Harley Equine, LLC

06/23/2019

Choosing the Best Hay for Your Horse
Brian S. Burks, DVM, Dipl. ABVP
Board Certified in Equine Practice

Horses herbivores and foragers. They have evolved using grass and other forage as their source of nutrition. Horses should be allowed to eat constantly- they graze for about 18 hours per day, alleviating boredom and buffering gastric acids, preventing, or at least mitigating, gastric ulcer syndrome. They only sleep for about three hours per day, both standing and recumbent, where the latter is required for 30 minutes of REM sleep, though the 30 minutes do not have to be consecutive.

It may not be possible to allow grazing to the horse’s content, but providing hay satisfies the urge to chew and provides the required daily nutrition.

High-quality hay can be an important source of essential nutrients in your horse’s diet. A horse’s protein and energy requirements depend on age, stage of development, metabolism and workload. A mature horse will eat 2 to 2.5% of its body weight a day, and for optimum health, nutritionists recommend that at least half of this should be roughage such as hay. For a 1000-pound horse, that means at least 10 pounds of roughage each day.

Hay generally falls into one of two categories – grasses or legumes. Some hays are a mixture of the two. Alfalfa and clover are both legumes, although the former is the most commonly fed. Legume hay is higher in protein, energy, calcium and vitamin A compared to grass hays. This energy concentration is an advantage for performance horses and lactating mares. It should be used with caution when feeding growing horses, due to the calcium:phosphorus ratio, which may predispose them to developmental orthopedic diseases such as OCD and physitis. When feeding alfalfa, there is also a need to include a palatable, high phosphorous mineral supplement as part of the ration. Doing so will bring the calcium/ phosphorous ratio into a better balance for the horse. This is especially important when feeding young, growing horses. High phosphorous supplements are commercially available just for this reason.

Due to alfalfa's high mineral content, your horse will likely drink more water when being fed this legume. In turn, your horse's stall will be wetter and require more care to keep it clean, dry and ammonia-free.

Good quality grass hay may supply ample nutrition for less active adult horses. It can satisfy appetite and provide plenty of roughage without excess calories and protein. Adult horses need about 10-12% protein in the diet. Native grasses may only contain 6-8% protein. A mix of grass and legume hay or a concentrate containing higher levels of protein may be required.

Common varieties of grass used for horse hay include:
• Timothy
• Orchard
• Brome
• Fescue
• Prairie or Wild Native
• Oat
• Bermuda

Once you’ve determined the best category of hay for your horse, most people select hay based on how it looks, smells, and feels.

The palatability and nutritive value of hay depends upon numerous factors, including:

• Plant Species
• Level of Plant Maturity at Harvest
• W**d Content
• Growing Conditions (rain, weather, insects, disease)
• Curing & Harvesting Conditions
• Soil Conditions and Fertility
• Moisture Content
• Length & Method of Storage

Use the following tips to select the best hay for your horse:

1. It is what’s inside that counts. Ask that one or several bales are opened so you can evaluate the hay inside the bales. Do not worry about slight discoloration on the outside, especially in stacked hay.
2. Choose hay that is as fine-stemmed, green and leafy as possible, and is soft to the touch.
3. Avoid hay that is over-cured, excessively sun-bleached, or smells moldy, musty, dusty or fermented.
4. Select hay that has been harvested when the plants are in early bloom for legume hay or before seed heads have formed in grasses. Examine the leaves, stems and flowers or seed pods to determine the level of maturity.
5. Avoid hay that contains significant amounts of weeds, dirt, trash or debris.
6. Examine hay for signs of insect infestation or disease. Be especially careful to check for blister beetles in alfalfa. Ask the grower about any potential problems in the region.
7. Reject bales that seem excessively heavy for their size or feel warm to the touch, as they could contain excess moisture that could cause mold, or worse, spontaneous combustion.
8. When possible, purchase and feed hay within a year of harvest to preserve its nutritional value.
9. Store hay in a dry, sheltered area out of the rain, snow and sun, or cover in the stack to protect it from the elements.
10. When buying in quantity, have the hay analyzed by a certified forage laboratory to determine its actual nutrient content.

I do not recommend round bales for horses. Most round bales are not covered adequately outside, even in a hay hut, and thus become wet and then moldy. In addition to ingestion of obvious black mold, there is the more insidious exposure to inhaled molds, endotoxins, and other products as the horse sticks its head in to eat- which is unnatural, as horses should eat with their heads down. Then, there is a greater likelihood of rodents and snakes getting baled, dying, and releasing Clostridium botulinum toxin into the hay, which is then ingested and absorbed by the horse, causing systemic disease. Eye injuries are also more common.

Remember that horses at different ages and stages of growth, development and activity have different dietary requirements. Consult your veterinarian or a qualified equine nutritionist when formulating your horse’s ration. He or she can help you put together a balanced diet that is safe, nutritious and cost-effective.

www.foxrunequine.com

(724) 727-3481

Fox Run Equine Center

Your horse's health is always our top priority.

04/18/2019

Rick is not adoptable but looking for sponsors, along with other horses here that aren't on the adoption list.

Did you know you can become a sponsor for as little as $5 a month? Read more about sponsorship here:
https://www.rescuehorses.org/sponsor-a-horse

03/09/2019

Adoptables!

Top row: Seven, Saber (under evaluation), Ranger (adopted), Caesar

Second row: Aubrey, Ollie

Third row: Maggie, Troy

Fourth row: Uno, Holly, Lyla (adopted), Jynx (adopted)

https://www.petfinder.com/search/pets-for-adoption/?shelter_id%5B0%5D=WI398&sort%5B0%5D=recently_added

03/05/2019

02/21/2019

How's this for a visual you won't soon forgot? This is how much stomach acid a horse's body produces each day. Two standard buckets full.

Why does this matter? Your chosen feeding practices can have a direct impact on whether this stomach acid is beneficial to the horse's well-being, or not.

Horses produce saliva when they chew; the more the horse chews, the more saliva is produced. If horses have access to ad-lib forage (hay or pasture), they will produce two buckets of saliva each day. Saliva serves a few purposes in the digestion process, one of which is to help buffer stomach acid. On the other hand, horses who are fed set feedings, with imposed fasting in between, have greatly limited chew time. They can't produce this same volume of saliva.

The horse's stomach is relatively small, and only lined with a protective coating on the lower two-thirds. Excess and 'unemployed' acid can splash up onto the unprotected top third of an empty stomach, resulting in pain, ulcers, and psychological distress for the horse. Such discomfort is a common cause of aggression at feeding time.

Regardless of the amount of chew time a horse has each day, his body still produces these two buckets of stomach acid - 1.5 litres every hour, 24 hours a day. It is our responsibility as the horse's caretaker to maximize 'chew time', and feed the horse as they have evolved to eat.

What can you do to increase your horse's chew time, balancing out these buckets so-to-speak?

PS - If your horse has metabolic issues, consult with a qualified equine nutritionist to find a hay with an appropriate nutritional profile that can be consumed ad lib.

And watch how you carry those buckets!

12/12/2018

In Janesville, WI. They are over the limit of horses allowed by their zoning and
being given 4 (winter) months to comply.

A Wisconsin horse rescue center has four months to find homes for 23 horses, some old, frail and recovering from abuse, or it could face harsh consequences.

12/01/2018

🙌‼️ Thankful to Fox Run Equine Center for sharing info with us on this very important topic!! 📣

Re-feeding Syndrome and Starvation of the Horse

By Brian S. Burks, D.V.M., Dipl. ABVP, Board-Certified in Equine Practice

Re-feeding syndrome encompasses the metabolic, electrolyte, and organ dysfunction that result from reintroduction of feed, especially carbohydrates, in the chronically malnourished patient. Derangements of multiple organs can occur, including the cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurologic systems. Untreated, or even treated, death may occur within the first week.

Horses typically consume 1.5-3.0% of body weight in forage per day. If additional calories are needed, concentrates can be fed, usually at no more than 1.5% of body weight per day, and often much less. So what happens when horses are chronically malnourished? Horses that have little to eat obviously lose weight, and may be in various states, having body scores that range from 1-3 on a scale of 1-9, with 1 being severely emaciated and 9 showing severe obesity. Most normal horses should be 5 of 9. When a malnourished horse comes into the care of a responsible party, the first step is to have the horse evaluated by an equine veterinarian. This will help to guide the re-feeding process, so that weight gain can be accomplished while mitigating complications that can occur during re-feeding.

The most common reasons for horses to be malnourished are ignorance and economic hardship. In some cases the party may be an animal hoarder, having more animals than any one person can reasonably provide food and basic attention to the individual horse. At minimum, each horse requires about 30 minutes per day to feed, water, and monitor for wounds, illness, or other malady.

Starving horses receive little or no food. They may suffer from various medical conditions including parasitism, poor dental care, and systemic illness such as pneumonia. Cold weather, pregnancy, and growth compound the situation.

Horses at risk for malnourishment and re-feeding syndrome include those with body condition scores below 3/9, those that have fasted longer than 5-10 days, those with 10% or greater weight loss over 60 days, and those with endocrine diseases. Ponies and miniature horses may have hepatic lipidosis and hyperlipemia; pregnant animals are also at risk for this disorder, and they may abort. They may have a pendulous or large abdomen, a head disproportionate to the body, no fat covering over bony protuberances, dull and shaggy coat that does not shed, depression, low hanging head, and lethargy. Subsequently, there may be colic, dysphagia and subsequent esophageal obstruction, weakness, inability to rise without assistance, and sterotypical behaviors such as cribbing and weaving.

Eating, especially carbohydrates, triggers the production of insulin, which is needed to send glucose into the cells of the body, but it also is responsible for some electrolyte movement into cells, most notably magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus, leaving a lack of them outside the cell, which can cause severe metabolic disorders and failure of the heart, lungs, and kidneys. In severe cases, the brain will become affected. Horses with normal stores of the electrolytes and other minerals are equipped to handle changes; starved horses do not have body stores of minerals, and cannot respond appropriately. These animals are whole body deficient (blood and tissues) in sodium, potassium, and especially phosphorus. They are also often hypocalcemic and hypomagnesemic. Anemia is common and stems from parasitism, hypophosphatemia, and a lack of iron and copper.

Signs of re-feeding syndrome include increased weakness, neurologic dysfunction, irritability, and aggression. There may be cardiac arrhythmias and congestive heart failure. Peripheral edema may also be present. There is also muscle wasting and fat atrophy. Coma and death may follow. Any of these signs warrants immediate evaluation by an equine veterinarian who can monitor fluid and electrolyte shifts, correcting imbalances via intravenous fluids and electrolytes. Decubital ulcers occur in animals that are down, and unable to rise, due to the prominence of bony protuberances.

When the animal is starving, the body indiscriminately uses tissues to survive, breaking down protein and fat. This may lead to long-term consequences when the heart or kidneys become damaged. In contrast, well fed horses have a fat and carbohydrates in their diet, providing calories. The body will build stores that are used when the horse lives, works, plays, and sleeps.

Re-feeding the horse thus requires a slow and steady provision of food in order to avoid overwhelming the impaired digestive tract and metabolic system. Long periods of starvation affect the lining of the GIT, leading to impaired absorption of nutrients and water. There is also an increased risk of sepsis, as bacteria are more likely to enter the blood stream as they translocate across the intestinal wall and because hyperglycemia inhibits white blood cell (neutrophil) function.

Once a horse loses 50% of its body weight, the prognosis for survival is poor. Those that become recumbent and unable to rise or even stand without assistance, and the use of a sling may be warranted.

Dehydration is common in neglected horses. If water is suddenly allowed, this may cause sudden and severe shifts of fluid into the cells, which is inappropriate and can cause permanent damage. This is because there are more electrolytes within the cell, compared to plasma. Salt toxicity (a relative term- not actually excessive salt intake) is common; this is where mammals have lost water, and the cell then takes up sodium (salt) as its concentration is higher in plasma. Then, when water is offered, the sodium gets pulled back out of the cell, as now the plasma concentration is too low. This changing of cell size is especially important for the brain cells; seizures and other neurologic symptoms may ensue. Thus offering small amounts of water frequently may be warranted. Once thirst has been sated, then the horse can be allowed free choice water. In some cases, intravenous fluids may be necessary, while in others a diluted electrolyte solution may need to be provided via nasogastric intubation.

For the first 7-14 days, no grain or other supplement should be provided. Small amounts of alfalfa hay is ideal. Grass hay may be substituted. Some horses may not be able to masticate properly, due to muscle loss, and soaked alfalfa pellets may be used. Triple Crown Senior is a complete feed that also works very well. Again, small meals are given frequently. Once the animal has stabilized, then deworming may commence, and the teeth may be floated and other dental problems corrected.

www.foxrunequine.com

724-727-3481

Fox Run Equine Center

We're for the horse.

11/26/2018

📣This Cyber Monday, do your regular Amazon shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/26-3776085 and AmazonSmile donates to Amazing Grace Equine Sanctuary‼️

When you shop at AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate to Amazing Grace Equine Sanctuary Inc. Support us every time you shop.