Summer: The Time to Get Things Done

Pierce

Alex after work.  Hosing for bug control and to keep her coat from bleaching

Summer: bugs, buying hay, hauling hay, and fencing

Frankie's bug control

Insects

Bugs: ugh.Though I don’t think we get the bugs other people have. We don’t have a lot of biting bugs (only some horseflies, sometimes). Wasps but they will tolerate horses. Mosquitos in early summer.  

Dealing with bugs: fly sprays don’t really work. 

What does work is hosing off the horse that has worked and rolling in the dirt. Applying goop to the belly and chest when the horse gets bites there helps as well. I have used coconut oil hair stuff and Belly Balm which has an interesting smell The horses didn’t care for it and I had to catch the horse before they ran away.

Hay

Will it rain? When will it ever stop raining? We only get one crop a year so the weather really matters. This year it rained all June and half of July then it stopped and the ground dried in no time. The growth was late so the heads were out but barely bloomed. 

Ziva

Getting the hay from the field to the farm was interesting. Last year I decided not to haul it. The bales were just too big. I  had decided after last summer's adventures moving hay I would have the recommended friend haul the hay. It turned out he wasn’t that keen. Didn’t want to haul on a Sunday, not after work, and not the long weekend. He got strong-armed (not by me) to move the hay on Friday (2 loads possibly and 1 on Saturday).38 bales on the trailer and he had to go to the turnaround at the end of the road. It would have taken me all night to move the bales one at a time to the farm. Fortunately, I have great neighbours. One loaded the trailer and one drove the truck and trailer back and forth. Only a couple of hours of work.Thank you!!

In all, moved 123 bales. 23 from a neighbour. Top dollar at $140.It should be ok. (After feeding one bale we had to get rid of about 50 pounds of hay that had gone mouldy.). Oh please don’t heat up and burn anything down!

97 bales from Ron Tiani. Beautiful hay as usual. 

It was so hot. Water ran down me. I was only comfortable moving 3 bales but Marlene was able to haul 8. For the last load, I drove Marlene’s truck and 8 bales using Ron’s trailer. I imagine she is still trying to get her seat adjusted back. Marlene drove Ron’s truck and trailer with 20 bales.28 bales a trip. That’s ok. 

Hay usage:1 bale/month/horse.From October to May. Consumption will be lighter in October and May, possibly November and April. It is all stored under cover. Plastic blows off. Almost 40 are in the arena. 

I am looking to buy more slow-feeder nets. I think it is Marigold that is eating the holes into the nets. Holes appeared when only Petra and Marigold were eating the hay. I must talk to her about this. The nets cost just under $300 each. I prefer the Bale Buddy slow feeder nets. They are white nylon. They don’t freeze in the winter.

hauling hay

Fencing

Usually, after July 1 the ground is too dry to pound or dig. This year, in the middle of August, the ground has moisture in it. (Planting shrubs along a new fence). 

Pierce in the clover and yarrow

Thimbleberry in bloom

The feared cresty neck.  

Feeding a Balanced Ration for competition horse

Excerpt from my Feeding assignment from Equine Nutrition through University of Guelph


I chose to use a Ration Balancer with the hay so that the horse would be eating as much hay as possible. He is in a stressful situation when competing and travelling therefore, at great risk to develop gastric ulcers, tying up or colic. Ideally, he would be on free choice hay at all times. Being able to eat hay constantly will ensure his well being. If necessary hay can be increased to 3% of his body weight or so. It is currently calculated at 2% of his bodyweight.

The ration balancer is being fed to offer vitamins and minerals he will not be getting in his hay. It is a concentrated feed and to be fed in small amounts, according to the bag’s instructions. The bags instructions for feeding must be followed so daily requirements for food, vitamins, and minerals are met. As completion season progresses the horse’s feed will be reevaluated to ensure all nutrients needs are met. The ration balancer can be increased another .5 kg.
Ration balancer required for the time away will be easy to transport. The hay will not be. Additional hay should be available for sale at the competition and can be blended in with the hay from home.

He is living outside without shelter in a field so hopefully he is getting a rainsheet or flysheet put on to protect him from the elements or the field is large enough that natural elements will provide some protection from wind and sun. It is spring and the temperatures are reaching 15o during the day so care must be taken as there is no shelter/building while he is at pasture. Monitoring his water and weight should be done regularly so that changes can be dealt with before problems develop.

Simplicity in feeding will ensure the staff follow feed instructions as the horse is boarded. The ration balancer can be fed either by the owner after the horse has worked or the staff can give it to the horse an hour after he is brought in.

I did not use the other options as the more complicated the less likely it will be done. Keep it simple and the horse will get what he needs. Purchasing, storing, and travelling with the feed will be easy as it is one bag. The hay provides most of the daily nutrients in excess of minimum daily amounts while the ration balancer provides the lacking 

Feeding Hay: Recent this Decade

 Miss July could have gastric ulcers as she was always on a restricted (very limited hay...most likely all her life).  Eats continually.

Feeding Horses:  What's Recent This Decade

In the old days horses were fed grain and hay.  Research says no grain unless horse cannot maintain weight.  Research in New Zealand has shown that 2 year old Standardbred in race training developed according to expectations while fed grass/alfalfa mix hay.  Amazing.  Another study similar proved the same.

Scientists say horses are grazers:  they eat almost constantly.  This means the traditional method of feeding twice a day (hay) is not healthy for horses.  Feeding grain and hay to horses is not good for horses either.                                                    

Dr. Kerry Ridgeway wrote an article on Gastric Ulcers in horses.  Similar articles report that 97% of horses have gastric ulcers.  Grain gives horses gastric ulcers, so does isolation (not living in a herd), lack of being able to move (paddock and stall living).  In other words the way most horses are kept makes them sick.

It isn't breed related, age, temperament, but living and feeding conditions that give horses gastric ulcers.

Horses need freedom to move, to have friends (other horses), and forage.  They also need to be treated reasonably.  They need to be regularly attended to by a veterinarian, farrier and caretaker.  Wild horses lived or died.

Indications of Equine Gastric Ulcers

Essentially the horse is not happy, well behaved, mannerly, co-operative, calm, relaxed.
Some is bad handling (human teaches the horse that that behaviour is acceptable).  Some horses are more stoic than others.  The stoic one is the horse that keeps on going without (much) attitude regardless of how he feels.  Other horses are more sensitive and wear their emotions on their sleeves, so to speak.  They are the "problem" horses.

Indicators
• objects to girth/cinch being done up hard and fast (or at all):  pins ears, kicks, tosses head, snaps (even bites), rears, rears and fall over
• doesn't gain weight  The horse is not thin, but not fat either.  There is a limit to how much the horse can eat.
• stereotypies (caused by grain fed, lack of freedom, no friends:  stress)
• aversion to being touched:  tail swishing, tight skin, objects to stomach being touched
• reluctant to work

Causes
Are caused by a lack of forage in the stomach.  Stomach acid sloshing around in the stomach is not good for the horse (eating hay before work helps if not on continuous access to hay)
Fed more grain than hay.  (maximum grain is 5 pounds per feeding, up to 50% of daily food allowance)

What to feed  "no grain" horses
a grass mix is best:  alfalfa grass hay for the protein (12% for mature horses), potassium, calcium ratio to be correct

Mixed grass hay is better than only one type of grass.  A legume mix is more nutirious than a straight grass mix. (alfalfa preferred over clover)

Mineral salt (loose) for free choice eating
Loose iodised salt
(horses do not have cow tongues so cannot lick a block like a cow can)

Grass is considered a great healer.
Access to pasture in winter (after the grass has grown all summer) saves on hay.
 summer pasture with a mix of grasses and plants to choose to eat

Feeding hay 24/7 can be a challenge.  Scientists say horses that are never deprived of hay will eat enough.

Options for feeding hay 24/7

Unrolling a round bale

Benefits
• less injuries in eyes, kicks
• less manure concentrated on field
• everyone has equal access to feed
area where bale was fed is fertilized evenly (no harrowing in spring), reseeded

Challenges
• unrolling the bale is heavy work by yourself if the attachment is not on the tractor
horses over eat
• rain, trampled in the spring during breakup


Haynet
• bale in a net with 2'-1" holes
• It is tough getting the net on when it is exactly the same size as the bale
• no shod, blanketed or haltered horses
• some horses learn to untie the net opening
• some horses chew holes in the net for easier access to hay so repairing the holes is time consuming and should be done every time a bale is put out
• finding the net in the snow can be difficult if there has been a snowstorm
wet nets are very heavy

• 11/2" opening still frustrates some horses
• feeds at the same rate as forking hay
• horses stand around the bale rather than walking around like do grazing
• horses always have hay so not worries about feeding them at same time
• need a tractor or access to strong people
• come in all sizes:  little square bale to huge 5x5 bales



Forking hay
• need to be fit and strong
• able to carry hay to different points with more hay piles than horses, 20' apart the piles
•calf sled helps in moving hay out into the • always eating in a clean spot
• tramples snow so have more living area (important when you hae 4' of snow on the ground)


Feeding in the field rather than in a paddock
• no cleaning (or not much) in the spring
• lots of movement for the horses
• horses stay fitter walking in to water, to hay, to shelter
• reseeds field, fertilizes field with excellent fertilizer
• horses don't run around in field because always in it (less chance of injuries)
• fences don't need repairing because horses are not near them

Pasture
Doesn't need to be all good grazing areas.  Exercise is good.  Room is good for movement and lack of injuries, fitness (bone density is affected positively, muscles.)
Look at the muscles on the horses in the photos:  bulging.  It isn't from work or fancy feeding  Runing in the field when it is not due to excitement but feeling good is ok.  Running hard because just turned out not so good as the horse has not been warmed up.  Accidents can happen.
3 year old filly (just turned 3)  She has always lived at pasture

Fenced off/pathways in a field
not sure about this.  Why not just spread out the salt, water, shelter, food so horses have to walk.  They do not stand in one place when out in a field.  Apparently (according to Heather Nelson's blog) the horses run more when turned into the lanes.
I don't want my horses getting comfortable around electric fences.  I want them to stay at least 3' away from the fence.  That means having fencing zigzagging around a field there is a lot of wasted space (because you really don't want your horse tangled in electric fencing (or any fencing for that matter)

Depleted pasture...horses fed haybale unrolled in various parts of the field (to fertilize and reseed)

not much snow now but you can see how much the horses travel in this small area the photo shows

following a path now that the snow is deeper

Feeding Probiotics and Prebiotics

I am just reading about them from the course reader for the Equine Nutrition course I am enrolled in.

no real studies have been done on using them.

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts.  They are "good" bacteria fed to your horse to keep him healthy.
Where to find
Fermented food and yoghurt have live bacteria (lactobacillus).
It is suggested to feed your horse yoghurt if he is on antibiotics to regain "good" bacteria that is killed by the antibiotic.

bifidobacterium, Entercoccus, lactobacillus are good bacteria fed to help digestion.

Horses that are grazing up to 18 hours a day ingest bacteria as they eat.

Stressed horses are the most likely to need probiotics.  Being kept in a stall, paddock turn out, no friends, restricted movement, not enough exercise, not enough hay/forage all stress a horse.

Competition, travelling, fed grain/concnetrates are also stressors, sick, laid up horses, abrupt feed changes.

May be beneficial to horses.   Feed at stressed times, not daily.

Research before feeding.  Check out articles not written by a feed manufacturer.

Prebiotics
prebiotics are food for the microbes already in the horses's gut

feed daily


They support the beneficial bacteria, bind with strains of harmful bacteria and pass them out of the horse's gut.
Beetpulp, flax, and yeast (brewer's yeast?) contain prebiotics


Do not feed to neonatal foals.

Feed to horses that have trouble maintining their weight (and look into gastric ulcers), older horses with digestion/absorbtion problems,  horses with a history of diarrhea, colic, or gas (look into gastric ulcers) and young horses up to age of 1 year. (you might want to change how the youngster is being kept if it need probitotics or prebiotics)

Do a search on these sites for current information
www.thehorse.com  thehorsechannel.com  www.thenaturallyhealthyhorse.com