Nutrition for Horses

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Nutrition for Equines

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

"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

N UTRITION

Humans

Recipe
Suggestions

Kieba's
Retro-Raw

Horses

Pets

Soil

Chia Seeds