Condition in the cold
If your horse could do with a little more condition this winter, don’t worry, we’re here to help!
Horses can lose condition in the winter for many reasons. One can be if they become cold and use their ‘food’ to keep them warm rather than for weight. Another can be a reduction in food- as in- the grass isn’t growing, so there isn’t as much available. Of course, if your horse has lost a lot of weight quickly or you’re concerned about his health, it’s always worth calling your vet, to ensure that any condition he may have is nipped in the bud.
In this blog, we’re looking at ways to help boost the condition of healthy horses that have lost weight due to winter.
First of all, make sure you horse has adequate rugs, that he isn’t cold, and that he’s getting enough forage- whether this is hay or haylage. As forage is digested, it actually warms the horse from the inside too, so it’s really important.
Next, look at what you’re putting in his bucket each day. If you’re not riding that much or he’s a fizzy character, the last thing you’ll want to do is stuff him full of heating, high calorie feed. So, we suggest a good place to start is with a good quality, high specification balancer, like Advance Concentrate Complete. This provides vitamins, bioavailable minerals, trace elements, probiotics, prebiotics and Saccharomyces cerivisae yeast to help support health and the digestion of fibre in the hind gut. Adding a product like this to a forage rich diet can make a huge amount of difference- we’re so confident in it that we offer a full money back guarantee if you don’t see an improvement in condition after feeding it for two months. Just contact us for more information.
What if your horse needs an extra boost? Don’t worry…we have a few easy to feed ways to add calories to your horse’s diet…
Linseed Oil can be added to the horse’s feed up to a rate of 80ml per day for an average horse. It helps to enhance coat condition at the same time as providing non-heating energy. Available in 500ml, 1L, 2.5L, 4L and 5L containers.
Our Soya Oil is virgin source, which means it’s not highly refined as some that are available, helping it to keep its important characteristics. It’s rich in linoleic acid that helps to support skin health and is also an excellent source of slow release energy. The average horse can receive up to 80ml per day. The product is available in 1L, 2.5L and 5L containers.
Glow & Shine Omega Oil uses a combination of linseed oil, soya oil and rapeseed oil to create a product that’s high in omega 3, 6 and 9 oils. It provides horses with an easy to digest form of non-heating, slow release energy and can also help support the health of other areas of the body. Most horses can have up to 40ml per day, and the oil comes in 2.5L and 5L quantities.
Cooked Linseed provides a useful alternative to oils, providing slow release energy with extra fibre. The supplement is rich in omega 3 and 6 oils and is micronised to make it easy for the horse to digest. In addition to improving condition, Cooked Linseed also adds shine to the horse’s coat. It’s available in 3kg, 5kg, 10kg and 20kg bags.
To explore our full range of products, see the website.