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43 oats may be useful, but not more than 1-2kg per meal. Always start with a small amount and increase slowly to allow the gut bacteria time to adapt to the increased starch.
Yearling horses fed a high-quality diet freechoice can tolerate temperatures as low as-11 ° C with no ill effects. In cold weather, feeding good-quality hay free-choice is the simplest way to ensure that the horse meets its energy requirements.
BRAN MASH AND OIL
A warm bran mash is traditionally used for its laxative effect and is a great way to give horses a treat on cold nights. However, loose manure the day after a bran mash is due to the sudden change in diet, which irritates the gut wall and compromises the bacteria in the large intestine. Bran should be restricted to less than 10 % of the diet, as it contains nine times as much phosphorus as calcium. An occasional bran mash is not harmful, but a separate calcium supplement may be necessary. High phosphorus and low calcium and minerals in grain can unbalance the diet, especially for young, pregnant, or working horses- a well-balanced concentrate, based on vegetable protein meals, vitamins, and minerals, will correct the imbalances.
Increasing the oil in the diet is another safe and effective way of increasing energy, especially for working and performance horses.
IMPACTION COLIC & WATER ACCESS
Impaction colics are more common in winter, partly because mature hay and pasture have a lower water content than young pastures, but also because horses drink less if the water is below 2 ° C.
If your winter brings ice and snow, make sure clean, fresh water is available. Horses have to consume ten times their water requirement in snow conditions to meet their needs, and they need to use energy to raise the temperature of the snow to body temperature. This is a huge energy drain and, when hay is poorly digestible, can lead to gut impaction colic.
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2025 JULY / AUGUST ISSUE