Why Feed Supplements?
A two part series - Why do we add supplements to our performance horse’s diet?
Any horse in a consistent exercise program is facing similar challenges as does a human athlete - The more stress the body is under, the more nutrients and vitamins, as well as specific energy requirements the body needs, to perform to the desired expectations.
Whether it is the tried and true ranch horse working long hours in the pasture, the daily grind of a lesson horse or the training, competition and travel demands of a sport horse, the body needs the appropriate nutrients replaced as they burn through their reserves. In choosing when and what to supplement with in regards to complete feeds and specific vitamins and minerals can be essential to achieving the desired results with your horse, take into consideration variables such as:
nutritional requirements during recovery time
the variance to nutrients accessible in our hay or pasture lands,
the specific physical demands of the job and the synergistic chemical reactions occurring through out the body
Keep in mind, not every horse is built the same - bloodlines and genetics have a huge impact - right from digestive sensitivities to performance recovery.
In my experience, the car analogy has a lot of overlays with horses. If you drive the old reliable vehicle that gets your from point A to point B safely in any and all conditions, the maintenance requirements are usually simple and predictable. However, if you are in a higher performance vehicle such as a sports car, the maintenance requirements are higher, more complex and when its slightly out of tune, the impact is far greater, limiting your results when it counts.
In barrel racing, there are common job demands and stresses the horses encounter that can be managed or mitigated by supplementing specifically to target these issues:
managing stress while competing and traveling
stomach ulcer maintenance, common in most performance horses
muscle maintenance and recovery
Muscle Tie-up
Joint support
Cardio support
Stay tuned to read up on where to begin when building a feed regimen, what to supplement for, essential rules to follow and how to navigate many of the products available.
Happy Riding
Michaela