Keeping your horse healthy with NAF as autumn turns to winter
The transition from summer to winter via autumn brings with it changes for our horses and ponies. This is the case however they’re kept but for those who will be spending more time in stables, the difference is significant.
It is important to make the move from living out to overnight stabling gradually, as a sudden change can not only have a negative effect on horses’ mental wellbeing, it can upset the hind gut.
This can cause changes in behaviour and the consistency and frequency of droppings, and is among the reasons that winter is a key time for colic.
If you suspect colic, call the vet immediately. But there are steps that can be taken to minimise the risk.
Start giving horses their winter forage, hay or haylage, while they’re still in the field. Starting with a small amount while they are still eating grass, and increasing it gradually, allows the hindgut to adapt.
Similarly, making the transition to being stabled in stages is helpful. Equine guts work most efficiently when horses are moving and foraging, but bringing them in for an hour or two at first and gradually increasing the time will help mitigate the change.
Take steps to ensure your horses are hydrated, as this is vital to prevent serious issues such as impaction colic. Horses will naturally take in much less water from hay than grass and may not drink enough to compensate. Ensuring they always have access to salt licks, and adding electrolytes to feed, can help by encouraging them to drink more. Soaking hay briefly in clean water can also add moisture, as well as reducing dust, without affecting the hay’s nutritional value, and mixing plenty of water into feeds can also help.
Many horses are not keen on drinking very cold water, so insulating buckets with old rugs or bedding is worth considering when the temperature drops.
Horses rely on a forage-based diet for good gut health, and this helps keep them warm in winter as digesting fibre generates more than twice as much body heat as digesting the same amount of cereal.
This winter could be a challenge for horse owners as the dry spring meant hay yields were well down in some areas, and the dry summer meant many started feeding hay or haylage earlier than usual. Owners are advised to secure their winter forage sources early if possible and take measures to maximise it such as reducing wastage, and monitoring horses’ body condition and not over-feeding, which will also help manage weight.
Other ideas are mixing good quality straw into hay to extend the ration, and considering hay replacers such as chaff and grass nuts.
Using targeted nutrition can help maintain a healthy digestive tract all winter. Look for a complementary blend of key ingredients for total tract support.
Owners are advised to give supplementary support all winter to support digestion of fibre, especially if horses are spending time stabled, and during changes of routine owing to bad weather or box rest, for example.
By providing a mix of prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics, NAF can provide optimal support for the microbiome of the entire digestive tract, especially the hindgut.
Psyllium provides herbal support of the digestive system, for a healthy mucosa and natural passage. It is especially useful for accumulation, such as sand or soilL
L-Glutamine supports the mucosal lining of the gut.
Mycotoxin binders such as bentonite clay, harmlessly flush out mycotoxins found in all feed, including concentrates, forage and grazing.
Antacids help maintain a naturally healthy pH throughout the gastric region.
Now is the time to prepare. By getting organised now, with quality forage, a suitable baseline diet for your horse and targeted gut support, you can ensure you are minimising the challenges of winter and giving your horse the nutritional tools he needs.
For free nutritional advice on how to support your horse through seasonal changes, contact NAF’s team at nafequine.com