Equine Nutrition Myth Busters

with the scrub brush. Keep the water topped up, too! As horses start eating more dry hay and less moisture-rich grass, water is essential in digestion and keeps this dry matter moving smoothly through the gastrointestinal system.

Myth #3 — I can stop providing salt and electrolytes now that the summer’s heat has gone.

Horses need salt and electrolytes all year long to regulate fluids. Heat and humidity increase the need but the main reason to give electrolytes at any time of year is to keep the horse hydrated. As the cold weather settles in, many horses will drastically cut back on the amount of water they drink. One of the best ways to encourage drinking and prevent the incidence of impaction and colic during winter is to increase the amount of electrolytes in the horse’s diet. 

Myth #4 — I should quickly fatten up my horse now before winter.

It is important that horses come into the winter with enough condition. It is harder to put weight on a horse lacking condition when it is using calories to stay warm. However, it is of vital importance to change the horse’s diet gradually over at least two weeks to avoid disturbing the bacterial population in the hindgut. In some cases, increasing hay intake may be enough. Fermentation of hay in the hindgut contributes to keeping the horse warm as temperatures drop.

Myth #5 — Hay cubes cannot be used as a complete forage source.

Hay cubes can be used as a forage extender or in some circumstances as a forage replacement. They are particularly useful as a low dust feed for horses with respiratory conditions and for senior equines with dental challenges.