As autumn rapidly approaches, owners search for autumn feeding tips for their horses. With the risk of condition loss looming or a surge of grass risking the onset of laminitis, all horse owners are on high alert during this in-between season.
Therefore, we’ve put together a few tips on what should be altered, monitored and maintained in a feeding regime, for every horse, keeping them happy and healthy right through autumn.
Forage
Is your horse still surviving on those last blades of summer grass? We don’t blame you! There’s a whole host of benefits that turnout gives, so prolonging your horse’s time in the field is recommended (subject to health).
However, be aware of laminitis. In mild, wet weather, which we tend to see at the beginning of autumn, grass growth surges are common. These growth spurts supply increased levels of fructans and starches, otherwise known as sugar, which causes laminitis. Make sure to keep a look out for the signs of laminitis and put in place tired and tested prevention strategies!
As the weather begins to turn toward the end of autumn, full focus will be on maintaining condition, especially for our fair-weathered friends! You may be able to make your grass last longer this autumn, but eventually, the nutritional value will begin to dwindle. You may choose to add a vitamin and mineral supplement in with feed, if not at optimal levels in any feed already given.
As the grass becomes scarcer, you will be thinking about topping up your horse’s grazing with extra forage, such as hay or haylage. Not only will extra forage make your turnout last longer, it will reduce boredom and the risk of gastric ulcers, due to an increase in salvia production from chewing. Furthermore, forage fermentation, which occurs in your horse’s hindgut, can act as an internal heat source, keeping your horse warm through the wintery weather.
Haylage contains more sugar than hay, so those horses prone to laminitis should be fed hay. Hay can further be soaked to reduce the sugar, making it a more versatile and practical forage for horses.
Weight Management
Body condition should be monitored regularly throughout autumn. Be brutally honest, as most horse owners view their horse as the ‘perfect’ weight. If you know you won’t be able to see your horse through the ‘goggles of truth’, get a yard friend to give you the hard facts. A weigh tape may also be useful for a more standardised reading or when you don’t have a friend to hand!
A weighbridge is an excellent way to keep track of your horse’s weight this autumn and winter, and in fact all year round. Weighbridges are far more accurate than a weigh tape, with many feed companies and organisations, such as the BHS, offering nutritional support when visiting the yard.
If your horse is overweight or a good doer, use the cooler weather to your advantage. Don’t be tempted by the rugs as the temperature drops. The lower air temperature will speed up your horse’s metabolism and aid weight loss as they convert energy into heat to keep warm – this should help shed the extra pounds.
Diet Changes
Worried about changes to the nutritional value of your grazing or having to introduce hay or haylage suddenly? Adding a supplement with prebiotics, such as Globalvite, will help ease any unpredictable changes in diet, which could potentially cause digestive upset. Prebiotics work to support the health of the hindgut’s microbiome, which breaks down all the fibre in your horse’s diet. As the grass starts becoming sparser, gradually add Globalvite and additional forage into your horse’s diet to ensure they are supported through the diet change and have all the vitamins and minerals to keep them in tip-top condition through autumn.
The age-old saying ‘make changes slowly’ should not be scoffed at. Any changes in hard feed, especially, should be done carefully and slowly. Whether you’re introducing a new type of feed or adding more of one you already use, speaking with a nutritionist is recommended.
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Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.