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https://www.hartog.eu/en/agro/
HORSE
https://www.hartog.eu/en/agro/

Balancing nutrition for Recreational Horses

Read about the nutritional needs of recreational horses and our advice on how best to meet those needs. We discuss the different types of roughage and concentrates suitable for recreational horses and the recommended amounts for each.

Proper nutrition for recreational horses is very important. Nutrition affects the health, condition and performance of your horse. When horse nutrition is discussed, most of the time it is about the right kibble, muesli or grain mixture and the composition of concentrates or the optimal ratio between several of these products. While the influence of roughage is hardly considered.

Horse feed for recreation and light sport

A horse or pony that is not ridden, used recreationally or in light sport does not need large amounts of energy, but balanced nutrition. A basic ration therefore consists of 90% roughage such as hay, grass silage or Lucerne, for example.

As plants such as grass age, they contain more fiber. These healthy fibers stimulate intestinal function and are broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. The volatile fatty acids released during this process are absorbed into the blood and used as energy. This energy is released slowly in the gut so a horse is not likely to get hot or nervous from this type of feed. A horse can even convert the fiber from straw into useful energy. Of course, straw is not rich in building blocks such as vitamins and minerals.

Coarse hay made from mature grass plants, provide less energy than young and tender grass. High-fiber roughage such as hay, Lucerne and straw also ensure that the ration passes smoothly through the gastrointestinal tract. High-textured rations keep the intestines nice and active and horses chew a lot. Horses don’t get fat or temperamental easily from textured feed.

Moist silage contains a large percentage of water and, on balance, less fiber than hay. An addition of a high-fiber blend such as Hartog Lucerne mix increases the proportion of fiber in the ration and enriches it because of the naturally present vitamins and minerals.

Long, dry and very stalky hay contains ample fiber but is often very poor in protein and vitamins due to lack of fertilization. Especially in winter, this causes deficiencies. A dried product such as Hartog Grass mix or Hartog Compact Grass offers a solution. Because of the drying process, the vitamins remain well preserved which support the horse’s natural resistance.

Does your horse need a little something extra?

Even recreational horses can sometimes use a little extra nutrition. After a long outdoor ride, a cold period or during the shedding period, the horse is supported with concentrate. A muesli such as the Hartog Balance horse muesli, contains a low sugar and starch content. This muesli has a sophisticated balance of naturally formed vitamins and minerals. This optimally supports the horse’s health, vitality and resistance.

Horse feed from Hartog is of high quality, tasty for your horse and hygienically packaged. Our feed is used in recreation, breeding and all disciplines of equestrian sports.

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