Equine Husbandry
Feeding[edit | edit source]
Food and fodder placement can have a significant impact on a horse's physical health. The following table provides a summary of the benefits and disadvantages of types of food and fodder placement.[1]
| Advantages | Disadvantages | |
|---|---|---|
| Hay net | Only a small amount of waste | Forces horse into an unnatural head and neck position when it is placed too high
Horse's foot might get stuck if it is too low Horse is at risk of upper respiratory tract irritation from dust and seeds |
| Hay bag | Only a small amount of waste | Forces horse into an unnatural head and neck position |
| Ground | Natural spine position | High amount of waste
Risk of sand colic |
| Haybar | Natural spine position | Only a small amount of waste |
Equine Body Condition Scoring[edit | edit source]
Using the equine body condition scoring system gives an indication of a horse's overall health.[2] This system was described in 1983 by Henneke and colleagues.[3] The full scoring system is provided here. The following video provides examples of horses being scored.
Basics of Equine Nutrition[edit | edit source]
The equine digestive tract consists of the following features:
| Type | Fore Gut | Capacity | Percentage of gastrointestinal tract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enzymatic digestion | Stomach | 8 – 15 litres | 8% |
| Duodenum, Jejenum, Ileum (21 metres) | 68 litres | 30% | |
| Hind Gut | |||
| Microbial digestion | Caecum (1.2 metres)
Large colon (3 – 3.6 metres) Small Colon (3 – 3.6 metres) |
28 – 36 litres
86 litres 16 litres |
15%
38% 9% |
The following video provides a summary of the equine digestive system.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Van der Walt A. Ethology for Physiotherapists - Patient Communication and Safety Course. Physioplus, 2021.
- ↑ Iowa State University - Extension and Outreach. The body condition score [Internet]. Available from: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/equine/body-condition-score [cited 12 April 2021].
- ↑ Carroll CL, Huntington PJ. Body condition scoring and weight estimation of horses. Equine Vet J. 1988;20(1):41-5.
- ↑ University of Minnesota Equine Extension Program. Horse Body Condition Scoring. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoLRjMHHnBs [last accessed 13/4/2021]
- ↑ Hy Gain Feeds. The Equine Digestive System. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuzTJ77IQAY [last accessed 13/4/2021]
