Determining work intensity
From 'Straight from the Horse's Mouth' - December 2008
Article supplied by NRM
Optimal nutrition for your horse hinges foremost on the exercise it performs.
Just as the diet of a human bodybuilder is dissimilar to that of a marathon runner, horses are fed with performance goals in mind. Accurately assessing the level of work performed by a horse is essential in determining the amount and type of feed offered. Equine nutritionists divide work into three classes based on how horses derive energy from their bodies to fuel exercise.
1. High-intensity, short-duration work includes performance events with a primary sprint component - for example, Thoroughbred, Standardbred and Quarter Horse racing horses.
Horses in heavy work train and compete at the peak of their physical abilities. Racehorses on an active racing schedule and three-day event horses preparing for competition fit into this classification.
Traditional carbohydrate-laden feeds, which include most low-fat textured or pelleted concentrates, and forage may satisfy the nutritional requirements of horses performing this type of exercise. As workload increases and energy reserves empty, large quantities of complex carbohydrates may be offered to the horse in an attempt to maintain body condition. As carbohydrate intake rises, the risk of colic and laminitis escalates.
2. Moderate-intensity, medium-duration work encompasses exercise that taxes but does not necessarily exhaust a horse, such as show training and competition.
Horses in moderate work participate in a near-daily, structured training program. Jumpers, upper-level dressage horses, polo ponies, endurance horses, and young racehorses undergoing breaking and training would fall into this category. Horses are asked to perform for several minutes, perhaps close to an hour, and often more than once per day.
Feeds formulated for horses performing moderate-intensity, medium-duration work should be similar to those fed to horses involved in high-intensity, short-duration performance. One primary difference, however, involves feeding management. Horses in this classification may require less feed to support the work effort.
3. Low-intensity, long-duration work includes endurance activities that typically last two or more hours. Activities include endurance races, competitive trail rides and heavily used school horse work.
Horses in light work are exercised three or four times weekly in preparation for pleasure riding or in light training for low-key show events and lower-level dressage.
As workouts become longer, high-quality forage, that which is low in indigestible lignin, becomes imperative in the diet. Not only is fibre a source of energy, but it holds water and electrolytes in the hindgut. Horses can draw on these reserves during exercise, effectively suppressing dehydration.
Not all equine athletic endeavours fit neatly into one of these broad classifications. Some activities mesh properties of more than one. With its long twisting courses and explosive jumping efforts, show jumping, for instance, represents both high and moderate-intensity activity. Another example is Polo, a fastpaced sport of sudden accelerations and abrupt stops mixed with easy canters and full-tilt gallops, combines all three exercise classes.
Using these basic classifications, caretakers and consultants ascertain the workload of a horse and can feed it accordingly. For further guidance in determining the right nutrition for your horses, talk to your local RD1 store staff.
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