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Feeding Young Sport Horses
Q: I have a 3-year-old filly who will be transitioning into an under-saddle training program this spring. I know young, growing horses in work need more protein, but what percentage of protein should she have in her diet? Are there any other nutrients or components of her diet that will need to change as she works more?
A: Young horses like yours have a lot on their plates as they start work while continuing to grow, and they need their nutrition to pull double duty as well. Both growing horses and performance horses have increased requirements for protein, energy, and many vitamins and minerals compared to adult horses at maintenance. At 3 years old much of your horse’s skeletal growth is complete, and she can move from a growth feed to a performance feed (this transition can happen as early as 2 years old). What does this mean for you when shopping for feeds? Here are a few things to remember:
lled for performance horses, not horses at maintenance or seniors requiring forage replacement (due to compromised dentition), for example. This will ensure the right balance of individual nutrients, as well as the right nutrient-to-calorie ratio, doing the work of ration balancing for you.In summary, ensuring the correct nutrition for a young horse transitioning into training involves selecting a performance feed that meets increased protein, energy, vitamins, and mineral requirements; paying attention to calorie density and quality of ingredients; and not overlooking the importance of electrolytes.
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Written by:
Anna Pesta Dunaway, PhD
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