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TheHorse.com THE HORSE October 2015
across the country that specialize
in caring for horses needing both
short- and long-term stall rest. Many
of these have underwater treadmills,
swimming pools, and free walkers that
are extremely helpful for a variety of
injuries. Researchers have shown that
such controlled exercise decreases
musculoskeletal stiffness, promotes
gastrointestinal motility, and improves
attitude. The added benefit is that once
your horse has healed, he's likely to be a
lot fitter and able to get back to his job
sooner. Some of these facilities are able
to transition your horse back to turnout
and even to tack walking and trotting.
Pesky Pests
Flies can be extremely irritating dur-
ing warm months, especially for horses
on stall rest. Stable flies feed on blood
and carry pathogens capable of causing
infection, so protect and cover any open
wounds. The following are a few feeding
tips to help keep these pests away:
■ Use a separate bucket for grain only,
and remove it from the stall when
mealtime's over;
■ Use fly protectant, such as a top-
dressed feed-through supplement. This
passes through to the manure with
minimal absorption in the digestive
system. Fly larvae present in ma-
nure can't mature into adults. Many
manufacturers add garlic to their
feed-through fly protectants as a natu-
ral pest control ingredient. However,
there's currently no published research
to back this claim; and
■ Keep all feed stored and covered when
not in use, and cover buckets if you
portion feed out before feeding.
Take-Home Message
Managing horses on stall rest can be
a daunting task that requires careful
diet planning for gut health. Mimic the
horse's natural behavior by feeding small,
frequent meals and using a slow-feed
haynet. Feeding highly digestible fiber
sources and, if necessary, fat for calorie
sources will reduce the horse's chance of
developing behavioral vices and digestive
upset.
H
NUTRITION
From Claim to Fame
Created in 1999 to honor the blue-collar horses that are the
foundation of the racing industry nationwide, Claiming Crown is
racing's showcase for the country's best claiming horses.
For qualification criteria, call the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders
Association at 859-277-5891 or visit www.claimingcrown.com.
The Claiming Crown is a partnership between the
National Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association
and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
Gulfstream Park • Saturday, December 5, 2015
Nine races with $1.1 million in purses
Nomination deadline: November 8, 2015
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kristen M. Janicki, MS, PAS, is the technical marketing and nutri-
tional services coordinator with Buckeye Nutrition and resides in
Nicholasville, Kentucky.