As a horse owner it’s important to understand the importance of your horses’ diet and how to manage this appropriately. “Horses are natural “trickle feeders”, browsing and grazing for much of the time. Their digestive system has evolved to cope with a fibre-based diet, with the emphasis on digestion in the hind gut (caecum and large intestine). A horse’s natural diet includes a variety of grasses of different types and age (from fresh new growth to older rougher stalks), and also other herbs and “weeds”, resulting in a fairly consistent nutritional intake for much of the year”. Blue Cross for Pets
We know that old pasture is ideal for most horses and ponies with only supplementary hay requirements during the winter months. However, the natural variety of grass and herbage is often lost in a modern sown pasture where one or two nutrient-rich grass types and clover may dominate. As a consequence, there are often seasonal flushes in grass growth (horses are then more prone to weight gain and laminitis) and the need for supplementary feeding at other times.
At Ross Dhu Equestrian Centre, we not only understand the importance of a healthy diet for your horse. We are passionate about each and every one of the horses in our care and making sure that they each have a balanced diet that includes the right proportion of nutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fats), vitamins and minerals for proper digestive function. This should ensure the maintenance of a good body condition, a healthy weight, and repair from injury and should provide energy for growth and work. We work with you to provide the best diet for your horse’s needs, including;
Your horse is given a personal nutritional feed chart and diet analysis.- Automatic watering systems
- Specially designed low level feed troughs and hay racks to allow for feeding in the most natural position, aiding digestion and correct dental wear.
- All haylage Provided – with each horse given full access to constant supply of roughage.
- All hard feeding provided.
- If your horse is struggling with weight issues, we have Managers available with small holes to help manage the problem.