From Winter to Spring: 4 Tips for Feeding Your Horse

As Winter becomes Spring, new nutrition challenges arise. But, with some forethought and planning this month, you can protect your horse’s health. In this article, we share four important tips when feeding your horse from Winter to Spring.

Tip 1: Manage pasture intake
The arrival of Spring is a particular concern for the insulin-resistant or laminitic horse, as grass growth is dramatically higher in fructans and water-soluble
carbohydrates. However, even if your horse doesn’t require a dry lot or grazing muzzle, there are steps every horse owner should take.
For horses without access to pasture during Winter, the transition to grazing should be done slowly. If grass growth poses a risk on your property, horses
should only be allowed to graze for short periods in the morning over the coming weeks.

Tip 2: Monitor body condition

During Winter, temperature and workload can effect horses differently. While some horses gain weight over Winter due to lack of exercise, other horses
lose weight keeping warm. Before jumping into your horse’s Spring diet, you must first assess body condition.
When evaluating your horse’s body condition, it’s always best to seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified equine nutritionist. Only with an
unbiased and accurate condition score can you make the necessary changes to increase or decrease your horse’s caloric intake safely.

Tip 3: Consider quality concentrates

At the start of Spring, many horse owners are eager to bring their horses back into work. If your horse’s workload increases, their energy requirements
also go up. A quality horse feed, such as Running Cool, will provide them with the essential protein, vitamins and minerals they need.

However, care must be taken when choosing the right horse feed for your horse. A qualified equine nutritionist will help you assess workload and body condition
to ensure you select a well-balanced horse feed that will maintain ideal body condition.

Tip 4: Protect against dehydration

As the weather warms, hydration must remain a top priority. Every horse should have unlimited access to fresh, clean drinking water, and be offered additional
water following exercise and transport. Your water sources should also be checked regularly for signs of contamination.

At Running Cool, we genuinely care about your horse’s health and wellbeing. Our superior horse feed range supports your horse at every stage of life with well-balanced vitamins, minerals and protein for pleasure and performance. Click here to learn more.

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