Typical Racehorse Diet
A racehorse in training will typically be used to a diet which is:
- High Energy - high cereal/starch content; often oat based; 7kgs+ concentrates per day.
- Low Fibre - minimal hay/haylage; little or no turnout; unlikely to have had chaffs/beet added to their feeds.
This diet can lead to associated clinical problems such as ulcers and colic.
New Diet Decisions
The ex-racehorse requires a balanced diet which provides the correct balance of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals needed for health and performance.
You will need to feed according to:
- Body Condition
- Workload
- Temperament
- Clinical issues
Body Condition
Body Condition Scoring is a visual hands-on method to evaluate body fat. It evaluates the amount of fat covering areas of the neck, withers, down the back, over the ribs and behind the shoulders. Regular evaluation allows for feeding and exercise regimes to be adjusted appropriately.
Poor condition score 1-3
A horse with a poor condition score will:
- Have an underdeveloped top line with an angular appearance.
- Be hollow through the quarters and have an angular appearance.
- Have a slight covering of flesh over the hips and ribs.
Thoroughbreds do not have to be skinny.
Moderate condition score 4-6
A horse with a moderate condition score will have:
- A well muscled top line.
- Shoulders and a neck that blends smoothly into the body.
- Ribs which are not easily distinguishable but can be felt.
Body condition '5' is desirable.
Workload
Be realistic about the amount of work your horse is doing.
- Light - quiet hacking 1-3 times a week, light schooling and occasional competition.
- Moderate - daily hacking 1-2 hours, 30-60 minutes schooling, Riding Club competition.
- Hard - intense training sessions, regular competitions.
There are three main categories:
- Fibre (Insoluble Carbohydrates)
- Cereals - starches and sugars (Soluble Carbohdrates)
- Fats & Oils
A combination of all three will meet your horse’s energy requirements more easily than feeding fibre and cereals alone. Protein is not an efficient energy source and therefore not a primary energy source.
Fibre (slow release energy = non-heating)
Digestion occurs by microbial fermentation in the hind gut. Fibre is essential for gut health as it maintains regular bowl movement, helps to push out excess gas and counteracts acidity throughout the digestive tract. A large percentage of racehorses suffer from gastric ulcers due to lack of fibre.
Typically an ex-racehorse should have:
- Minimum 1% of bodyweight of hay per day e.g. 500 kg horse requires an absolute minimum of 5kg of hay per day. However it is preferable to feed to appetite i.e. provide a constant supply of hay/haylage - particularly for those horses who are underweight and struggle to maintain a healthy body condition. A constant supply of fibre helps satisfy the psychological need to chew (trickle feeders) and acts as; a reservoir for fluid and electrolytes; a central heating system and; contains valuable nutrients. Better quality forage (high value – soft, leafy, harvested early rather than coarse and stalky hay which is most likely to have been harvested late) will result in less reliance on concentrates for calories/energy.
- Additional fibre sources include chaffs, sugar beet and super fibres eg. soya hulls. Alfalfa which is rich in quality protein and can be useful to compensate for low nutritional value hay.
Cereals (quick release energy = heating)
Higher levels of starch are predominantly found in cereals. Starch is broken down by enzymes in the small intestine resulting in a fast release of energy. Energy is absorbed into the bloodstream as glucose and stored in muscles and the liver as glycogen.
If your horse is doing fast work, muscles utilise energy without O2 (anaerobically). As fat cannot be broken down anaerobically the primary energy source during fast work is glycogen i.e. a racehorse requires a higher proportion in the diet in order to be able to gallop successfully.
If your horses is doing slower work (walk, trot, slow canter) the muscles use fat and glycogen in the presence of O2 (aerobically). Fibre digestion provides a further source of slow release energy thus the combination of all three energy sources works well.
Fats & Oils (slow release energy = non-heating)
Fats and oils are digested in the small intestine producing a slow release of energy. They contain 2-3 times more energy per kg than cereals.
Straight oil can lead to palatability problems and anti-oxidant supplementation is required to avoid the risk of muscle related problems such as tying-up. Hence, pelleted oil supplements are far more practical and appealing.
Digestive enhancers such as Baileys ‘Digest Plus’ aid digestion and encourage weight gain. There are three types, all of which have slightly different functions.
- Probiotics – contain live bacteria; flood the gut with beneficial ‘friendly’ bacteria and; stops harmful species of bacteria becoming established (competitive exclusion).
- Yeast – increases the number of beneficial bacteria and stimulates fibre-digesting bacteria making fibre digestion more efficient. It needs to supplied in the diet continuously as it requires oxygen to live and the horse’s hind gut is largely anaerobic.
- Prebiotics – do not contain live organisms and provide a food source for beneficial bacteria. They mop up pathogenic species of bacteria and promote healthy gut function.
With attention to detail and a little care in the early stages, there is no reason why your ex-racehorse shouldn’t thrive on a diet where the ratio of forage to concentrates is kept in a healthy balance. If you are unsure of the right approach for your ex-racehorse, feed company helplines can offer practical advice and help you explore your options. Once settled into their new life, most thoroughbreds simply need treating as any other individual horse and some even become laid back good doers!
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1. Tib - Working horse/low energy diet
No.2 Working Horse & Pony Cubes + Lo-Cal balancer
During the winter, Tib looks and works well on the recommended amount of 2 scoops of Working Horse & Pony Cubes (8lb/3.6kg per day) but when the spring grass comes through, he doesn’t need as many calories so his owner cuts it back to 1 or 1½ scoops (4 – 6lb/1.8 – 2.7kg) but adds 1 – 2 mugs ( ½ - 1 lb/225 – 450 grams) of Lo-Cal balancer. The Lo-Cal provides the additional nutrients which are lost by cutting back the hard feed but without adding extra calories.
2. Monty - Leisure Horse/Good-doer
Lo-Cal balancer
Monty has access to excellent grazing in the summer and good haylage in the winter and, as his workload is relatively low, maintains his body condition well on the calories these provide. To help build and maintain muscle tone and support health and well being, Monty gets just 3 mugs (1 ½lb/675g) of Lo-Cal balancer per day. This supplies the quality protein he needs to build muscle tissue plus a balance of vitamins and minerals to support his work along with healthy hooves and a shiny coat.
3. Bob - Pre Novice Eventer/Fit, Rounded and Ride-able
No.4 Top Line Conditioning Cubes
Bob gets ad lib haylage plus 2 to 2½ Stubbs scoops (8 – 10lb/3.6 – 4.5kg) of No.4 Top Line Conditioning Cubes divided into two or three feeds, depending on how long he spends in the field. In light to moderate work all winter, this has helped him build body and muscle whilst easily fuelling and supporting his work.
4. Samantha - Polo Pony/Low Starch Diet
No.6 All-Round Endurance Mix + Outshine high oil supplement
Samantha’s owners were advised to keep her starch intake down and maintain a fully balanced diet to support muscle function and integrity. She gets ad lib hay plus 3 scoops (8 – 8½lb/4kg) of No.6 All-Round Endurance Mix which provides a blend of energy sources but is particularly high in oil (10%) and fibre (12%). This also supplies all the other nutrients she needs to support performance but if she needs extra calories to boost condition, Samantha gets 2 to 4 mugs (1 – 2lbs/0.45 – 1kg) of Baileys Outshine high oil supplement in addition to her mix.
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