During the winter when grass quality falls and horses require extra energy, the addition of a compound feed such as SPILLERS® Horse and Pony Cubes or SPILLERS® Cool Mix™ fed at 30% of the diet, alongside plenty of good quality forage is usually enough to maintain the horses weight throughout the winter. If, however, your horse / pony is unable to maintain his condition on this type of diet, you have ensured it is being fed at the correct level and there are no other clinical problems, try replacing 1/3 of the current diet with SPILLERS® Conditioning Cubes or Mix.

“I have a cob that is very lazy but he puts on weight very easily!”

Unfortunately this is a very difficult problem to solve nutritionally, despite being quite common. If your horse is overweight you need to reduce his weight by restricting access to high calorie feeds, such as grass, whilst feeding a low calorie feed that will provide a full supply of vitamins and minerals and extend eating time, without providing any unwanted calories. In this type of scenario it is important to remember energy and calories are the same thing, if you feed a high energy feed then you are also feeding a diet high in calories and vice versa! Quite often these types of horses are better off on a traditional cereal mix, such as RESPONSE® Instant Energy Mix or Cubes fed below the recommended levels, to give them instant energy without too many calories. The amount fed needs to be monitored very carefully so that the horse doesn’t gain too much weight, but remember, if feeding below the recommended feeding level, you need to add in a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement to ensure all your horse’s vitamin and mineral requirements are met.

Excitability levels

“My pony is fizzy, what can I feed her this winter?”

Fizzy horses and ponies can also benefit from a low starch, high fibre diet. Starch is a form of quick release energy, which can result in your horse having a sudden burst of energy. Feeds that provide energy in the form of fibre provide energy that is released slowly, therefore helping your horse to remain much calmer. SPILLERS® have a range of feeds which provide differing levels of energy from high digestible fibre and oil to help prevent excitable behaviour. SPILLERS® Horse & Pony Cubes are ideal for horses and ponies for light-medium work, RESPONSE® Slow Release Cubes in medium-hard work and HDF® Power Cubes for very hard work.

“I am competing my horse regularly and feel he needs more energy, but when I feed a traditional competition mix he gets too excitable. What options do I have?”

This is a common problem amongst horse owners and in these circumstances usually owners have tried a non-heating mix* or a low energy cube but without much success. Either you can’t feed too much as it makes matters worse, or your horse ends up with not enough energy for the work you want to do.

Traditional competition feeds are normally high in cereal starch and are therefore best avoided when choosing feeds for naturally exuberant or difficult characters. Fibre and oil, on the other hand, release fuel to the horse gradually and tend not to encourage excitable behaviour, despite being valuable sources of energy.

It is therefore possible to feed hard working or poor doing horses plenty of calories whilst keeping over-exuberance at bay. Fibre and oil are also safely digested and will not cause irritating abdominal pain. RESPONSE™ Slow Release Energy Cubes and Mix, are ideal for these types of horses; providing a medium level of energy suitable for the competition horse without the high level of starch seen in traditional competition feeds.

* A non-heating feed is one that is less likely to produce excitable behaviour in some horses and ponies when fed at the recommended rate.

“Why do some feeds make my horse excitable?”

A horse’s behaviour is strongly influenced by the type of energy in their diet, as well as the amount. Whilst diet cannot fundamentally change a horse’s temperament, it can be a useful tool in encouraging the right behaviour.

Traditionally cereal is the main source of energy in many compound feeds and is responsible in the majority of cases of excitable behaviour. Straights such as oats, barley and maize, as well as some coarse mixes, all contain a relatively high proportion of cereal starch. This energy source is rapidly broken down in the horse’s digestive system to release a rush of fuel into the bloodstream, which tends to encourage excitability. Starch may also contribute to fractious or bad-tempered behaviour if it is fed in excessive quantities: if the amount of starch in a feed overwhelms the horse’s digestive system, it will end up causing acidity in the hindgut and general discomfort for the horse.

High starch products are therefore best avoided when choosing feeds for naturally exuberant or difficult characters. Fibre and oil on the other hand release fuel to the horse gradually and tend not to encourage excitable behaviour, despite being valuable sources of energy. It is therefore possible to feed hard working or poor doing horses plenty of calories whilst keeping over-exuberance at bay. Fibre and oil are also safely digested and will not cause irritating abdominal pain.

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Elderly horses

“My 28 year old native pony has no teeth left and he cannot manage his hay any more, he just chews it into a ball and spits it out!”

If your pony can manage chaff, then try feeding SPILLERS HAPPY HOOF® to replace hay, feed weight for weight as you would hay or ad lib and this will also supply all his vitamin and mineral requirements. If he cannot manage chaff, then SPILLERS® High Fibre Cubes can be soaked into a mash with warm water and fed to replace hay; they can also safely be fed ad lib. There are many veteran horses and ponies happy and healthy living solely on SPILLERS® High Fibre Cubes.

“I have a native pony who is 27 but is prone to weight gain. Does he need any additional supplements due to his age?”

Due to better feeding, management and veterinary care, horses are living longer and often do not require the high calories that traditional veteran feeds supply. However, whilst not all older horses will require the extra energy, they will all benefit from specialist supportive nutrition, in the form of joint support, antioxidants and digestive support from Yea-Sacc1026. In these cases, look for a specialist senior feed such as SPILLERS® Senior Maintenance Mix, designed to provide this supportive nutrition without unwanted calories.

“My older pony struggles to hold his weight over the winter”

Winter can be a difficult time for some elderly horses. Energy requirements may increase by 30% or more in order to maintain body temperature and veterans are often very prone to weight loss as grass quality deteriorates and the weather gets colder. Older horses with poor teeth or previous worm damage are particularly at risk.

If your senior horse or pony is starting to find winter a little difficult to cope with, make sure that you introduce a suitable conditioning feed in the autumn. Look for a high calorie product that is designed for easy digestion such as SPILLERS® Senior Conditioning Mix. Older horses also need plenty of good quality protein; suitable compound feeds will have a protein level between 12 and 14%.

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Tips for feeding a new horse

“I am just about to buy a new horse, but am unsure what to feed. Can you help?”

Before you get your new horse home it is important that you are prepared; ensure you have bought your first bag of hard feed and make sure you have some forage ready to help your horse settle in.

Remember that moving will be stressful for the horse, so it is important that you feed a diet which will be relatively low in energy, as this should help to keep the horse as calm as possible and help prevent any naughty behaviour. In particular look for a high fibre, low starch feed such as SPILLERS® Horse and Pony Cubes, which are an ideal starting point for any horse. In addition, the excellent vitamin and mineral formulation of SPILLERS® Horse and Pony Cubes will help to support long term health and remove the need for any additional supplementation when fed at the recommended amount.

A tasty chaff may also be a useful addition to help bulk the feed out. SPILLERS® Happy Chaff is ideal as it will increase eating time and the unique blend of fibre and oil will help give your horse a great looking coat.

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Respiratory health

“I stable my horse during the winter but worry about his respiratory health.”

A typical horse breathes in over 70,000 litres of air every day and optimal lung function is hugely important for a horse’s performance and general well-being. Unfortunately, the stable environment presents the horse’s lungs with a significant challenge. It has been estimated that, under stabled conditions, more than 12 million tiny particles are inhaled with each breath; these particles include dust and mould spores and are a major cause of respiratory problems within the horse population. Even horses with no obvious signs of disease may be shown to have airway inflammation and mucus accumulation on closer examination and may not be able to perform to the best of their ability.

What place does diet have in aiding respiration?
Feeding can have a significant impact in both hindering and supporting the respiratory system. Dusty or mouldy feeds can greatly increase the concentration of particles in the air your horse breathes, so it is essential to choose high quality, clean forage. Well made haylage is usually preferable to hay but the bale must be used within 3 to 5 days of opening otherwise it can quickly spoil and end up adding to the mould spores in the atmosphere as well as potentially contributing to digestive upsets. If hay is used it should be soaked so that the mould spores swell and are less likely to enter the lower airways; the hay should be submerged in water for 20-30 minutes and should not be allowed to dry out before it is fed. Dust extracted hay replacer products such as SPILLERS HAPPY HOOF® offer a convenient and practical alternative to hay and haylage.

Certain nutrients can also play a vital role in keeping your horse’s lungs healthy. A major research project at the Animal Health Trust has proven that supplementation with a unique blend of antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, can help support lung health by increasing antioxidant levels in the fluid lining the horse’s lungs; these antioxidants levels are reduced in horses facing respiratory challenge. This unique blend of antioxidants has now been incorporated into WINERGY VENTIL-ATE®, the only equine respiratory supplement that has been proven in published scientific trials.

What else can I do to help?
There are a number of other measures that can be taken to help reduce your horse’s exposure to dust and mould spores and keep his lungs healthy. Ensure that his stable is well ventilated and turn him out as much as possible. Deep litter should be avoided as it allows the accumulation of irritating fumes such as ammonia, and a low dust bedding, such as rubber matting or paper, should be used.

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Laminitis

“My pony has had laminitis this summer, what is the best feed for him in the winter that will help avoid laminitis again next year?”

Any horse or pony with laminitis / prone to laminitis should be managed on a high fibre and low starch diet. For ponies that are prone to laminitis it is important to stay away from mixes, as these contain a large amount of cereals and are high in starch. SPILLERS HAPPY HOOF® or SPILLERS® High Fibre Cubes are both ideal feeds for laminitics and can used as compound feeds or fed ad lib as a complete diet. Both feeds carry The Laminitis Trust’s Approval Mark.

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Breeding issues

“My mare is in foal with a foal at foot, what do you recommend?
I have always wanted to breed my own foal, and have been lent a wonderful 16hh TB broodmare she has a 2 month old foal at foot and has recently been covered again. She lives out and has fairly good grazing, and I feed her Horse & Pony Cubes morning and night, is this sufficient for her, and when should I start feeding her foal?"

Ensuring the mare is in good condition and receiving adequate nutrition is the key to producing a healthy foal. When putting together the ration for your mare it is important to look at the different stages involved early gestation, late gestation and lactation.

Early gestation covers the first 8 months of pregnancy, during this time the foetus does not grow significantly but it is a critical time for organ development. A good quality balanced maintenance diet such as SPILLERS® Horse and Pony Cubes or SPILLERS® Cool Mix™ perfectly adequate for the mare in most circumstances, during this time. However, as in the case of your mare, a foal at foot may result in the mare requiring a diet to support her through lactation as well as early gestation.

The first 3 months of lactation is critical for the development of the foal, it is important not to allow your mare to drop condition but also to ensure she receives a good supply of vitamins and minerals. As your mare is out on good grazing and is maintaining her condition well on Horse & Pony Cubes, she will be receiving most of her protein and energy requirements from the above. However she will need an extra supply of vitamins and minerals, these can be provided by BUCKEYE® Gro N Win™.

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Sugar levels

“I have been told sugar is bad for my horse, is this true?”

Sugar often receives a bad press, which is not wholly deserved. Firstly, it is essential for every day life and, secondly, it is a natural component of the horse’s diet, particularly as grass contains high sugar levels.

The horse has evolved as an herbivore eating grass and other pasture plants, which are naturally high in sugar. As a result the horse has developed a sweet tooth, which is why the palatability of feeds is enhanced by adding molasses. Simple sugars are digested very efficiently in the small intestine and it is unlikely that much passes into the large intestine where it can cause digestive upsets. The small intestine’s function is only likely to be impaired if a large dose of sugar is suddenly administered without any prior adaptation, such as when ponies are turned out for the first time on lush spring grass.

The largest source of sugar in a horse’s diet, particularly in the summer is grass. Other contributors of sugar to the diet may be hay, chaff or chop and molasses although these are to a much lower extent.

The table below indicates the sugar content of common ingredients in a horse’s ration:

Feed	Intake (kg fresh weight)	Sugar supply	Tsp/bag equivalent
Grass	35	1000g	1 bag
Hay	6	150g	30 tsp
Cool Mix	1	90g	18 tsp
Molassed chaff	0.5	100g	20 tsp
Molassed sugar beet	2	100g	20 tsp

Molasses is not a cause of as many problems as maybe believed, it has been common in diets for years to tempt fussy feeders. There is a tendency to think molasses is 100% sugar when it is not – generally fresh molasses is 60-65% sugar, and some molasses by-products contain even less. Contraryto popular opinion, not much is used in horse feeds, only enough enhance palatibility.

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Protein levels

“I have been told that protein makes my horse excitable, is this true?”

For many years it has been a popular belief that low protein diets are essential to help prevent excitability; however, this is not the case. Protein is not a cause of excitable behaviour as it is not used as a primary energy source by healthy horses. Protein is mainly used to provide building blocks for growth, muscle development and repair of damaged tissues.

How did this myth begin?
There are a number of theories which have lead to the myth that protein makes horses excitable, but by far the most important seems to be the link between the level of protein and the level of energy. Feeding legislation dictates that the level of protein within a feed is clearly stated on the label whereas energy is not; when the energy level of a feed increases in most cases so does the protein. Therefore when you move from a low energy feed to a conditioning feed, you may notice the protein level increases from 10 to 15%, and your horse becomes excitable, what you will not notice however is the energy level has also increased from 10MJ/kg to 12 MJ/kg and that the sources of energy may have also changed.

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If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact the SPILLERS® Care-Line, either by emailing a Care-Line enquiry or by telephoning us on 01908 226626.

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