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Discussion on Training hungry horse okay?
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Member:
heidim
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Posted on Monday, Nov 30, 2009 - 10:45 am:
Hi. I'm in the process of finishing a mare I just love. I understand that short sessions done consistently produce better results. Here is the dilemma. My most available time is first thing in the morning. If I feed her first, she takes a long time to finish eating. So, is it okay to train her before I feed her? I realize she will be hungry, and am wondering if that is a problem. Thoughts?
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Member:
jolie
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Posted on Monday, Nov 30, 2009 - 11:14 am:
Heidi
I have just been reading up on some ulcer related articles. It states that it is best to feed a little before exercise to help with acid during exercise. However I would think if she has free access to hay you might be alright. There are more experienced people here who would know more!
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Member:
stek
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Posted on Monday, Nov 30, 2009 - 1:59 pm:
Heidi training when she's hungry could result in a distracted horse, especially if the other horses are getting fed while you are working. There are a lot of variables to consider though:
Does she have access to free choice hay overnight? How much and what are you feeding for breakfast? How intense of a training session and what type of training are you doing?
As Jolie suggests if she has hay overnight and hasn't been sitting hungry in a stall for hours you should be fine to train first, then cool out and feed.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Monday, Nov 30, 2009 - 5:28 pm:
At the training barn I worked for if they wanted to ride before breakfast, the horse got a handful of grain and a bit of hay first, doesn't take long and they are much less distracted. When cooled out they got the rest of their "hard feed" and hay. Worked well
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Member:
rtrotter
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Posted on Monday, Nov 30, 2009 - 5:43 pm:
I agree with Diane, I'd give her enough that she could finish it in a few minutes, but not so much that you would be working her immediately after she ate on a full tummy.
I normally give my horses at least an hour from the time I feed until I take them out on the track. They get about 4 lbs of hard feed for breakfast, but no hay until they come in.
If you will not be around after she is worked to give her the rest of her food, is there someone you could ask that would throw it in for you?
Rachelle
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Member:
dustee
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Posted on Monday, Nov 30, 2009 - 7:46 pm:
I need to work my mare very early in the morning. Sometimes they have not fed grain by the time I get to the farm. I will give my mare a flake of alfalfa while I am picking feet, grooming her and tacking up. Maybe I am slow, but she gets most of the flake down while I am diddling doing this and that. She's all right with this, and she can get her grain later.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 1, 2009 - 7:12 am:
Hello Heidi,
What type exercise and feeding history is there just prior to early morning exercise?
DrO
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Member:
heidim
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 1, 2009 - 10:52 pm:
I keep my horses at home, so I'm in charge of the feeding schedule. We have four head, and give one bale hay in morning and one bale hay in evening. It's a good alfalfa/grass mix. We feed no grain. Our horses are out in a large hilly paddock area 24/7. Plenty of room to run around and all those hills keep them climbing. I could give Belle a little hay while I brush and saddle her, and feed all four breakfast when our workout is over. If I remember right, horses have small stomachs, so that might hold her. I just know that I seem to get hungrier eating a small bowl of cereal in the morning when what I really crave is a big one. Is that a blood sugar issues, and if so do horses experience the same?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 2, 2009 - 7:06 am:
Heidi, with your concerns why not feed the horses before you get ready and eat breakfast yourself? Then everyone is fed and your mare has extra time to get down more hay. When feeding forages you do not have to worry too much about blood glucose spikes as digestion is considerably slower than with grains and other concentrates.
The original question of what will work well with this horse is really going to depend on the personality of the horse and perhaps the type work being done. Many horses will be perfectly fine being worked in the morning prior to receiving their daily ration of hay and some might do better prior to feeding rather than being interrupted. One consideration would be if you are going to do a lot of galloping exercise would be best done after a small meal of hay to raise the stomach ph and help prevent gastric ulcers.
DrO
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Member:
heidim
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 2, 2009 - 1:34 pm:
Call me selfish, but I would not work my mare without something inside my own stomach. Hence, the source of some of my guilt. Our herd takes at least two hours to down their hay and then they continue to hang around the feeder and pick at this and that for the sport of it. I would be working my mare close by this activity, which would probably not go over well with her. I do like the idea of feeding a little bit of hay while I brush and saddle. It sounds like the hay will sate her temporarily rather than make her more hungry. Having a bigger breakfast afterward would be a nice reward for the workout, too. Just so you know, I will mostly be working on longeing, neck reining, and perfecting her gaits. Not too strenuous but important all the same. Thanks, everyone, for your input. It resulted in a workable solution for me.
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 2, 2009 - 3:00 pm:
Heidi,
I have 4 horses, one of which will not work well if he don't eat first. He does best with a small amount of grain, and some hay munching time before work.
I prefer they all have some hay before working them, a royal pain if it's during the time of year where I want to work with them first thing in the morning. Which is the case during the hottest and driest part of the summer, which is also when there is no grass.
Have you considered building a slow feeder? We've had discussions on here, some member(s) posted pictures. Slow feeders give them hay 24/7, great concept, look pretty darn easy depending what you go with. Some buy nets, some have strung up hockey nets (I think) and some have built them out of scrap materials.
I am anxiously awaiting for my husband to make two of them.
Here's one link of interest:
https://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/photo/8008202/SMHN+in+tray
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