Dengie Horse Feed Advice - Feeding An Overweight Horse
Dengie Horse Feed Advice - Feeding An Overweight Horse
Feeding the Overweight Horse
Obesity in humans has recieved a lot of media attention as more scentific research reveled the harmful effects obesity has on general health. It should not come as a suprise that being overwieght for a horse or pony is equally as harmful to the animal, as it is to a human. But dont worry with this Dengie advice for overweight horses and ponies we will show you how to identify if your horse is overweight and help you feed your horse with the correct diet.
For horses and ponies carrying too much weight can cause damage to internal organs, increase the chance of limb problems and increase the likelihood of laminitis.
As with all diets maintaining a sensible bodyweight for a horse is a balance between energy intake via feed (including grazing and hay) and energy used for maintenence and exercise. Quite simply to maintain weight energy intake must equal energy expenditure. In contrast for a horse to lose weight, energy use mist be higher than energy intake.
Horses and ponies usually eat between 2% - 2.5% of their body weight per day including hay/grazing, reducing this intake to 1.5% of their body weight will promote healthy weight loss. However it is equally important if you do reduce the energy intake to maintain a good level of fibre to help maintain gut function and to keep your horse or pony occupied. An effective way of doing this is by dividing the daily ration into frequent small meals to the total time the horse or pony is wihtout fibre is kept to a minimum. It is better to feed lots of small meals of fibre than two large ones when total intake has to be restricted.
Calculating Bodyweight
Knowing your horse's bodyweight is important as it is your guide to knowing how much to feed as well as how much de-wormer to use. Knowing your horse's weight will enable you to ensure that you are not overfeeding and therefore contributing to his weight gain. The most practical is to use a weigh tape, please view our video guide on how to weigh tape a horse.
Suitable Dengie Feeds
Fibre feeds are ideal for good do-er's as they not only add bulk to the diet, but also take longer to eat than the equivalent weight of cubes or mix.
Dengie Hi-Fi Good Do-Er is ideal for overweight horses and ponies as it is low calorie and has added vitamins and minerals. When fed at recommended amounts no other feeds or supplements are required. This product allows you to ensure your horse is getting the required amount of fibre he needs to maintain digestive health whilst allowing you to control his calorie intake and help him to loose wieght. It is the lowest calorie horse feed currently available on the UK market.
Top Tips To Aid Weight Loss
Always provide adequate quantities of hay, haylage or a Dengie Fibre Feed.
Feed a ration that is low in energy, but high in fibre to satisfy appetite.
Monitor your horse or pony's weight weekly, using a weigh tape.
Increase the amounts of daily exercise.
Try restricting your horse or pony's access to grazing using electric fencing or a grazing muzzle.
Use a small holed haynet to keep your horse occupied for longer.
For more horse feed advice and products please visit Dengie Horse Feed
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