Feeding, Management, Housing and TackAnimal Science 1Unit 32

Objectives

•Develop a feeding program for horses based on commonly accepted standards

•Describe good management practices for horses

•Describe housing and tack required for horses

Pasture•Amount required per animal depends on

▫The use of the pasture▫The kind of pasture▫The amount of available mouisture

•1 acre/horse will provide little more than an exercise area

•2 acres if well managed are sufficent for the grazing season

•On native range in the western states, 2-10 acres/month

Silage

•May replace up to ½ the hay in the horse ration

•Corn silage is best•Grain sorghum, grass and grass-legume

silages may also be used•Feed high quality silage that is chopped

fine and free of mold•Do not feed silage to foals and horses that

are being worked hard

Legume Hay

•May be made from alfalfa, clovers and lespedeza

•More palatable than grass hay•Higher protein and mineral content•Alfalfa is the best•Grass-legume mixtures are often used for

horse hay and make an excellent mix.

Grass Hay• Common hays

▫ Timothy Has long been considered the standard hay for feeding

horses▫ Bromegrass▫ Orchard grass▫ Bermuda▫ Prairie hay▫ Cereal hay

• Generally do not yield as much feed per acre• Lower in protein, calcium, vitamins

Grain

Oats

•Considered best for horse rations•Palatable and bulky

▫This helps decrease digestive problems•Compared to corn

▫Higher protein▫Lower energy

Corn

•Often a better buy on an energy basis•Good for thin horses or those that are

worked hard•Care needs to be taken to not allow the

horse to become to fat•May cause colic•Corn/oats mix makes a good horse ration

Grain Sorghum (milo)

•Best used in a grain mix•Some varieties are not palatable•Should be cracked or rolled for horses

Barley

•Should be rolled or crushed•Can be a substitute for corn

Wheat

•Usually to expensive to feed•Should not make up more than 50% of the

grain mix•If used it should be rolled or coursely

ground

Wheat Bran

•Bulky, palatable•Slightly laxative•Fed to horses in stress conditions

Cane Molasses

•Used to reduce dustiness of feed•Increases palatability•Should not make up more than 4-5%

▫If fed in excess it will act as a laxative.

Protein Feed

•Little supplement is needed•If at least ½ the roughage is legume the

protein needs of the horse will be met▫Milking mares are the only exception to

this•Protein supplement is added to show

horse feeds to improve hair coat•Protein supplement should be fed if the

quality of the roughage is poor.

Soybean Meal

•Excellent protein supplement•High in protein •Good balance of amino acids

Cottonseed Meal

•Not as palatable as soybean meal•Used widely in the southwest as a protein

supplement

Linseed Meal

•May be to laxative if fed with legume hay•Expeller-type linseed meal contains the

fatty acid linoleic that is often lacking in horse rations

•Linseed meal puts a bloom on the horses hair coat

Alfalfa Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Meat Meals•May be used in horse rations, as well as

other protein supplements

Commercial Protein Supplements•Popular •Don’t have to mix your own rations•Most are developed for a particular

feeding program•Directions on tag should be closely

followed•Do not use commercial feeds that contain

urea▫Horses do not utilize urea efficently.▫To much urea can be toxic to horses.

Pelleted Feeds

•Gaining in popularity•Convenient•Less waste•Generally more expensive•Horses may also tend to eat bedding and

chew wood

Minerals

•Require▫Salt▫ calcium▫ phosphorus

Vitamins

•Seldom needed when horses are on good pasture

•If hay is good quality and at least ½ legume there is also no need for supplementation

•Horses need Vitamins A, D, K, B•Excessive vitamins may be toxic to horses

with liver or kidney problems

Water

•Drink 10-12 gal./day•Hardwork and hot weather increase this

amount•Horses that are hot should be cooled out

and allowed to drink only small amounts of water at a time before being allowed to drink their fill.

•Do not give very cold water to hard-working horses

Feeding Horses

Feeding Horses

•Feed according to:▫Size▫Stage of growth▫Condition▫Amount of work

•Do not allow horses to get to fat.

Equipment for Watering and Feeding•Water

▫Tank, trough or automatic waters•Hay

▫Racks and mangers reduce waste▫Can also be fed off the ground

•Grain▫Tubs, troughs, buckets, bunks

Brood Mare & Foal Care

Breeding• Low conception rates• More likely to concieve if bred in April, May or June• 11 month pregnancy• Best that foals are dropped in the spring

▫ This reduces problems with diseases and parasites and foals can be dropped on pasture

• Best age to breed for the first time is 3 years old• Pasture breeding is easiest but lowers conception rates• Hand breeding increase conception rates• Brood mares will produce foals until they are 14-16 years

old• Mares are typically rebred during the foaling heat—9 days

after foaling• Heat cycle is ever 21 days• Fat or thin mares have conception problems

Care of Pregnant Mares

•Require exercise!•Do not confine the mare, ride or drive her

each day or turn her to pasture where she may run.

Care at Foaling Time• Udder swells 2-6 weeks before foaling• Wax 12-24 hours before foaling• Just before foaling the mare becomes nervous

and restless• Other indications that foaling is near is

▫ Pawing, lying down and getting up frequently, sweating, lifting the tail, frequent urination in small amounts

• In warm weather the best place to foal is on a clean pasture away from other livestock.

• If foaling in a boxstall the stall should be at least 16’x16’

Care at Foaling Time

•Usually foal in 15-30 minutes•Should be left alone unless they need help•Normal presentation at time of birth is

▫Front feet first with the heals down followed by the nose and head

•After the foal is born▫Ensure that it is breathing▫Care for the navel cord▫Ensure the foal nurses

Weaning the Foal

•Can be weaned at 4-6 months of age•Move the mare away to wean the foal•Do not allow the foal to see the mare for

several weeks

Castration

•Castrate any colt not intended for breeding purposes

•Castrate at about 1 year of age•Castrate in the spring before hot weather

and flies become a problem

Starting Young Horses

•Haltering and leading should be done when foals are small

•If this is done then saddling or harnessing may begin when horses are yearling/2 yr. old.

Grooming• Improves the appearance of the horse• Cleans the hair and skin• Reduces the chance of skin diseases and

parasites• Also improves muscle tone• Follow a pattern when grooming• Start on the near side (left) and work towards

the back, the follow the same procedure on the off side (right)

• Other grooming procedures will depend on preference, what the horse is used for, etc.

Care of Teeth• Teeth wear unevenly• This causes them to become sharp, causing pain

to the horse in chewing• A float may be used to remove the sharp edges

▫ A float is a long handled rasp with a guard on it

• Occasionally milk teeth remain in to long and need to be removed.

• Wolf teeth (pointed teeth) may also need to be removed.

Foot Care

•Feet need to be cleaned and inspected regularly

•Clean the foot from the heel to the toe using a hoof pick, making sure to clean the depression between the frog and bars▫This prevents thrush and other infection

problems in the feet•Check for stones, nails and other foot

injuries as well

Foot Care• Farrier-a person who works on horses feet• Feet should be trimmed every 4-6 weeks• If the horse is shod shoes need to be replaced

every 4-6 weeks• Horses are shod to

▫protect the feet from wearing to much Shoes also

▫Correct defects in stance or gait▫Provide better traction on ice and in mud▫Correct poor hoof growth and structure▫Protect hoof from cracks, corns,

contractions

Farrier at Work

Tack• Tack- the equipment used for riding and showing

horses• Should be made of good quality materials that fit

the horse properly• Basic tack includes

▫ Saddle▫ Bridle▫ Saddle pad or blanket▫ Halter and lead

• Other tack will depend on the type of riding being done

Saddles

•2 types•Western•English

Western Saddle

•Large and heavy•Durable•Comfortable•Designed for working cattle on the range •Used for western riding

English Saddle

•Lighter•Flat seat•Many styles•Used for pleasure, training, racing,

jumping, polo•Usually used without a blanket

Bridles and Bits

•Many styles•Style depends on what you are doing•Purpose of the bridle is to hold the bit in

the horses mouth•Common bridles

▫Double bridle▫Pelham bridle▫Split eared bridle▫hackamore

Common Bridles--English

DoublePelham

Common Bridles--Western

Bridles and Bits•The purpose of the bit is to control the

horse•Bridle should be adjusted just so it raises

the corners of the mouth

Common Bits

D-Snaffle

Ring and Egg Snaffle

Curb Bit

Pelham bit

“Cowboy Snaffle”

Halters

•Used for tying and leading•Made of nylon, rope or leather

Martingales

•A device that prevents the horse from lifting its head too high

•Two types▫Standing-attatched to the horses head▫Running-attatched to the reins by two rings

StandingRunning

Harness

•Used for driving•See fig. 32-22 and 32-23 p. 610 & 611

Types of Harness’s

Double Team CarriageShow

Racing

Summary

•Mature idle horse can be fed on a ration composed solely of roughage

•Grass and legume pastures can provide much of the roughage

•Oats are the preferred grain•Horses require salt, calcium