Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-45l2p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T22:39:13.369Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Feeding management practices and supplement use in top-level event horses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2008

A O Burk  and
C A Williams
A O Burk
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, 1117 Animal Sciences Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
C A Williams*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 84 Lipman Drive, Bartlett Hall, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
*
*Corresponding author: cwilliams@aesop.rutgers.edu
Get access

Abstract

The objective of this study was to characterize the nutrition and feeding management practices, including concentrate and supplement use, of three-day event horses prior to and during high-level competition. Subjects were horses competing in one of two divisions at the Jersey Fresh Three-day Event in Allentown, NJ, in 2006 and/or 2007. Body weight and condition score of horses, and feeding management surveys, were completed prior to the start of competition with weight of hay and concentrate taken in 2007. Two sample t-tests were used to compare the data between divisions within each year of the study. For both years, the majority of horses were of the male gender and Thoroughbred breed, aged 11.1 ± 0.3 years. There were no differences between divisions within the year for any of the variables measured. The average numbers of supplements fed on a regular basis to horses competing in the 2006 Concours Complet d'Equitation International (CCI**), 2006 CCI***, 2007 CCI** and 2007 CCI*** events were 4.2 ± 0.4, 4.2 ± 0.3, 4.2 ± 0.5 and 4.3 ± 0.7, respectively. In both years, the most administered type of oral supplement was electrolytes, followed by plain salt and oral joint compounds. The majority of horses in both years did not have any change in their forage and concentrate feeding prior to being transported to the show facility. Feeding practices before and after cross-country varied between years and divisions, but most horses had feed withheld for about 2–4 h prior to the event. The majority of feeding management practices followed research-driven recommendations. However, the relatively high average supplement use per horse raises questions about over-supplementation and/or nutrient interactions in these horses.

Keywords

equinenutritional surveysupplementsthree-day eventingfeeding management
Type
Research Paper
Information
Comparative Exercise Physiology , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , May 2008 , pp. 85 - 93
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1NRC, (2007). Nutrient Requirements of Horses. 6th ed.Washington, DC: Natlional Academic Press.Google Scholar
2United States Department of Agriculture, (1998). Part II: Baseline Reference of 1998 Equine Health and Management. Fort Collins, CO: USDA:APHIS:VS, CEAH, National Animal Health Monitoring System, pp. 79–87.Google Scholar
3FEI, (2006). Rules for Eventing. Federation Equestre International. 22nd edn.Switzerland.Google Scholar
4Henneke, DR, Potter, GD, Kreider, JL and Yeates, BF (1983). Relationship between condition score, physical measurement, and body fat percentage in mares. Equine Veterinary Journal 15: 371–372.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Williams, CA and Burk, AO (2007). Antioxidant status in horses competing in the Jersey Fresh CCI** and CCI*** Three-day Event. Equine Science Society Proceedings 20: 85–86.Google Scholar
6Williams, CA, Lamprecht, ED and Burk, AO (2008). Inflammation and vitamin E intake in horses during a CCI**/CCI*** three-day event. Journal of Animal Science 86:(e-suppl. 2) (Abstr.).Google Scholar
7Wardrope, J (2004). Olympic Pedigrees. Eventing USA 33: 43–46.Google Scholar
8Geor, RJ (2008). Nutritional management of the equine athlete. In: Hinchcliff, KW, Geor, RJ and Kaneps, AJ (eds) Equine Exercise Physiology. The Science of Exercise in the Athletic Horse. New York: Saunders Elsevier, pp. 301–325.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9Lawrence, LM, Jackson, S, Kline, K, Moser, L, Powell, D and Biel, M (1992). Observations on body weight and condition of horses in a 150-mile endurance ride. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 12: 320–324.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10Kearns, CF, McKeever, KH, John-Alder, H, Abe, T and Brechue, WF (2002). Relationship between body composition, blood volume and maximal oxygen uptake. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 34: 485–490.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11Garlinghouse, SE and Burrill, MJ (1999). Relationship of body condition score to completion rate during 160 km endurance races. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 30: 591–595.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12Schils, S and Jordan, RM (1989). Nutrition practices and philosophies of race horse trainers – survey. Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society Proceedings 11: 238–239.Google Scholar
13Southwood, LL, Evans, DL, Bryden, WL and Rose, RJ (1993). Nutrient intake of horse in Thoroughbred and standardbred stables. Australian Veterinary Journal 70: 164–168.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14Winter, LD and Hintz, HF (1981). A survey of feeding practices at two thoroughbred racetracks. Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society Proceedings 7: 136–140.Google Scholar
15Ralston, SL (1988). Nutritional management of horses competing in 160 km races. Cornell Veterinarian 78: 53–61.Google ScholarPubMed
16Potter, G, Arnold, FF, Householder, DD, Hansen, DH and Brown, KM (1992). Digestion of starch in the small or large intestine of the equine. Pferdeheilkunde 1: 107–111.Google Scholar
17Clarke, L, Roberts, MC and Argenzio, RA (1990). Feeding and digestive problems in horses: physiological responses to a concentrated meal. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice 6: 433–358.Google ScholarPubMed
18McKenzie, E, Valberg, SJ and Pagan, JD (2003). Nutritional management of exertional rhabdomyolysis. In: Robinson, N (ed.) Current Therapy in Equine Medicine 5. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, pp. 727–734.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19Kronfeld, DS (2001). Body fluids and exercise: replacement strategies. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 21: 368–375.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20Goodrich, LR and Nixon, AJ (2006). Medical treatment of osteoarthritis in horses – a review. The Veterinary Journal 171: 51–69.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21Abedowale, A, Cox, D and Liang, Z (2000). Analysis of glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate content in marketed products and the Caco-2 permeability of chondroitin sulphate raw materials. American Nutraceutical Association 3: 37–44.Google Scholar
22McClure, SR, Glickman, LT and Glickman, NW (1999). Prevalence of gastric ulcers in show horses. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 215: 1130–1133.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23Friend, TH (2000). Dehydration, stress, and water consumption of horses during long-distance commercial transport. Journal of Animal Science 78: 2568–2580.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24Tinker, MK, White, NA, Lessard, P, Thatcher, CD, Pelzer, KD, Davis, B and Carmel, DK (1997). Prospective study of equine colic risk factors. Equine Veterinary Journal 29: 454–458.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25Hillyer, MH, Taylor, FG, Proudman, CJ, Edwards, GB, Smith, JE and French, NP (2002). Case control study to identify risk factors for simple colonic obstruction and distension colic in horses. Equine Veterinary Journal 34: 455–463.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26Buchanan, BR and Andrews, FM (2003). Treatment and prevention of equine gastric ulcer syndrome. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice 19: 575–597.Google ScholarPubMed
27Van den Berg, JS, Guthrie, AJ, Meintjes, RA, Nurton, JP, Adamson, DA, Travers, CW, Lund, RJ and Mostert, HJ (1998). Water and electrolyte intake and output in conditioned thoroughbred horses transported by road. Equine Veterinary Journal 30: 316–323.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28Rietveld, G and Wright, B (2003). Horse Trailering. Ontario: Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs.Google Scholar
29Meyer, H (1995). Influence of diet, exercise and water restriction on the gut fill in horses. Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society Proceedings 14: 90–91.Google Scholar
30Duren, SE, Manohar, M, Sikkes, B, Jackson, S and Baker, J (1992). Influence of feeding and exercise on the distribution of intestinal and muscle blood flow in ponies. Pferdeheilkunde 1: 24.Google Scholar
31Pagan, JD and Harris, PA (1999). The effects of timing and amount of forage and grain on exercise response in thoroughbred horses. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 30: 451–457.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
32Duren, SE, Pagan, JD, Harris, PA and Crandell, KG (1999). Time of feeding and fat supplementation affect plasma concentrations of insulin and metabolites during exercise. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 30: 479–484.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
33Stull, C and Rodiek, AV (1995). Effects of post prandial interval and feed type on substrate availability during exercise. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 18: 362–366.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
34Lacombe, VA, Hinchcliff, KW, Kohn, CW, Devor, ST and Taylor, LE (2004). Effects of feeding meals with various s soluble-carbohydrate content on muscle glycogen synthesis after exercise in horses. American Journal of Veterinary Research 65: 916–923.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35Ecker, GL and Lindinger, MI (1995). Water and ion losses during the cross-country phase of eventing. Equine Veterinary Journal 20: 111–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
36McCutcheon, LJ, Geor, RJ, Hare, MJ, Ecker, GL and Lindinger, MI (1995). Sweating rate and sweat composition during exercise and recovery in ambient heat and humidity. Equine Veterinary Journal 20: 153–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
37Hyyppa, S, Saastamoinen, M and Poso, R (1996). Restoration of water and electrolyte balance in horses after repeated exercise in hot and humid conditions. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 22: 108–112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
38Nyman, S, Jansson, A, Dahlborn, D and Lindholm, A (1996). Strategies for voluntary rehydration in horses during endurance exercise. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 22: 66–106.Google Scholar
39White, SL (1998). Fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balances in three-day, combined-training horses. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice 14: 37–145.Google ScholarPubMed