As the temperature drops, horses burn more power to remain warm, subsequently their energy requirements will improve. We can present our horses extra energy in the form of concentrates and forage. Forages are digested by the microbes in your horses giant intestine and produce extra heat than concentrates. A fantastic analogy is to match focus and forage to your wooden stove. Concentrates are your kindling and Forage are the logs. Ideally a horse would obtain free selection hay all through the winter. How a lot additional forage does your horse need to remain warm? Then they can regulate if they want kind of through the day and night time. A few of us have easy keepers who would not do well on black horse statue free selection hay! For these horses, we have to regulate their intake. Weigh out their hay and provide it in small hole hay nets to prolong their quantity of chew time. The very first thing it is advisable do is learn how a lot your horse weighs. Using body size plus heart girth tends to be more accurate. I like to recommend using the following technique versus a weight tape that solely wraps round the center girth. Using a mushy measuring tape (the type often found in sewing kits) measure your horses heart girth and write the number of inches down. Next, measure the physique length from point of shoulder to level of hip, and write it down. Write down the HG and BL also, this can assist ensure you that you are measuring at the same location every time. Ensure you write all of it all the way down to check with throughout the winter. If you are a few inches off, almost certainly you are measuring from a slightly completely different location (except you can tell by looking that your horse has clearly gained or misplaced weight). Attempt to search out landmarks. Paint horses have nice landmarks! Now that you know the way much your horse weighs, you can figure out how a lot hay he needs to eat. Your average horse in best weight ought to consume 2% of his body weight. Some onerous keepers require upwards of 2.5% of physique weight. If in case you have an overweight horse, you'll be able to drop right down to 1.5% of his physique weight, but no less than that or you will be creating a whole other set of issues! 23lb of hay per day. Max weighs 1,159lb and needs to eat 2% of his body weight. When the temperature drops below 45 levels F (including wind chill) horses start to burn further vitality to remain heat. This 45 diploma mark is named "Crucial Temperature". For each 1 diploma F under the vital temperature, your horse will require a 1% improve in digestible energy (DE). As with every part horse associated, there are plenty of variables to this rule, reminiscent of wind chill, rain/sleet, your horses coat thickness or if you happen to blanket. Consider digestible power like your horses calorie requirement. Since horse nutrition is 90% math, lets get back to that! If I continue with the math we might calculate your horse's DE requirements, subsequent calculate how a lot further DE is required for your present temperature, next check your hay to see exactly how much DE it gives per pound, lastly calculate how a lot extra hay will present the additional DE required for the current temperature. If it is 20 degrees F where our buddy Max lives he would need an extra 2 1/2-5lb of hay. This guideline is for horses at maintenance or light work. Extra hay can be wanted in case your horse is a tough keeper, in heavy work, or on poor quality hay.
