Not only does your horse need enough feed every day to maintain their weight, but they also need to be receiving the right kinds of feed.
Just like their humans who need daily amounts of fats, carbohydrates, and protein, horses also require a diet that is balanced in terms of these essential nutrients.
However, Hygain equine nutritionist Holly Mills says there seems to be a misconception for some horse owners that protein will give their horses too much energy.
“Protein doesn’t make a horse hot,” explains Holly. “Protein is essential for life.”
“There is a definite requirement for protein. They need it to build muscle, enable different chemical messengers and power other connections within the body.”
One of the factors that could be causing the misunderstanding of how protein affects a horse is the use of certain feeds for horses in movies and books.
“It’s an interesting myth, especially about oats giving horses all this energy,” says Holly. “I still remember that episode in The Saddle Club where a horse is given oats before the showjumping competition and the horse goes crazy.
“But oats are actually one of the best grains you can feed a horse!
“They’re highly digestible without being processed and they actually contain a good fibre content. Whereas with barley and corn, we definitely will process them to make sure they are digestible. But for some reason, they seem to be more widely accepted than oats.
“It’s like with kids – they’re going to go crazy on red lollies, not on steak. I hear it from people very regularly who think hotness comes from feed that is high protein, but it’s feed that is high in sugar or starch (simple and complex carbohydrates) that creates the energy.”
Some other sources high in quality protein are legumes such as soybeans, tick beans, lupins, and seed meals from sunflower and canola.
One of the best ways to ensure your horse gets all the nutrients they need, including the vital protein, is finding a balanced feed to complement their fibre intake.
This is especially important when the horse is still growing or in work. Feeds such as Hygain’s Grotorque contains everything they need with 25 per cent protein.
You can find out more about protein for your horse’s diet here and more about Grotorque here.
This article was written in conjunction with Hygain.
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