VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, [5], 6 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 21:00:46 03/24/03 Mon
Author: Cheri
Subject: Monday's horse fact..
In reply to: Cheri 's message, "A New Week. Daily inspirations and horse facts..." on 20:47:33 03/24/03 Mon



Shaping up your overweight horse...


Part 9...


Managing Overweight Horses..


The first step in management of overweight or obese horses is to establish the current body condition score (and, if possible, body weight) and set a goal for weight loss. For example, let's assume that you have a horse with a body condition score of 8 and his ideal score is around 5. Based on height and breed, this horse has an ideal body weight of 450 kg (1,000 pounds). As one unit of body condition is about 20 kg (44 pounds), this horse is overweight by 60 kg (about 130 pounds).

Next, accurately assess the horse's current feeding and exercise program. Although it is common to feed using convenient units such as a "flake" or section of hay and a coffee can full of grain, this system is very inaccurate for assessment of actual feed intake. For example, alfalfa hay weighs more than grass hay per unit volume. Therefore, it is important to weigh amounts fed--you could use kitchen scales. If possible, send a sample of your hay for laboratory analysis. The data will give you a better idea regarding overall nutrient intake.

A few rules of thumb are useful here. Most horses will consume somewhere between 1.5-3% of their body weight per day in feed. For the overweight and "easy keeper" horse, about 1.5% of body weight is a reasonable ballpark figure. About two-thirds of this amount should be in the form of fiber--grass, hay, or other sources of forage and fiber (e.g., hay cubes or beet pulp). Regardless of body condition, fiber always should be the main component of a horse's diet. At the absolute minimum, a horse should eat 1% of his body weight per day in the form of forage and other fiber sources.

So, our fictitious fat horse for the past six months has been receiving 7 kg of grass hay and 3 kg of a typical sweet feed each day that contains added minerals and vitamins. He is ridden two or three times per week, usually 45 to 60 minutes of gentle trail exercise, and has some drylot turnout at other times. The amount of hay fed is appropriate--about 1.4% of his body weight (again, 1% is considered the safe minimum).

The diet is supplying 20.5 Mcal (or 20,000 calories) of digestible energy, which probably is 25% higher than this horse needs even considering activity level (see figures on page 90). This excess energy intake is certainly enough to explain weight gain. Assuming no change in feeding and activity level, we might expect this horse to gain a further 20 kg (or 44 pounds) over the next three months.

Tomorrows fact .. Clearly, this horse needs to go on a diet.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> Tuesday's inspiration.. -- Cheri, 20:08:21 03/26/03 Wed



AT ANY MOMENT

_________________________

Proverbs 3:1-12 (NRSV)

My child, do not forget my teaching,
      but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life
      and abundant welfare they will give you. Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you;
      bind them around your neck,
   write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor and good repute
   in the sight of God and of people.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
   and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
   and he will make straight your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
   fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
It will be a healing for your flesh
   and a refreshment for your body.
Honor the LORD with your substance
      and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty,
      and your vats will be bursting with wine. My child, do not despise the LORD's discipline
      or be weary of his reproof,
for the LORD reproves the one he loves,
      as a father the son in whom he delights.

_________________________

The psalmist wrote, "Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!"

- Psalm 27:7 (NRSV)

_________________________

OUR twin daughters are just learning to walk and are at a stage where they will come to us and cry to be picked up. Almost immediately after being picked up, they will begin to cry because they want to be set back down. They want us to be available at any moment they might happen to need us, but they want their independence too.

Their desire for independence is a good thing. We want them to grow up and eventually have their own homes. This means they will become more and more independent and need us less and less. But for us, as children of God, our growth increases our dependence. Mature saints are those who realize most deeply their total dependence on God.

Too often we find it easier to trust our own judgment than to admit we need God's help, and we yield control to God reluctantly. But we need God's help all the time, no matter how mature we become.


Prayer: O God, help us to trust in you more than in our own strength
and abilities. Amen.


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Lifelong dependence on God is a good thing.

-- Norman Styers (Oklahoma, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Families with young children
________________________


[ Edit | View ]






[ Contact Forum Admin ]



Forum timezone: GMT+1
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.