US ban on visitors with HIV could end soon (AP)
AP - A two-decade ban on people with HIV visiting or immigrating to the United States may end soon through a Senate bill aimed at fighting AIDS and other diseases in Africa and other poor areas of the world.Nutrition is very important when it comes to barrel horses. They should not be fed the same as a horse that stays in a pasture and gets ridden a few times a month. Barrel horses are athletes and need adequate nutrition.
Hay
All horses need roughage either in the form of grass or hay. Some horses may need both if there is little grass or the grass has low nutritional value. Roughage should make up most of the horses diet. Feed comes second and should be used to balance the diet. The best way to determine what your horse needs is by having the veterinarian run blood tests once a year to see if your horse is deficient in any way. Testing your hay is also a good way to know exactly what your horse is getting. Take a sample of your hay to an agricultural extension office and they can usually have it tested for free. This gives you a list of all of the qualities and nutritional value in your hay. From there, take the blood tests from your veterinarian and determine what kind of feed and supplements are needed.
Good quality grass hay is the best hay to use for most of your horses diet. Alfalfa can be fed, but is much citrulline dl-malate bulk nutritional powder in protein and can not be fed in large amounts like grass hay. One or two flakes of alfalfa hay can be fed per day compared to three or four flakes of grass hay. If you choose to feed alfalfa hay along with grass hay, you wont need as much grain. Also, if your feed is a lower percentage feed, like 10%, alfalfa can be fed to make up the difference needed in your barrel horse.
Feed
Feed is a part of a barrel horses fuel along with quality hay. Barrel horses are ridden a lot and need energy and stamina when on the road and when training at home. A feed with 10% - 12% protein is good for a mature barrel horse, but is not adequate for a futurity barrel horse. Younger horses need a higher percentage, such as 14% - 16%. This doesnt mean you need a different feed, but the percentage should be gotten through other natural sources such as alfalfa. Always follow the feeding recommendations on the bag as to how much to feed each horse. Feed should be fed by weight. Each horse needs a different amount of feed according to their weight and performance level.
Feed can be found in the form of grains and pellets. Know what is in the feed before making a decision for your barrel horse. Many feed manufacturers today offer comparable feeds in both grain mix and pellet forms. Plain oats are not adequate for a barrel horse. A barrel horse needs more fuel than plain oats can offer. Choose a grain or pellet with a good protein percentage and one that is easily digestible. Pellet feeds were not easily digestible until recently. They are now made to be broken down easily once eaten. This reduces the chance of colic and other digestive problems. Some horses may prefer a sweet grain mix because of the taste, but can usually be slowly switched to a pellet feed if you find that is the better choice for you.
Supplements
Supplements are very common in the barrel horse industry. There is a supplement available for just about every thing. From hooves and coat to energy and weight builders, supplements can play a large part in your horses every day diet.
Choosing a supplement should be a decision made after talking to your veterinarian about your horse, not using the newest thing on the market because a top barrel racer endorses the product. Supplements that are not needed usually wont hurt, but can get very expensive. Supplements that claim to make your horse a better performer, faster or able to win more are simply not true. Every horse will react slightly different with different supplements.
Providing your horse with a balanced diet is the start of a good barrel racing routine. Good nutrition gives your horse the edge he needs to perform to the best of his abilities.
Ron Petracek - Raised in southern Idaho, Ron loves horses and the outdoors. If you would like to join in and learn from the vast resources at our equine forum please visit http://www.horsechitchat.com Looking to buy sell or trade something equine related? Just visit our huge network and get 12 sites for Free! Click here => http://www.Click4equine.com
posted by Nutrition444olab @ 4:09 AM
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