Feeding horses in drought conditions

As much of Australia grapples with an extended dry spell, how can we ensure our horses are getting their nutritional needs met when they have no access to grass, and hay is getting even harder to source?

In the absence of grass, we can protect our horse’s digestive system by providing continuous access to forage in the form of hay. It’s also extremely important to ensure adequate water intake, adding salt and minerals to make up for imbalances and deficiencies.

Prioritise Roughage:

•  In order to maintain gastrointestinal health, horses need a minimum of 1-2% of their body weight in roughage daily. This equates to between 5-10kg of hay/day for the average-sized horse.
•  During a drought, when pasture is scarce, providing ad lib access to hay is crucial for both gut health and mental well-being.
• Slow feeders can help simulate natural grazing patterns and promote chewing, which is beneficial for digestion and saliva production. They will also slow down the consumption of forage and help to keep it clean and off the ground guarding against sand ingestion.
•  If available, try and feed a varied selection of forage, like oaten, wheaten, lucerne, meadow, rye, clover, and teff hay, as well as chaff and fibres like beet pulp and soy hulls. Selecting varied forage will diversify the mineral and nutritional content of the diet.

Water Intake:

Grass contains over 70% water, whereas hay is only around 10%; this means that on hay-only diets, there is considerably less water available in the gut for digestion. Provide fresh, clean drinking water at all times. 

Supplementation:

• SALT- Horses need sodium and chloride to maintain their electrolyte balance, this is extremely important for adequate hydration, without it your horse will be at risk of poor performance, decreased gut motility and impaction colic.
• MINERALS– Most, if not all, forage diets require mineral supplementation to balance deficiencies and mineral ratios. The main ones for any Pasture and Hay diet are magnesium, zinc, copper, selenium, and iodine. Consider using a balanced supplement like Missy's Bucket Gut Plus.
• VITAMIN E– a key antioxidant, is abundant in fresh grass but rapidly lost when it is cut and baled. The minimum requirement for the average size horse is 1000 IU/day; 2000 IU day for improved immune function. Consider using a balanced supplement like Missy's Bucket Gut Plus.
• OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS – abundant in fresh grass, but rapidly lost during baling and curing. This makes hay only diets very high in proinflammatory omega-6 fatty acids which also predominate in grains and vegetable oils. The best plant sources of omega-3 linolenic acid are flax and chia seeds, having a similar fatty acid profile to grass. Feed 120-170g/day for the average sized horse. Flaxseeds are best ground fresh to release the fats from the seeds for better absorption.
• PROTEIN - If you suspect the hay is protein deficient, consider supplementing with a protein source like Lupins and Lucerne.

Feeding Strategy:

• Consider feeding hay wet, or soaked for horses with metabolic conditions, this will lower the carbohydrate content of the hay, prevent choke, reduce dust and increase the amount of water in the gut.
•  Consider using high-fibre feeds like beet pulp, soybean hulls, and/or lupin hull and hay cubes.
•  If using pelleted feed, ensure it's fed in small, frequent amounts to avoid overloading the stomach. 

In summary, focus should be on providing a balanced diet with adequate ad lib roughage, water, and essential nutrients, while being mindful of potential risks like mineral deficiencies, carbohydrate overload and dehydration.