2017 Miniature Horse World SPRING Issue | Page 54

Weigh Hay Rations ? No Way ! What You Need To Know

​By Monique Warren

The vicious cycle of meal fed , hungry hoofers can be remedied . Let ’ s focus on some of the physical and mental effects of stress and cortisol levels you may not be aware of ( including obesity ). Stress can be associated with a wide range of causes including but not limited to : lack of forage , confinement , lack of direct physical interaction with other herd members , pain , lack of nutrients , vitamins and minerals necessary for proper thyroid , hormone and neurological function , rigorous training , travel

and lack of movement .
Each time your equine consumes a meal , the psychological cycle repeats itself . I must eat all of my hay as quickly as possible to “ self-medicate ”; their stomach does not feel well due to the build-up of acid or ulcers and knows as soon as they start chewing and eating it will start feeling better . Chewing activates saliva production ( an alkaline substance ), which buffers gastric acid . Providing a slow feeder for meals certainly helps but will not relieve the stress of being without forage for periods
of time which perpetuates the vicious cycle . Either they have forage available 24 / 7 or they don ’ t . This can be a difficult concept for some ! It ’ s equivalent to being sort of pregnant ; either you are or you aren ’ t . Stress produces the hormone cortisol . Horses are stoic by nature as they are prey animals ; they may not show outward signs of stress . Lack of forage is stressful for your horse which signals cortisol production ; resulting in fat storage by ignoring insulin ’ s attempts to uptake glucose into the tissues . This can be the cause for easy keepers and air ferns . If appropriate forage is available at all times , they can typically eat more and maintain or lose weight . Chronic stress and release of cortisol may also be responsible for conditions including aggressive behavior ; decreased growth and reproductive capability ; inhibition of the immune system ; and increased risks of gastric ulceration , colic , and diarrhea .
Action Plan :
Feed free choice tested low NSC ( 10 % or below ) straight grass hay . Consult an equine nutritionist to ensure all vitamin / mineral requirements are being met in proper ratios and unique conditions . FeedXL can be extremely helpful for DIY ’ ers .
Experiment with slow feeders to determine the smallest mesh size that enables your horse to extract hay without being frustrated . Frustration is counterproductive ; it causes stress !
Offer multiple locations to encourage movement and feed from ground level .
Use a grazing muzzle in the pasture and turn out when sugars are likely to be lowest .
Resolve any causes of pain or discomfort mentally and physically .
Routine exercise ; never exercise your horse on an empty stomach . If your horse is foot sore , equip them with hoof boots and pads .
Courtesy of The Hay Pillow , Inc . ​REFERENCES : Juliet M . Getty , Ph . D . ( 2015 ) Obesity . The Real Cause . The Real Fix . Retrieved from http :// gettyequinenutrition . biz / Library / Obesity . therealcause . therealfix . htm Karyn Malinowski , Ph . D .( 2016 ) Reviewed in 2004 by Carey Williams , Ph . D . Stress Management for Equine Athletes Retrieved from http :// esc . rutgers . edu / fact _ sheet / stressmanagement-for-equine-athletes /
52 Miniature Horse World SPRING 2017