What is the optimal horse feed during the winter?
When the weather changes, the grassland becomes wet and the quality of the grass decreases. At this time, especially during the cold days in winter, a horse needs more energy from feed to keep itself warm. Roughage plays an important role in this!
During winter, horses and ponies receive fewer nutrients through the grass and therefore it is wise to adjust feed management. The change in ration starts when the horses are still outside but the quality of the grass is decreasing. Slowly, horses can get used to the roughage that can already be supplemented in the field or paddock for winter. This slow feed transition during the winter allows the stomach and intestines to gradually get used to the larger amounts of dry feed matter.
Stable problems during winter
Being indoors due to the bad and cold weather has barn problems for many horses such as boredom, stress, air sucking and crib biting. Roughage problems can also throw a spanner in the works. Think dusty hay, moldy silage and pests. Give the horse consistent quality roughage with all the daily nutrients and spread feeding times throughout the day. Prevent these problems with good feed management that feeds each horse or pony according to its needs.
Keeping your horse warm in the winter
When the days get colder, horses need extra energy to keep themselves warm. Most of this energy comes from your horse’s roughage ration. Especially for horses that are kept outside, it is wise to provide extra roughage during periods of frost. This is better than giving extra concentrate because the fiber in roughage provides more energy to the body. This is because eating raw fiber keeps your horse warm. If your horse gets (almost) unlimited roughage, it can be challenging to provide this roughage and the extra roughage is often left lying around. In these cases, a roughage mix such as Hartog Digest can be a solution. This way you not only provide extra roughage, but also support the digestive tract. You can mix a roughage mix with your concentrate to improve absorption, or separately as an extra feed opportunity.
Help! My horse is losing weight in the winter
If your horse loses weight quickly in the cold, it may be that not enough roughage feed is provided. However, roughage might not contain enough nutrients to support your horse enough. It sounds tempting to fall back on extra concentrate, but horses benefit more from extra roughage than concentrate! In these cases you can look at the Lucerne Mix, this roughage mix is based on Lucerne and contains high-quality proteins that help your horse stay in shape.
Tips to help your horse get through the winter
- Change the horse or pony’s feed ration slowly to avoid gastrointestinal problems during the winter.
- Give good quality roughage with no mold, dust, etc.
- Spread the feeding times as much as possible, let the horse nibble nicely (e.g. a thin layer of straw in the box).
- Distribute drinking and eating points as much as possible in the paddock or field so that exercise is encouraged.
- Horses and ponies that are outside all day in cold winter weather need 10% to 20% extra energy from roughage feed.
- Feed each horse independently and match the feed to the horse’s energy needs.
- A horse or pony should always have access to fresh drinking water.
- Give your horse or pony adequate exercise even in winter.
- Reduce the amount of concentrate feed when there is little exercise and labor.
