Why a Forage Only Diet Might Not Be Enough for Your Horse
Forage at the forefront
You always hear that forage is the best thing for your horse. Your horse maintains a healthy weight on a forage-only diet, so you make sure your horse has access to plenty of pasture, hay, haylage, lucerne/alfalfa, chaff, etc. It’s the most natural source of calories and protein for horses and is crucial for maintaining their gut health. Recent research underscores the significance of the beneficial relationship between a forage-based diet and a healthy microbiome composed of “good” bacteria and fungi.
Forage-based vs. Forage-only
Did you know that in 95% of cases, a forage-only diet isn’t enough for horses? While many horses maintain weight on a diet based solely on forage, supplementation is essential due to common deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals. The majority of forage-based diets fail to meet a horse’s basic requirements for minerals such as copper, zinc, manganese, selenium, iodine, and sodium. Additionally, they often lack sufficient levels of vitamins A, E, and B1. This is especially true during periods of poor forage quality such as hard winters or dry summers.
Deficiencies in these nutrients can lead to various health issues in horses. It can negatively affect joint and hoof health, immune function, energy metabolism, and muscle integrity during exercise. These issues may not manifest visibly until they reach a critical stage.
What you can do
It is imperative to complement a forage diet with a suitable supplement or balancer pellet to ensure your horse receives adequate nutrition throughout the year. Supplementation plays a crucial role in preventing nutritional deficiencies that could otherwise compromise your horse’s health and performance over time. Just because your horse is maintaining a healthy weight on forage alone doesn’t mean that their diet is actually balanced and healthy.
Let us show you how this looks in FeedXL for horses on our pasture:
Remember, there’s a difference between forage-based and forage-only. Proper supplementation is key and FeedXL makes it easy to fill in the gaps in your horse’s diet.
Do you have a question or comment? Do you need help with feeding?
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