Feeding the Performance Horse

by Allison Trimble

With seemingly endless rising expenses, it is a constant struggle to find a way to cut costs without sacrificing the quality of your horse’s care. No matter the scale of your horse operation, everyone is feeling the need to cut back. One aspect of horse care that is vital, but in which prices are drastically skyrocketing, is your horses’ feeding program. In a high demand sport, the fuel your horse gets is integral to your success. To bring some light to the topic, I asked a few questions of my feed representative, Jennifer Kilpatrick of Nutrena, to streamline some information that might help you with your feed program and your budget.

How does a horse owner determine the feed needs of each horse?
When trying to address the needs of an individual horse, you first need to determine what your goals are. Goals such as overall appearance, performance levels, etc., are important in developing your feeding program. Secondly, and most importantly, you need to feed a program that is geared toward the life stage and work level of your horse. For example: is your horse a broodmare, a growing or young horse, geriatric, performance or pleasure, or stallion? This is important because the nutritional needs vary within each group. Furthermore, it is necessary to take note and be aware of any special needs or specific metabolic needs your horse may have.

What kind of specific needs are there for cow horses/performance horses?
This type of horse has an increased demand for energy stores and output compared to many other groups of horses. Not only do they typically work harder as far as energy output on a daily basis, but when being shown they are required to perform at a much higher level than in other sports. In order to sustain in these high demand conditions, horses require increased caloric intake as well as higher levels of vitamins and minerals. The key to managing a feeding program that fulfills these needs is increasing carbohydrate intake. It is crucial, though, to carefully control these levels for optimum muscle glycogen repletion after competition.

With the drastic increases in feed costs, what advice can you give for minimizing feeding costs without sacrificing quality?
Every horse person out there is feeling the pinch. When it comes to providing an adequate feeding program that is cost effective, it becomes important for the horse owner to be aware of what they are feeding and how it is "performing." That is, what is it doing for your horse? A first step is easy: monitor your horses' body condition score, and feed for a goal of attaining a score of five. Body condition scoring involves measuring body fat, a visual examination and working with your horse to evaluate its overall appearance and condition. The primary areas to focus on are the neck, withers, crease down the back, tail head, ribs and behind the shoulder. The scale is one through nine, with one being a completely emaciated horse, five being ideal as ribs cannot be seen but easily felt, and nine being obese with fatty pads or ridges in the focus areas.

Commonly, I meet horse owners who are feeding basic grains and spending on supplements to fill in the gaps. The advice that I give is aimed to educate the owner in the cost per head per day. When feeding a grain product that requires the horse owner to purchase extra supplements, the overall cost per day increases. Conversely, if the owner were to feed a complete feed pellet that contained daily requirements of fiber, vitamins and minerals, supplements would not be necessary. Thus, the cost per head per day goes down significantly. In addition, studies have shown that when feeding high fiber feed, hay/grass intake can be decreased as the need for forage intake is lessened. Shopping for good quality hay can be very difficult as well, but paying a little more for quality will greatly benefit the horse in many ways. Lastly, it is also very important to "label shop." As a horse owner and consumer, you want to get the biggest bang for your buck. Some feed/supplement combos cost more and still don’t provide the daily requirements for the horse. An owner can find a fortified feed that provides more nutrition, costs less, and is much more convenient.

Jennifer Kilpatrick hails from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. After completing her undergraduate degree in Animal Science and a Masters in Integrated Resource Management, she began her career with Cargill, Inc in 2003. Because she is both a horse owner and an equine nutrition consultant, she can understand the needs from both perspectives. She has also supported many clubs and organizations by giving presentations on various nutritional topics. You can see her at most of the shows in the Northwest as a Nutrena representative and occasional competitor.