Your Horse's Winter Energy Needs

your horse is either getting too fat or is trying to tear the barn down you should reassess your feeding program. Changing energy sources can sometimes be helpful. Consider changing from a hay and grain based diet to a diet based on hay fed in combination with concentrates formulated around hindgut fermented fibre sources such as soy hulls instead of starch. Fibre in a bag type feeds can be an excellent resource for increasing energy intake without increasing calories from starch.
Dont forget the importance of water in meeting your horses energy needs in a successful winter feeding regime. Horses that are dehydrated will not consume as much feed and are at much greater risk of colic. Water should be clean and plentiful with no ice if at all possible.
Weather conditions will also play a part in your successful winter feeding program. A sudden drop in temperatures in a climate that is normally mild and wet will generate an increased energy requirement for your horse. Make sure you adjust your feeding program back to a more moderate energy regime when the weather returns to more seasonable temperatures.