This article could potentially fill four pages of a magazine because given the scope and depth of what could be written under the heading. However, if we go back to some of the basics of equine nutrition it may help to uncover that whether you are feeding a weanling or a veteran, the same underlying principles apply to feeding all classes of horses.

Water

Water is the most important nutrient. Just a few hours without water will result in dehydration, compromised performance and poor health. Two to three days without water will cause severe illness or death. Researchers have monitored drinking behaviour and amounts, and found that horses drank more warm water than icy water during the winter. When warm water and cold water were offered together, horses invariably chose the cold water but in smaller quantities. Therefore if you want to increase the volume of water that the horse drinks in cold weather, provide warm water as the sole source of water.

Horses will drink water within a few minutes of eating concentrate feed and within an hour after being given hay. The absence of water during these critical periods could help to explain poor performances in some horses or transient colics in otherwise well cared for horses. For young horses that are travelling, regular water stops must be made during the journey to prevent dehydration and be aware that older horses suffering with Cushing's disease have increased water requirements. The type of diet, environmental temperature, and work level will affect how much a horse will drink on a daily basis, so providing 2 buckets is always safer than 1!

Fibre

Many things appear to be new simply because the past is easily and quickly forgotten. The importance of roughage / fibre and concern associated with the overuse of concentrates is not new, but there now seems to be greater emphasis on this in the information available to people on the importance of fibre for horses; and quite rightly so.

Fibre constitutes hay and haylage (structural carbohydrates) and used to be considered simply as bulk that helped to satisfy the horse's appetite and make it feel full. The truth is that the importance of fibre and its use goes a lot further than that. In order to maintain digestive health and provide a large proportion of the digestible energy that is required to maintain bodyweight and support light work, all horses should be fed a minimum of 1% of their bodyweight in long forage as a general rule of thumb.

Pasture is also described as a fibre source because the primary energy storage compound of grasses are fructans. Fructans are not digested by gut enzymes and are instead available for hindgut digestion by the gut microbes. However, large quantities of fructans in the hindgut can be detrimental to these microbes and the horse, and can cause health problems such as laminitis if consumed in large quantities. In nutritional terms, fructans are classed as 'non-structural' carbohydrates along with sugars and starch.

Good quality pasture is an excellent basis for a feeding programme. Pasture is rich in energy, protein, Omega 3 fatty acids and also has high levels of antioxidants such as vitamin E and carotene. Pasture will contribute to the horse's energy, protein and fibre requirements to help maintain body condition, and can help reduce the incidence of colic, gastric ulcers, signs of respiratory disease and some abnormal behaviours.

Of course pasture is not always a totally perfect diet. Excessive intake of lush pasture can cause colic and laminitis, although obesity and laminitis caused by excess energy intake cannot just be blamed on pasture. Overall dietary energy intakes, exercise programmes and fitness levels all need to be taken into account if the issue of obesity is to be resolved. Simply blaming pasture is not enough.

Pasture, hay and haylage alone will not meet the minimum mineral requirements of growing youngstock, and older horses and ponies and will need to be supplemented with minerals such as Calcium, Phosphorus, Copper and Zinc. These minerals play a role in promoting correct skeletal development in young horses, and maintaining optimum hoof condition in all classes of horses. Adequate provision of these minerals during pregnancy is also essential to ensure sufficient foetal liver stores are developed in preparation for the first few months of the foal's life. To balance the deficiencies that are present in forages simply use a feed balancer such as Bio-Life 2000. This is a low calorie mix which is nutrient dense with respect to levels of trace elements so feeding rates are relatively low. It is suitable for a horse whose body condition is good (score of 5 to 6 on a scale of 1-9).

Forage analysis provides useful information that will help in the choice of the remainder of the horses ration.

Concentrate Feeding

Concentrate feeding may become necessary in order to balance nutritional deficiencies in the forage that is being fed and to provide additional digestible energy and protein to horses that require it for growth or for maintaining body condition. Breeding stock, young growing stock, performance horses and veteran horses all have significantly increased nutrient requirements compared to sedentary adult horses or those that are in light work. Compound feeds are useful for these classes of horses, although care should be taken in choosing the correct ration and deciding what is the ideal feed intake for your particular horse. Generally feeds that are high in digestible fibre sources and oil are useful to provide a source of safe calories (slow-release energy), which can help to manage growth rates in youngstock and maintain steady temperaments in horses that are in work. Examples of such feeds would include Leve-Grow for youngstock and Cooling Mix Plus Herbs for horses in light work, or Veteran Mix for the older generation. Beware that for some horses the minimum feeding recommendation to ensure the full complement of vitamins and minerals may in fact mean that too many calories are being provided, which could lead to your horse gaining too much weight. In these situations it is necessary to 'top up' the ration with a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement or use a feed balancer to ensure nutrient intake.

Horses that are in regular work or who are competing at weekends very often do not require a performance feed. Too often this can lead to weight gain or over exuberance, which can be avoided. Many people fall into this trap because they believe that their horses are working hard. The majority of horses, unless they are competing at an advanced or professional level, are NOT in hard work. Light work includes horses that are being ridden 4-5 times a week with regular episodes of faster work. These horses may also be in training for unaffiliated levels of dressage and jumping.

Don't feel that because you own an old or a young horse that you HAVE to feed a concentrate feed. If your horse is maintaining good body condition on forage alone then there is no need to use a compound feed. A broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement in a handful of chaff or a low calorie balancer such as Bio-Life 2000 should be fed instead.

Supplements

Unless your horse has a specific need for a supplement such as a joint or foot supplement and assuming that he is receiving a balanced diet, keep it simple! The only supplement that horses have an undisputable appetite and certain degree of nutritional wisdom for is salt. Salt blocks should always be provided but horses have sensitive tongues and for some this may mean that they do not use it on a regular basis. Adding 1-2 ounces of salt per day to your horses feed will ensure that his requirement is met. Dietary supplementation is also a more accurate method of ensuring intake.

Horses that are seen to be licking or eating soil may be seeking out salt.

Ultimately horse feeding can be simple and should be left that way.