Nutrition for Horses

Horses, and other equids, are an open range prey
animal that, in the wild, travel up to twenty or
more miles per day, eating a variety of grasses
and some herbs most of the time. The more we
deviate from this sparse diet, even with modern
horses and modern uses, the more we risk
compromising our horses' health.

Basic considerations . . .

All the following suggestions are for
an "average" horse of approximately
1,000 pounds. Details will vary
according to size, age, use, season,
basic metabolism, and even breed.

WATER

Horses can easily drink 10 or more gallons of water per day, so make sure your
horse has free access watching to see if more aggressive horses are keeping
geriatrics, youngsters, or injured horses from consuming adequate amounts.

All water should be as fresh and pure as possible. If using city water, know that the
additives are just as harmful to horses as they are to people and pets. Fluoride in
the water has actually caused serious disease including thyroid malfunction and
death in horses. For one person's experience with this, see www.slweb.
org/ftrcpersonalstories_cathy.html

FEED - FORAGE

The best general feed for horses is a good grass pasture that hopefully is fertilized
strictly organically (high levels of nitrates can lead to abortion while high potassium
levels can lead to laminitic episodes due to metabolic stresses), that contains a
variety of beneficial "weeds" and herbs, that is available at all times, and that is
maintained with parasite control in mind. A website dedicated to what exactly
constitutes a good pasture, much of which is actually covered in my book
HorseSense, is www.safergrass.org. Also, for the most nutritious pastures possible
see Dynamite Soil/Plant Fertilizers. Horses evolved on highly mineralized grasses
which also supplied them with all the Omega 3 fats necessary for good health.

With dry-lot feeding, one mature "pasture-potato" horse can easily consume 20-
25# of good grass hay (NOT alfalfa which should be fed only as a supplement to
those requiring it; many TB's may need a bit) daily in order to keep their digestive
tracts moving properly. Far too many underweight horses are simply not being
given enough hay or forage. Hay also does NOT contain the Omega 3 fatty acids like
fresh pasture can. It is these that are anti-inflammatory.

For stalled horses who for some reason cannot be fed sufficient quantities of good,
free-choice grass hay, try locating timothy or orchard grass cubes (or even pellets)
that can be fed soaked in order to obtain sufficient amounts of roughage. If you
cannot locate a good local source, one internet source we have heard good results
about is Standlee: http://www.standleehay.com/index.html.

FEED - GRAINS/CONCENTRATES

Avoid heavy grain feeding for ALL equines. According to Dr. Joseph Pagan, author
of Advances in Equine Nutrition III and founder of Kentucky Equine Research, no
horse should consume more than .03% of its weight in concentrates at any one
feeding. For a 1,000 pound animal, that means about 3# or 1 quart of grain ONLY
per feeding. Grain, containing Omega 6 fatty acids, can also scew the beneficial fatty
acid balance.

Essentially, most horses, but especially draft horses, ponies, donkeys, etc., should
have little to no grain ever as their metabolisms will tend to founder and have insulin
resistance (IR), a sort of pre-diabetic condition.

Best grain for horses who require more carbohydrates (heavy workers) is good,
clean, sweet-smelling whole oats - some refer to them as "race horse oats."
Crimping or rolling is unnecessary while destroying nutrition and exposing the
natural fats to rancidity.

If a horse is allergic to the avidin in oats (gets "high"), try feeding steam-rolled
barley or steam-rolled corn instead; but again, only if the horse requires such
concentrated carbs for heavy work loads.

EASY KEEPERS, INSULIN RESISTANCE & CUSHING'S

If a horse is an "easy keeper", gaining weight just "looking" at hay, this indicates
insulin resistance or IR which is similar to a pre-diabetic condition in humans. Avoid
all grain entirely using Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (see next point) and Chia seeds
instead of any grains (they actually require the extra fats), sweet feeds or such, and
make sure your hay is low in carbs like Timothy. And add 2000-3000 mcg GTF
(Glucose Tolerance Factor - the polynicotinate/niacin bound form) Chromium to its
diet. It's best to start with the larger amount for a horse displaying fat pads and
crestiness and then come down to the lower amount after about 3-6 mos; if
symptoms reappear, go back up, but if they have disappeared, try going down 500
mcg every few months or so to find your horse's personal need level. We
recommend the Sola r ay brand which makes 2 forms:

Chromiacin (also helps dilate blood vessels which can be helpful in
compromised hoof circulation/laminits situations so common to IR horses) OR
ActiChrom (without the added niacin for strictly the blood sugar balancing).

AVOID

chromium picolinate,

the most common and

cheapest form; it delivers

chromium but then the

picolinic acid will bind with, and

remove, other

necessary

minerals from

body.

EXTRAS

For the best fats for ANY horse who needs more calories, add 1/2-1 cup per
day/feeding of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS - grown for birdfeed, it is inevitably
pure since birds cannot handle chemicals but get it at your local feed store rather
than a pet store). Horses tend to love them, they are rich in essential fatty acids,
and they eat them hull and all which also makes them a good carrier for
supplements. Some very active or needy horses can eat up to the .03% of body
weight suggested for any concentrate. Those in high selenium areas might want to
have the vet perform a Se blood test to make sure the horse is not receiving
overmuch from the BOSS. And to add some necessary Omega 3, add chia seeds at
about 1oz per day.

For those who have access, dried kelp (one organic source is http://www.thorvin.
com) makes an excellent supplement to provide a multitude of trace minerals.

... and that's the basics.

Of course for you discriminating individuals who want to feed the very best just because
you love your horse or because you want a competitive edge in all kinds of events from
halter, to reining, to dressage, to racing of any kind, check out our supplement
recommendations under the Dynamite heading!

Parasite control . . .

Since I have a whole chapter on parasites and deworming in my book HorseSense, I'll just
give a few highlights here.

Wild horses do NOT suffer from parasite overloads often (could it be because the
lands they graze on offer an abundant mineral supply which keeps them in alkaline
balance and paramagnetically inclined?).

If they DO acquire an overload, they search out herbs and clays to rid themselves of
their unwanted guests. Notice I'm saying "overloads" here. Parasites are a fact of
nature; it is only when their colonies get over large that they can become a health
challenge.

Standard practices of high protein hays (alfalfa), feeding grains, loading toxins into
horses via feed additives and medicaments, and using deworming chemicals
frequently (from daily to monthly, now), pretty much leads to an acidic and
diamagnetic state which actually draws parasites to the animals, thus guaranteeing
overloads.

It can take upwards of 3 months for a horse to re-establish sufficient numbers of
beneficial bacteria in the GI tract following a chemical deworming. Many have
insufficient numbers to begin with because of either constant deworming or
common feeding practices. It is these beneficial colonies that not only produce
wonderful calming B vitamins, but also complete all digestive processes and act as
the first line of defense against a host of diseases. (In humans, the first line of
disease defense are our stomach acids geared to digesting animal products.)

Prior to any deworming methodology, do a fecal. The general consensus is now to
NEVER DEWORM UNDER 200 count. However fecals may show even higher counts
following any form of deworming as the parasites struggle to survive. Have patience.
Natural parasite control is actually a longer term process not necessarily dependent
only on certain worm cycles. Rather the emphasis is on balancing the horse both
magnetically and pH-wise in order to reach all those parasites setting up house in
the tissues, too, rather than only during the egg-laying cycle. Timing can easily take
up to 2 years or longer depending always on individuation of both horse and
location.

There are numerous herbal cleansers available (of course we use Dynamite's Herbal
Tonic) which are preferable, but clays such as food-grade diatomaceous earth can
also work admirably. Email me for directions for a special formula that is safe to use
monthly plus a daily mix. This may be vital for previously over-chemically treated
animals.

If a chemical dewormer is absolutely necessary, SafeGuard/Panacur is considered to
be the least toxic and proven effective even for encysted strongyles.

Parasites tend to lessen activity in the winter months, especially in northern
latitudes, so lessen any parasite control during those months.

Parasites are always most active during the full moon, so utilize any parasite control
during that time of month.

Pasture control is also important, especially vital in the more southern latitudes. It is
wise to always compost manure by making mounds and letting it "bake" for 6
months to a year (depending on climate) prior to spreading it on your pasture.
Spreading fresh manure tends to spread any parasite eggs, although in high, dry
climates, those eggs will dry out and die. Spreading lime on a pasture can also helps
it to become more paramagnetic. Following that up with Dynamite HumiZyme would
be ideal.

Interestingly, many who follow these more natural feeding methods, find their
horses also are rarely bothered by any parasites including flying pests. All
pests/parasites are attracted to diamagnetic and blocked energy and when your
horse is paramagnetic and alkaline, it can make a huge difference.

By the way, most holistically-minded owners have found that the same concepts
also hold true for dogs and cats with their various parasites including fleas, heart
worms and tape worms. In fact, my mentor back in the very early '60's, Hanna
Kroeger, taught me that many human diseases were actually linked to human
parasites of which we all have many!

Please avoid . . .

All "sweet" feeds (it's like feeding your kid constant pastries) and standard mixes.
Virtually all of these use agri-business (meaning high chemical use) grains, inorganic
and cheap supplements many of which are imported from China, artificial additives
including aspartame and MSG, and the lowest grade, cheapest molasses and corn
oil. The horse will be encouraged to eat this "good" stuff and may even "look good"
for a while before the inevitable breakdown caused by toxic nutrient imbalance.

Giving your horse corn oil "for its coat" or beet pulp for "fiber" or "moisture
retention" - both are unnecessary, fractioned, artificial additives that add nothing to
the long-term health of your horse but, in fact, can hasten health breakdown. Corn
used for feed and corn oil is invariably genetically modified and both corn and sugar
beets (from which the beet pulp is derived) are agribusiness grown (meaning high
chemical use) and chemically extracted for either the oil or the sugar. We use the
BOSS instead (it provides both essential fatty acids and fiber) on top of a good,
basic, chemical-free diet. Also appropriate are the Chia seeds.

Salt and mineral blocks which all have as their base bleached salt. Some then add
inorganic minerals and coloring. All contain glues and binders. These blocks were
designed for rough-tongued cattle, not smooth-tongued horses. Horses can try to
chew off hunks which then will frequently result in TMJ challenges. Offer only free-
choice loose, natural (unbleached) salt.

As many chemicals and toxic compounds as you possibly can, including medications
and vaccinations, just as you would for yourself or household pets

But nutrition is just the start . . .

As important as good nutrition is, general horse management is more inclusive. We
personally think that the "iron-free" horse, as Dr. Robert Cook describes it, is the best
way to go. That means shoeless and bitless. And yes, both are absolutely appropriate for
any horse from the back yard pet to the highest end competitor; it is bitting and shoeing
that are quite harmful to the animal causing many of their ultimate health challenges. Also
to be considered are more holistic, chemical-free health services, resistance-free training
and such. Here are some links that may help in your implementing more natural horse
care:

BAREFOOT HORSES
www.barefoothorse.com
www.tribeequus.com
www.star-ridge.com ... offers books by Jaime Jackson, ex-farrier
www.e quinepodiatry.net
www.healthehoof.com/home.html

BITLESS HORSES
www.bitlessbridle.com ... an excellent bridle designed by Dr. Robert Cook himself offers
humane control better than any other bitless bridle, including hackamores, that we have
used
www.NevzorovHauteEcole.com/en ... this Russian trainer performs highest level dressage
completely bridle-less and mostly bareback

HOLISTIC CARE
www.ahvma.org .... locate a holistic vet near you
www.theavh.org ... The Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy
www.animalchiropractic.org
www.equinedentistry.com ...International Directory of Equine Dentists
www.aava.org ...The American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture
www.ivas.org ... International Veterinary Acupuncture Society
www.animalacupressure.com .... offers books, videos, charts, seminars, etc
www.909shot.com.... National Vaccine Information Center
www.homeopathyworks.com .... Washington Homeopathic Products
www.chiexplorer.com ... China Healthways Institute - their Equitonic 3 sound machine was
used on Monarchos, the 2001 Kentucky Derby winner
www.lightsoundtechnology.com ... offer affordable light/sound machines for home or barn
use
www.a nimalaccupressure .com ... acupressure seminars, books & charts for horses, dogs
& cats
www.sporthorsemassage.com ... truly excellent massage & energy therapy clinics - many
participants find they have learned more at these clinics than at longer, far more costly
schools - new certification testing is being considered

RESISTANCE-FREE TRAINING
www.horseandriderbooks.com ... Trafalgar Square Horse Books offers both books and
videos by Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling, my favorite equine educator
www.sumerelltraining.net .... a relatively simple method of learning to be "head mare"
www.thenaturalhorse.org/index2.html ... Friendship Training

Ideally . . . Feed the Basic Dynamite Program

Because pastures and hay fields vary so widely in their ability to produce optimal
nutritional balance and those vital minerals, I hope you will consider supplementing your
horse's diet with the basic/foundation Dynamite products. Yes, even for "pasture
potatoes!" After all, our "pet" horses can no longer roam over thousands of acres of
highly mineralized soils, so it is up to us to provide an alternative.

For a more comprehensive discussion on good horse nutrition, and numerous other
points to consider, please read my book HorseSense.

The information contained on this webpage has not been
evaluated by the FDA. This information in not intended to treat,
diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material provided is for
educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your
physician or other qualified health care provider with any
questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before
undertaking any diet, exercise
or other health program.

Mac's 6 week old son Macsimum Skip & his dam Shadowhawks Mariah

Tarryall.net
. . . a Guide for Living Energetically

Nutrition for equines ...

Dynamite Human Horses Pets Soil Recipes Chia Kieba

Horses have
hoofs to carry
them over frost
and snow, hair
to protect them
from wind and
cold. They eat
grass and drink
water, and fling
up their heels. . .
such is the real
nature of
horses."
Chuang Tzu