23/01/2025
WINTER WEATHER FEEDING TIPS ✅🐴
Horses need more hay in cold weather because their energy requirements increase. The amount of hay a horse needs depends on the temperature, the horse's body weight, and other factors.
HOW MUCH HAY TO FEED? 🤔
🔹 Rule of thumb: Feed an extra 2 lbs of hay for every 10°F below freezing.
🔹 Body weight: Horses should eat 1.5–2% of their body weight in hay daily. For the average 1,200 lb horse, that equates to 18-24 lbs of hay per day.
🔹 Winter weather: Hay needs can increase by 30–50%. For the average 1,200 lb horse, that can increase daily hay requirements up to 23-31 lbs.
WHY FEED MORE HAY - WHY NOT GRAIN? 🤔
🔹 Forage is a better source of energy than grain because it produces more heat through bacterial fermentation.
🔹 Fiber should be the first thing in your horse's diet to increase during cold weather because microbes in the hindgut produce heat when breaking down fiber.
🔹 A sudden large increase in grain/carbohydrates can cause an imbalance in the hindgut and lead to issues like colic or colitis.
WHAT ELSE TO FEED? 🤔
🔹 Salt: To ensure adequate hydration, horses should have access to loose-free choice trace mineralized salt or, alternatively, top dress feed with salt. More info: https://www.fenwayfoundation.com/post/salt-an-ounce-of-colic-prevention
🔹 Water: Horses should have access to unlimited ice-free water. More info: https://www.fenwayfoundation.com/post/winter-water-consumption-impaction-colic
🔹 Supplements: If horses can't maintain weight, you can add higher-calorie supplements like grain-based concentrates or high-fat supplements
🔹 Oils: Supplemental oils provide more calories via fat per gram than carbohydrates. Tip: choose oils with a balanced omega 3/6 ratio.
While there are several different types of colic, impaction colic is the type most often seen during winter months. Decreased water consumption is assessed to be the number one factor contributing to impaction colic. In simple terms, impaction colic is caused by a blockage that forms in the large co...