Learn horse behavior, communication, and improve horsemanship skills in weekly articles from Alternative Horsemanship™ with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach. Sharing her horse training philosophy developed over three decades. She coaches riders of all experience levels in clinics worldwide and offers distance horse coaching, instruction, and consults. Her horse video learning catalog has webinars, courses, classes and more. Subscribe on all social media platforms #alternativehorsemanship
THE MISSING LINK: Understanding and Connecting the Actions of your horse
Question: What does trailer loading (problems), spooking, crossing water, jumping a fence, making a turn on a gaming course, asking for a flying lead change, trail riding, herd anxiety, and turning a cow back have in common? The horse’s brain.
Ask the Horse Trainer: Slowing the horse's walk, trot, and canter
Topic_Info: Trying to get the horse to walk/trot/canter more slowly.
Website_Info: Google
Location: NY
Date: September 05, 2010
Question:
I've been riding a 14-year-old mare. She was previously ridden by a person who continuously ran her and ran her shortly after she was broke (she was broken at the age of 10) and I have extreme difficulty getting her to walk slowly. When I'm working on the ground with her/grooming, she is a completely calm horse who seems very relaxed. She stands still even when she's being saddled.
However, when I try to mount her, she gets a bit antsy and starts to walk. If I pull in the left rein to keep her head turned toward me, she still walks in a circle and when I finally get on top of her, she tries to walk as fast as she can. If I slack the reins, she tries to break into a trot. A horse trainer helped me for three days and by "playing with my hands", I got the horse to walk a bit slower, but it took a lot of effort. That was last year. This year, even when I "play with my hands", she either throws her head forward or slows down for a second, and then speeds right back up. (I use a hackamore because her mouth is small, and bits tend to end up cutting her.) When I do get into a trot, it's faster than a normal "trot" should be, and it's the same with a walk; unless I keep a tighter rein on her, she tries to trot faster or get into a canter. When I canter her, she tries to go as fast as she can. I'm not an experienced rider, but I'm slowly starting some natural horsemanship, and when I lunge her on the ground, she walks and trots nicely.
Sorry if this all seems disorganized!
Answer:
Horses can very easily become patterned. This means that once a certain behavior, manner of interacting with them, or certain expectation of a type of performance is established, they begin to "automatically" respond without really mentally considering what their rider is asking of them. (Have you ever been in the shower and been distracted thinking about something else, when you suddenly stop and have to think if you already shampooed your hair or not?) They wind up going through the motions of a ride without ever thinking. The day you ask something "new" or "different" than what they are used to, is the day you start to find "holes" in their training and education.
Your horse's physical actions are a direct reflection of her mental availability. As long as she is "unavailable" to hear your aids, your ride(s) are going to be a constant source of frustration for both of you. For a moment you'll have to forget about your long-term goal of a "quiet" canter and focus on your horse's brain.
My goal when I ride, no matter what horse, no matter what background, no matter what the scenario is, I want my horse to ask "What would you like" This allows me to offer direction, influence their performance, and achieve that ideal quality ride because we are both on the same page.
Horses can easily and quickly establish patterned responses based on past experience and what has been expected of them. Right now I would guess that your horse is pretty sure that she knows what is being asked of her, and instead of being mentally available to understand what you would specifically like (in this case a slow lope)- your horse is mentally unavailable to "hear" your aids, so there is no opportunity for you to offer her an alternative idea- liking cantering slow. Think of her mindset as that equivalent to a teenager that is going through the stage of "knowing it all.
So even though your horse has been ridden for years, you may have to go back to some of the basics and re-evaluate yourself and your horse. In your case, I would gather that there is a general lack of clear communication between you and your horse. There are many ways to break down her lack of willingness to canter at various speeds. Because he is currently confident that when asked to canter it must be at a full out speed, that is all he thinks he needs to offer you. You are going to have to be able to influence his brain with alternative ideas, clarify how and what aids you use, and help him start to gain confidence when he mentally addresses you so that he can then offer alternative physical responses, rather than the current conditioned brainless responses.
First look at yourself, you will need to evaluate what aids you are using, how (specifically,) when you are using them, and with what amount of energy (on a scale of 1-10)? This will help you break down exactly at what point does your horse mentally "tune you out." Remember that a horse can feel a fly land on her skin, if you are creating a lot of "activity" with your aids (in this case the see-sawing with your hands) and not getting a response, your horse is tuning you out. Your job is going to have to “tune-up” your horse’s current level of insensitivity towards your aids.
Most people ride as “passengers” waiting to see what their horse is going to do, and then AFTER the fact, tell the horse if the behavior was “right or wrong.” I call this reactive riding. Instead, you need to be “taking your horse for the ride”- mentally preparing ahead of time how what and where you’re going to ask something of her. The more mental clarity you have ahead of time, the more accurately you’ll use your aids to communicate more clearly to your horse what you’re asking of her. She should be a mirror image of your energy in the saddle. But you’re going to have to take a few steps to establish this before you ever get into the saddle and certainly before you’re cantering and wanting to be able to influence her.
Many horses are what I call "shut down" (mentally unavailable) due to boredom and routine rides. It will take a lot of creativity to create interest in your horse so that she will begin to enjoy participating in the ride rather than tolerating the ride. You will also have to establish black and white lines that clarify which of her reactions to your aids and what behaviors will be acceptable and those that are not. The faster you can catch an unwanted response, the faster she can "let it go" and try another response.
The faster you acknowledge that she achieved your "ideal" response, (giving her a break, move on to something else, etc.,) the more confidence she will have to increase her level of mental availability and physical performance. As you increase your own awareness and thought process you will begin to be able to pinpoint where and when you need to do something different in order to get an alternative response from your horse.
Also, you need to become aware of your horse only has a hard time slowing at the canter, or perhaps you may not have noticed, but I would guess, that by asking her to perform various energy levels within the walk, trot, she probably also has a difficult time doing- this only becomes worse the faster she moves, which is why at a canter she feels slightly out of control.
To take it a step further back- I'd start with evaluating her groundwork and how "light" she is on the lead rope. Does she barge past you at one pace when you're leading her? Does she display a "heaviness" on the lead rope as you go to turn? If you slow or increase your pace on foot, does she acknowledge this or does she ignore you? Everything she "displays" towards you on the ground will only become magnified once you are in the saddle and certainly the faster you ride.
Many times when working on a repeated exercise, horses try to please us by trying to do what is "right" ahead of when we have asked them. Depending on your horse's background, in your horse's case all she knows is to run, so rather than waiting for specific cues or direction from you, she "takes over" and offers what she thinks you want. There is not going to be a quick fix to undo years of established patterned rides by the previous owners. You need to have her mind available at all times to consider what you are asking. If you can influence her mind, then you can change her physical actions. The more she realizes you are helping her throughout the ride, rather than fighting to control her speed, the more sensitive she will be to listening to your aids.
Last but not least. Keep in mind that racehorses run their fastest when they are straight... Mentally many horses are way ahead of where there are physically at; so if your horse is moving too fast, offer an “interruption” (such as a circle, a turn, or specific task) as an alternative task to focus on, this will act as something to get her brain to slow down, and tune back into where she currently is at. You can slowly make the task more specific until she offers to slow down... then continue on with your ride as if nothing interrupted you... Soon it'll only take one rein to offer her a circle, turn, etc. and she'll slow down... Again, check your body language... If your weight is forward, similar to that of a jockey, you are offering your horse to run faster... If your weight is back in the saddle you are offering her to slow down...
With patience and clarity, you will start in small steps (literally) to begin creating the opportunity for a two-way conversation. This will allow both you and your horse to gain confidence in one another which will then lead to a trusting and fulfilling partnership that will allow you to both enjoy a quality ride. Remember, when your horse shows signs of rushing, nervousness, concern, worry, or stress she is not trying to act naughty, rather she is asking for your help.
Website_Info: Google
Location: NY
Date: September 05, 2010
Question:
I've been riding a 14-year-old mare. She was previously ridden by a person who continuously ran her and ran her shortly after she was broke (she was broken at the age of 10) and I have extreme difficulty getting her to walk slowly. When I'm working on the ground with her/grooming, she is a completely calm horse who seems very relaxed. She stands still even when she's being saddled.
However, when I try to mount her, she gets a bit antsy and starts to walk. If I pull in the left rein to keep her head turned toward me, she still walks in a circle and when I finally get on top of her, she tries to walk as fast as she can. If I slack the reins, she tries to break into a trot. A horse trainer helped me for three days and by "playing with my hands", I got the horse to walk a bit slower, but it took a lot of effort. That was last year. This year, even when I "play with my hands", she either throws her head forward or slows down for a second, and then speeds right back up. (I use a hackamore because her mouth is small, and bits tend to end up cutting her.) When I do get into a trot, it's faster than a normal "trot" should be, and it's the same with a walk; unless I keep a tighter rein on her, she tries to trot faster or get into a canter. When I canter her, she tries to go as fast as she can. I'm not an experienced rider, but I'm slowly starting some natural horsemanship, and when I lunge her on the ground, she walks and trots nicely.
Sorry if this all seems disorganized!
Answer:
Horses can very easily become patterned. This means that once a certain behavior, manner of interacting with them, or certain expectation of a type of performance is established, they begin to "automatically" respond without really mentally considering what their rider is asking of them. (Have you ever been in the shower and been distracted thinking about something else, when you suddenly stop and have to think if you already shampooed your hair or not?) They wind up going through the motions of a ride without ever thinking. The day you ask something "new" or "different" than what they are used to, is the day you start to find "holes" in their training and education.
Your horse's physical actions are a direct reflection of her mental availability. As long as she is "unavailable" to hear your aids, your ride(s) are going to be a constant source of frustration for both of you. For a moment you'll have to forget about your long-term goal of a "quiet" canter and focus on your horse's brain.
My goal when I ride, no matter what horse, no matter what background, no matter what the scenario is, I want my horse to ask "What would you like" This allows me to offer direction, influence their performance, and achieve that ideal quality ride because we are both on the same page.
Horses can easily and quickly establish patterned responses based on past experience and what has been expected of them. Right now I would guess that your horse is pretty sure that she knows what is being asked of her, and instead of being mentally available to understand what you would specifically like (in this case a slow lope)- your horse is mentally unavailable to "hear" your aids, so there is no opportunity for you to offer her an alternative idea- liking cantering slow. Think of her mindset as that equivalent to a teenager that is going through the stage of "knowing it all.
So even though your horse has been ridden for years, you may have to go back to some of the basics and re-evaluate yourself and your horse. In your case, I would gather that there is a general lack of clear communication between you and your horse. There are many ways to break down her lack of willingness to canter at various speeds. Because he is currently confident that when asked to canter it must be at a full out speed, that is all he thinks he needs to offer you. You are going to have to be able to influence his brain with alternative ideas, clarify how and what aids you use, and help him start to gain confidence when he mentally addresses you so that he can then offer alternative physical responses, rather than the current conditioned brainless responses.
First look at yourself, you will need to evaluate what aids you are using, how (specifically,) when you are using them, and with what amount of energy (on a scale of 1-10)? This will help you break down exactly at what point does your horse mentally "tune you out." Remember that a horse can feel a fly land on her skin, if you are creating a lot of "activity" with your aids (in this case the see-sawing with your hands) and not getting a response, your horse is tuning you out. Your job is going to have to “tune-up” your horse’s current level of insensitivity towards your aids.
Most people ride as “passengers” waiting to see what their horse is going to do, and then AFTER the fact, tell the horse if the behavior was “right or wrong.” I call this reactive riding. Instead, you need to be “taking your horse for the ride”- mentally preparing ahead of time how what and where you’re going to ask something of her. The more mental clarity you have ahead of time, the more accurately you’ll use your aids to communicate more clearly to your horse what you’re asking of her. She should be a mirror image of your energy in the saddle. But you’re going to have to take a few steps to establish this before you ever get into the saddle and certainly before you’re cantering and wanting to be able to influence her.
Many horses are what I call "shut down" (mentally unavailable) due to boredom and routine rides. It will take a lot of creativity to create interest in your horse so that she will begin to enjoy participating in the ride rather than tolerating the ride. You will also have to establish black and white lines that clarify which of her reactions to your aids and what behaviors will be acceptable and those that are not. The faster you can catch an unwanted response, the faster she can "let it go" and try another response.
The faster you acknowledge that she achieved your "ideal" response, (giving her a break, move on to something else, etc.,) the more confidence she will have to increase her level of mental availability and physical performance. As you increase your own awareness and thought process you will begin to be able to pinpoint where and when you need to do something different in order to get an alternative response from your horse.
Also, you need to become aware of your horse only has a hard time slowing at the canter, or perhaps you may not have noticed, but I would guess, that by asking her to perform various energy levels within the walk, trot, she probably also has a difficult time doing- this only becomes worse the faster she moves, which is why at a canter she feels slightly out of control.
To take it a step further back- I'd start with evaluating her groundwork and how "light" she is on the lead rope. Does she barge past you at one pace when you're leading her? Does she display a "heaviness" on the lead rope as you go to turn? If you slow or increase your pace on foot, does she acknowledge this or does she ignore you? Everything she "displays" towards you on the ground will only become magnified once you are in the saddle and certainly the faster you ride.
Many times when working on a repeated exercise, horses try to please us by trying to do what is "right" ahead of when we have asked them. Depending on your horse's background, in your horse's case all she knows is to run, so rather than waiting for specific cues or direction from you, she "takes over" and offers what she thinks you want. There is not going to be a quick fix to undo years of established patterned rides by the previous owners. You need to have her mind available at all times to consider what you are asking. If you can influence her mind, then you can change her physical actions. The more she realizes you are helping her throughout the ride, rather than fighting to control her speed, the more sensitive she will be to listening to your aids.
Last but not least. Keep in mind that racehorses run their fastest when they are straight... Mentally many horses are way ahead of where there are physically at; so if your horse is moving too fast, offer an “interruption” (such as a circle, a turn, or specific task) as an alternative task to focus on, this will act as something to get her brain to slow down, and tune back into where she currently is at. You can slowly make the task more specific until she offers to slow down... then continue on with your ride as if nothing interrupted you... Soon it'll only take one rein to offer her a circle, turn, etc. and she'll slow down... Again, check your body language... If your weight is forward, similar to that of a jockey, you are offering your horse to run faster... If your weight is back in the saddle you are offering her to slow down...
With patience and clarity, you will start in small steps (literally) to begin creating the opportunity for a two-way conversation. This will allow both you and your horse to gain confidence in one another which will then lead to a trusting and fulfilling partnership that will allow you to both enjoy a quality ride. Remember, when your horse shows signs of rushing, nervousness, concern, worry, or stress she is not trying to act naughty, rather she is asking for your help.
Ask the Horse Trainer: Difficulty Leading and bolting Horse
Ask the Horse Trainer: Difficulty Leading Horse & Respect on Ground
Topic_Info: Leading My HorseWebsite_Info: searching onlineLeading horses… the million-dollar question below is a Q&A that was from many years ago. When I check my blog stats, from the last nine years the #1 searched inquiry is “How to lead a difficult horse, or, My horse won’t lead.” So I thought I’d share this post…
Questions: Say that I am taking my horse out of a pasture (through a gate) or leading my horse around. If the situation arises where my horse becomes spooked or just misbehaves, (bucking, kicking out, rearing, and running ahead of me, hard to control) what EXACTLY should I do in that situation? How should I control my horse? Should I turn them in a tight circle or back them up? I am clueless! Note: I do not own my own horse/ride often, this is a bit of a beginner question, but this happened to me a little bit ago and I was clueless on what to do. Thank you!
Ask the Horse Trainer: Ex Harness Horse- Aggressive and dangerous horse behavior
Ask the Horse Trainer: Ex Harness Horse- Aggressive and dangerous horse behavior
Website GOGGLE SEARCHLocation: PA
Date: February 01, 2011
Question:
I HAVE A 6YO OFF-TRACK HARNESS STB RACER. SHE'S HAD 7 MO UNDER SADDLE TRAINING. SHE USUALLY FREE LUNGES WITH NO PROBLEM. LATELY SHE HAS BEEN COMING AFTER ME. SHE WON'T LISTEN WHEN I TELL HER TO GO OUT, SHE COMES AFTER ME TRYING TO KICK ME. AFTER ITS ALL OVER SHE IS THE MOST LOVING HORSE EVER. LATELY SHE'S ALSO BEEN COW-KICKING WHEN ASKED TO GO TO A TROT. HAD THE VET UP YESTERDAY AND EVERYTHING SEEMS FINE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND I DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP ON HER BECAUSE OF THESE NEW ISSUES SHES HAVING.
Winter Hoofprints & Happenings Newsletter
Take a few moments and enjoy our winter issue of Hoofprints & Happenings. This issue includes "Ask the Trainer" questions regarding bits and an out-of-control trail horse, creating the Unviversal vs. Goal Oriented Horse, Sam's Top 10 Free ways to gain Exposure and expand your horse knowledge, and much more! If you've enjoyed our publication or know of someone who might feel free to pass it on!
Happy New Year
Have a Happy New Year and may your journey with your horse be a rewarding and succesful partnership in the 2011 season. Stay tuned for upcoming events, clinic notices and more!
Samantha Harvey
Samantha Harvey
Winter Feed & Supplements
Topic: Winter Feed
Location: Alberta
Question:
Hi there,
I have been feeding my mare hay that is a mixture of Timothy and something else. I feed her twice a day. I am wondering if adding a mixture oats/carrots to her afternoon feed would help her keep healthy and full of nutrients for winter? Also if i could add apples? Please let me know what your thoughts on this are. How much (measurement) would also be helpful. Thanks! :)
Answer:
Feed depends on many issues, just as with people, each horse needs an individualized program, especially if they'll be in severe weather. The age, condition of the horse, fitness and work schedule for winter, boarding situation (pasture vs. shelter/stalled,) also affect what nutritional needs must be met.
Oats, apples, etc. are all sugars that will do nothing except give your horse more "energy." The first thing you need to address is the quality and type of hay you are feed. All hay is not the same, and you'll need to find out what the percentages are of nutrition in what you are feeding- usually sending a sample to your local Ag center at a University can check this. Also, your horse's dental needs should be up to date. Because horses are eating processed feed, their teeth are not used as they were meant to if they were foraging for food in the wild. Keeping his teeth floated on a regular basis will allow him to get the most nutrition out of his feed by chewing properly without pain.
Horses are well adapted to cold weather. As long as they have shelter from wind and wet, horses can stay comfortable when the temperatures plunge. A south-facing three-sided shelter with straw bedding will see a well-fed horse through the roughest winter weather. However, make sure the shelter is wide rather than deep or you'll find horses low on the pecking order afraid to go in.
Stabled horses need blanketing when they're turned out during the day, but the best blanket for an outside horse is his own full winter coat. If you do blanket your horse, make sure you take it off and brush him often. Also, realize that a blanket that is not warm enough is worse than no blanket at all. In cold weather, the hair coat stands up to trap additional warm air close to the body. A blanket keeps the coat flat.
When temperatures dip, the best heat source for your horse is extra hay. You'll want to make sure your have enough good hay to last through until next year's hay crop. To calculate how much you need, figure on half a square bale per horse per day then add some to cover for the occasional moldy bale or extra cold weather.
If your horses are kept in a pasture, to help make sure that all of your horses get their fair share of hay, spread out one more pile than the number of horses. That way when the boss horse keeps thinking another pile looks better than the one he's presently eating from, the other horses can move to new piles too.
A horse shouldn't lose weight in the winter. In fact, a little extra layer of fat to fend off the cold won't hurt. A thick winter coat can easily hide weight loss so it's important to use hands as well as eyes to monitor winter weight. By the time you see that the horse is getting thinner, it's too late.
One of the most important and sometimes not emphasized enough factors is maintaining the availability and easy access of water to your horse. Depending on your situation, a stock tank heater keeps the water above freezing. Some people believe horses can get by on snow. "Get by" they might, but so could we. Horses require a lot of water to digest dry feed. How much snow would they have to eat to provide the 5 to 10 gallons of water they need? The problem with most horses that have health issues in winter is not enough water- causing an impacted stomach- or colic. Once a horse becomes dehydrated (which they can even in cold temps) they will not want to drink. This can cause severe long term and life threatening health issues.
Below are some options for "weight gain/maintenance" without adding too much sugars or carbohydrates to the diet.
Consider adding a multi-vitamin/mineral supplements if you're feeding lower-quality hay. "Be careful when buying special 'winter supplements.' .Most of these are just multi-vitamin/mineral supplements, but cost more because they are called 'winter supplements. Really, any multi-vitamin/mineral will do as long as it is formulated for horses. Some vitamin and mineral supplements are formulated based on the type of forage that is provided for the base of the diet (grass or legume hay, pasture, etc.). Make sure to read the label closely before purchasing and match it to the bulk of your horse's diet.
In other words, there aren't any specific nutrients you should supplement in cold weather vs. warm weather; supplementation is just based on the seasonal change in forage nutrient intake that occurs in horses on pasture (Just as long as the horse is normally on a balanced diet.)
When choosing a supplement, check the label and only buy something that tells you the actual ingredients. For example, something that claims to have high levels of antioxidants, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals in a 'special formula' is a little fishy and would be best to steer away from. Stick with something that tells you specifically what vitamins and minerals are in the product and how much.
How quickly a supplement begins to produce an effect depends on the type of supplement. If its base is water-soluble, then only a couple of days to a week is needed. If it is fat-soluble, it may take a couple of weeks to months.
In addition to increasing hay rations, some owners prefer switching from oats to corn or a sweet feed in the winter. The change from oats to corn or a sweet feed is based on the impression that corn or sweet feed is a 'hotter' feed than oats. This concept of oats being a summer feed and corn a winter ration has some merit, but also has some flaws.
One pound of corn has more energy and is lower in protein and fiber than one pound of oats. But not only does corn have more energy per pound than oats, corn also weighs more per unit of volume. One coffee can full of corn has about 45% more calories than the same coffee can full of whole oats. So if a horse goes from one can of oats to one can of corn, his energy intake (from grain) is increased by about 45%. This has led to the idea that corn is a 'hotter' feed than oats. Actually, because of the higher fiber level in oats, oats produce more internal heat during digestion than corn.
Although corn or oats alone provide adequate calories, they do not offer adequate protein, vitamin, and mineral intake. Horses do better, winter and summer, on a high-quality, balanced diet of good-quality hay and a high-quality, fortified commercial feed.
Rice bran can also be added into the winter diet. Rice bran is beneficial to the horse that could use a little extra weight, or is still in training, because it adds energy in the form of fat and extra fiber to the diet to increase heat of fermentation. Rice bran is very palatable, so it will also stimulate a picky horse to eat and will increase the energy density of the diet.
Through some trial and error you'll find the "right" balance for your horse.
Good Luck,
Sam
Location: Alberta
Question:
Hi there,
I have been feeding my mare hay that is a mixture of Timothy and something else. I feed her twice a day. I am wondering if adding a mixture oats/carrots to her afternoon feed would help her keep healthy and full of nutrients for winter? Also if i could add apples? Please let me know what your thoughts on this are. How much (measurement) would also be helpful. Thanks! :)
Answer:
Feed depends on many issues, just as with people, each horse needs an individualized program, especially if they'll be in severe weather. The age, condition of the horse, fitness and work schedule for winter, boarding situation (pasture vs. shelter/stalled,) also affect what nutritional needs must be met.
Oats, apples, etc. are all sugars that will do nothing except give your horse more "energy." The first thing you need to address is the quality and type of hay you are feed. All hay is not the same, and you'll need to find out what the percentages are of nutrition in what you are feeding- usually sending a sample to your local Ag center at a University can check this. Also, your horse's dental needs should be up to date. Because horses are eating processed feed, their teeth are not used as they were meant to if they were foraging for food in the wild. Keeping his teeth floated on a regular basis will allow him to get the most nutrition out of his feed by chewing properly without pain.
Horses are well adapted to cold weather. As long as they have shelter from wind and wet, horses can stay comfortable when the temperatures plunge. A south-facing three-sided shelter with straw bedding will see a well-fed horse through the roughest winter weather. However, make sure the shelter is wide rather than deep or you'll find horses low on the pecking order afraid to go in.
Stabled horses need blanketing when they're turned out during the day, but the best blanket for an outside horse is his own full winter coat. If you do blanket your horse, make sure you take it off and brush him often. Also, realize that a blanket that is not warm enough is worse than no blanket at all. In cold weather, the hair coat stands up to trap additional warm air close to the body. A blanket keeps the coat flat.
When temperatures dip, the best heat source for your horse is extra hay. You'll want to make sure your have enough good hay to last through until next year's hay crop. To calculate how much you need, figure on half a square bale per horse per day then add some to cover for the occasional moldy bale or extra cold weather.
If your horses are kept in a pasture, to help make sure that all of your horses get their fair share of hay, spread out one more pile than the number of horses. That way when the boss horse keeps thinking another pile looks better than the one he's presently eating from, the other horses can move to new piles too.
A horse shouldn't lose weight in the winter. In fact, a little extra layer of fat to fend off the cold won't hurt. A thick winter coat can easily hide weight loss so it's important to use hands as well as eyes to monitor winter weight. By the time you see that the horse is getting thinner, it's too late.
One of the most important and sometimes not emphasized enough factors is maintaining the availability and easy access of water to your horse. Depending on your situation, a stock tank heater keeps the water above freezing. Some people believe horses can get by on snow. "Get by" they might, but so could we. Horses require a lot of water to digest dry feed. How much snow would they have to eat to provide the 5 to 10 gallons of water they need? The problem with most horses that have health issues in winter is not enough water- causing an impacted stomach- or colic. Once a horse becomes dehydrated (which they can even in cold temps) they will not want to drink. This can cause severe long term and life threatening health issues.
Below are some options for "weight gain/maintenance" without adding too much sugars or carbohydrates to the diet.
Consider adding a multi-vitamin/mineral supplements if you're feeding lower-quality hay. "Be careful when buying special 'winter supplements.' .Most of these are just multi-vitamin/mineral supplements, but cost more because they are called 'winter supplements. Really, any multi-vitamin/mineral will do as long as it is formulated for horses. Some vitamin and mineral supplements are formulated based on the type of forage that is provided for the base of the diet (grass or legume hay, pasture, etc.). Make sure to read the label closely before purchasing and match it to the bulk of your horse's diet.
In other words, there aren't any specific nutrients you should supplement in cold weather vs. warm weather; supplementation is just based on the seasonal change in forage nutrient intake that occurs in horses on pasture (Just as long as the horse is normally on a balanced diet.)
When choosing a supplement, check the label and only buy something that tells you the actual ingredients. For example, something that claims to have high levels of antioxidants, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals in a 'special formula' is a little fishy and would be best to steer away from. Stick with something that tells you specifically what vitamins and minerals are in the product and how much.
How quickly a supplement begins to produce an effect depends on the type of supplement. If its base is water-soluble, then only a couple of days to a week is needed. If it is fat-soluble, it may take a couple of weeks to months.
In addition to increasing hay rations, some owners prefer switching from oats to corn or a sweet feed in the winter. The change from oats to corn or a sweet feed is based on the impression that corn or sweet feed is a 'hotter' feed than oats. This concept of oats being a summer feed and corn a winter ration has some merit, but also has some flaws.
One pound of corn has more energy and is lower in protein and fiber than one pound of oats. But not only does corn have more energy per pound than oats, corn also weighs more per unit of volume. One coffee can full of corn has about 45% more calories than the same coffee can full of whole oats. So if a horse goes from one can of oats to one can of corn, his energy intake (from grain) is increased by about 45%. This has led to the idea that corn is a 'hotter' feed than oats. Actually, because of the higher fiber level in oats, oats produce more internal heat during digestion than corn.
Although corn or oats alone provide adequate calories, they do not offer adequate protein, vitamin, and mineral intake. Horses do better, winter and summer, on a high-quality, balanced diet of good-quality hay and a high-quality, fortified commercial feed.
Rice bran can also be added into the winter diet. Rice bran is beneficial to the horse that could use a little extra weight, or is still in training, because it adds energy in the form of fat and extra fiber to the diet to increase heat of fermentation. Rice bran is very palatable, so it will also stimulate a picky horse to eat and will increase the energy density of the diet.
Through some trial and error you'll find the "right" balance for your horse.
Good Luck,
Sam
Settled in for the Winter
I've settled in after an uneventful drive with abnormally beautiful and warm fall weather throughout the 1440 mile drive. Our field is coming in nicely and after seven years of maintenence on the property here in Yuma it's finally looking "neat and tidy"- even after a six month absence - instead of the normal human size tumbleweeds and overgrowth. I will resume teaching next week. Feel free to email to schedule lessons and training.
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