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Archive for November, 2009

Feeding Horses

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Last week during our student theory lessons I was teaching feed including calculating feed rations for horses in different enviroments, some students were having a little difficulty working out feed rations so I found this piece on the internet which I thought maybe of interest.

The Impact of Cold Weather The following formula is used to calculate the increased DE (daily energy) requirement for a horse as a result of cold temperatures and wet, windy conditions: critical temperature – actual temperature = % increase in DE required.

Adjusting Energy Intake: An Example The following example clarifies how to adjust energy intake for a dry environmental temperature of 30°F with a wind chill that results in an actual temperature of 25°F. The example applies to a 1,100-pound horse at maintenance.

Step 1. Subtract the actual temperature (including the wind-chill adjustment) from the critical temperature (accounting for wet conditions if necessary): 45°F – 25°F = 20% increase in DE requirements.

Step 2. Because a 1,100-pound horse at maintenance requires 16.4 Mcal of DE per day and because the horse in this example requires a 20% increase in DE, you multiply as follows: 16.4 Mcal x 20% = +3.28 Mcal increase. The requirement thus increases as follows: 16.4 Mcal + 3.28 Mcal = 19.68 Mcal DE/day.

Step 3. Next you need to determine the amount of feed necessary to supply these increased calories. A 1,100-pound horse typically consumes 19 pounds of ration daily (1.7% of its body weight). Because the recommended DE level of the ration (concentrate mix plus forage) fed to a horse at maintenance is .90 Mcal DE/lb of feed, we can calculate the increase in feed as follows: 3.28 Mcal ÷ .90 Mcal = 3.64 pounds of additional feed to provide 19.68 Mcal DE/day.

Step 4. Determine the total amount of feed the horse requires by adding the 3.64 pounds of additional feed to the 19 pounds of feed the horse requires under normal conditions: 19.0 + 3.64 = 22.64 pounds per day of total ration.

Makes it all the clearer but I think I will stick to double the height and minus 5

Posted on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 1:56 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Holidays

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Well its nice to be home even if it means coming back to torrential rain which is quite a change after spending two weeks in temperatures nearer 40 degrees. It was also nice that so many people tried to keep in touch. Please note the mobile number is a show number ONLY, cancellations for lessons will not be accepted on it and lesson enquiries need to be left on the office number. If Steve is away from home ie in Thailand or anywhere else, lesson enquiries or cancellations will be forgotten and unless he is carrying reading glasses with him he can’t see text messages. It was also a pleasant change to be able to leave the yard with capable staff. Even though the new manager Jodie was chucked in at the deep end. The girls even managed to keep the house tidy, feed the cats and dogs and presumably themselves. Unfortunately they wouldn’t let me bring an elephant back through customs but they do make interesting riding. Not sure they would be much of a success in the team jumping though.

Posted on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 9:45 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

October Half Term

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Some one please remind me next year not to run a dressage competition the morning after the halloween party which was only two days after the team jumping. Not that I expected 39 teams and to be on the go from 7am to 10.30pm and neither did I expect 54 dressage entries. The Team jumping kicked off with the first of the series on Wednesday and it was a a very good day with some excellent rounds and some very competitive teams. Talygarn managed quite a few places and a win in the 2ft teams. It was also lovely to see Gareth Evans compete in the 1ft 9 teams and for his team to come 5th, Gareth had some riding lessons here then started here as a student, Gareth suffers from slight Autism and Aspergers syndrome but he has acheived so much in the time he has been here. It was also my birthday on Wednesday so I kinda tried to look upon it as a rather large party! Photos from teams are on the Gallery. The Halloween Party which is run and organised by the Pony Club Centre was one of the best this year. I thought it was going to be a bit quiet but we ended up with quite a good crowd and some brilliant costumes. Its lovely to see so many people being supportive of the event after all the hard work the Pony Club Centre committee do to raise money to pay for all the equipment. Millbrook riding Club are always very supportive and it was lovely to see Freya Murkowski who drove down from Essex for the evening. After nearly knocking myself out in the Sumo wrestling last year I decided I wouldn’t go on anything this year but after a few glasses of wine I found myself on the gladiator jousting and then the rodeo bull I should know by now to fall off straight away because the falling off doesn’t hurt but gripping onto the thing for ages kills my hip the next day, sure sign of a candidate for hip replacement I’m thinking. By 11.30 most people were leaving so we had a major clean up in readiness for the Dressage the next day followed by a few drinks on the picnic benches whilst waiting for Sharon and Darrens Taxi. Which Sharon had ordered for 11.50 but was now coming at 12.50am. Darren insisted it was the worst Taxi ever as they had ordered it for October and it was now a month late. This week I have had a new Yard Manger/Instructor start – Jodie. I’m not sure its been the best week to start with having so much on and I think Jodie doesn’t know whether she is coming or going. I have also been trying to get all the horses Clipped before the end of this month. We left Michigan as we knew he would be difficult but I wanted to get him done this week as he is now getting very hot in lessons. We had a riding school show jumping comp on Friday so after it had finished and I had ridden Destiny I picked Leigh up at 5.30 Before I left I gave Michigan 10ml of Sedazine to calm him down. Unfortunately he still looked rather alert when Leigh turned on the clippers. Michigan is so big he doesn’t have to do much and we have no control. He merely moved sideways and threw his head up. I left the floor and Leigh was knocked into the wall. So another 5 mls of sedazine and 30 mins later also armed with twitch we tried again. We managed to get him to stand still but in the worst light possible and on the basis that we really needed to get some coat off him I resorted to clipping in the dark. We did eventually get him full clipped by 8pm, don’t look too closely. Steve took Amelia to Gloucester to jump on Saturday Which mean’t I was up at 7am to pick up the rolls for the evening. After all the preparation for competitions I have had to do this week alongside helping Jodie, teaching, college paperwork, clipping, students, lessons, Pony Day etc I really felt like I had run out of Steam by this dressage today. I have to say it ran very well and our Judges Barry Kelvin Hall and Jacqui Jones were marvellous along with the staff but I was glad to get to see the end of the day. This October Half Term has been more than hectic and tomorrow I am going to pack and try and clean up the house a bit before I leave tomorrow night, once I’m on that plane I am going to forget everything for a couple of weeks and relax in Thailand. See ya all when I get back, ready for the Christmas Gymkhana and more Team Jumping!!!! More Photos from Halloween Party on Gallery

Posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 1:25 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.