Maintenance Care of the Elite Sport Horse

Introduction

Today’s high level sport horse represents a significant investment of time and money. High level show jumpers, dressage horses and western performance horses often take several years to train to their upper levels, and injuries or illness can substantially affect the time to produce a winning horse. Owners and trainers are concerned that these horses receive the best possible care without excess expenses and down time. The veterinary care of such horses must take an approach of overall health and maintenance of the horse in training, not simply one of attending to lameness or illness after it occurs. Recognition of potentially serious lameness and other health issues early on may prevent significant loss of training and competition time as well as extending the horse’s career.

Nutrition

Feeding of the sport hose has changed dramatically in recent years. The popularity of European Warmblood breeds and American Quarter Horses has resulted in the need for developing new feeding regimens. Such new regimens must take into account the different discipline activities and differences in metabolism seen in these breeds as opposed to young Thoroughbred race horses or horses doing draft work. The energy requirements of the sporthorse disciplines are significant, but these are generally more mature horses that may have less need for high carbohydrate and protein levels. Many of the heavier breeds may be predisposed to polysaccharide storage myopathy and metabolic disorders related to energy stores. As a result, alternative feeds that provide lower levels of carbohydrates as energy sources and have substituted fat instead as the energy source have proven quite successful. Such feeds for mature working horses have moderate protein content (around 12%), increased fat (9-12%) and higher fiber content. These feeds, in conjunction with good quality hay, provide a good diet for working sport horses.

A major consideration related to nutrition of the sport horse is frequency and quantity of feeding. Research has clearly demonstrated that multiple small meals throughout the day provide a more natural dietary intake than more traditional twice daily feeding. This appears to lessen the predisposition of working horses to the development of gastric ulcers. More alkaline feeds such as alfalfa or other legume hays may be of benefit with regard to controlling acid levels. Since the horse is an obligate acid producer, frequent feeding stimulates salivation (which contains bicarbonate) and increases stomach content thereby reducing the effects of constant acid production on an empty stomach. [...]