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enriched diet. This reduces the amount of sweat produced
and hence fluid and electrolyte loss – especially important for
horses training and competing in hot/humid climates.
Heart rates are a useful indicator of how hard a horse is
working. A lower heart rate at the same absolute exercise level
indicates that a horse is experiencing a lower relative workload
and therefore, a lower level of stress. A recent study of 3 and
4 year old Quarter horses showed that on reining and cutting
exercise days, their heart rates and cortisol (= stress) levels
were lower and they recovered faster than horses without oil
added to their feed. In addition, calmness, as measured by
spontaneous activity and reactivity (spook tests), was lower
when diets were fortified with oil. Prolonged periods of stress
can be detrimental to young horses due to suppression of the
immune system. The intricacy of manoeuvres and intensity of
performance required by young horses also increases stress
and its critical to find ways to keep these horses sound and
healthy. Stress, training and grain all increase the risk of gastric
ulceration and oils may offer some protection. Just 45ml of
corn oil each day is sufficient to reduce gastric acid secretion.
Oils can also have a calming effect on excitable horses –
including weanlings and those prone to tying-up. Reactions
to loud noise and visual stimuli are reduced in horses on
10% oil diets; weanlings take less time to learn handling and
working horses had lower salivary cortisol levels and less
startle reactions when 11% of dietary energy was provided by
oils. And, oils also offer owners another tool to maintain body
condition in horses that lose appetite when under the stress of
training, competition and travelling.
Reductions in stress and inflammation benefit all horses –
and this is where certain oils can help. The healthful benefits
of increased omega-3 fatty acids in human diets are widely
accepted and human athletes on Omega 3 supplements report
less muscle soreness and shortened recovery after athletic
events. Studies in horses have found advantages in feeding
diets rich in omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs),
including: lowered heart rates, lowered joint inflammation
and increased immune response and disease resistance.
Omega-3 fatty acids have also received attention for their role
in maintaining cell membrane fluidity (including red blood
cells) and are thought to reduce exercise-induced pulmonary
haemorrhage – ‘bleeding’.
So, which oils to choose? Most diets are based on cereal
grains, which are rich in omega 6 oils. The natural, grazing,
browsing horse has a diet based largely on grass and browsing
forage which contain a much higher proportion of omega 3 oils.
AQHA ~ JULY/AUGUST ISSUE 2020