Should be around 90-99% of total DMI

Question 10

What happens when you feed a horse too much starch?

Answer 10

passes through the SI too quickly, then the undigested starch produces lactic acid in the large intestine that kills off the good bacteria

Question 11

Where are cereals digested?

Answer 11

In the small intestine, by enzymes