Helping to maintain hydration
Dehydration and electrolyte loss
Water makes up around 65% of a horses body mass and is essential to the normal functioning of the horse’s cells and body systems. Dehydration affects performance and contributes to fatigue. Horses lose water continuously through their skin and from their respiratory system; but losses are at their highest when sweating during exercise; in hot weather up to 10 or even 15 litres of fluid can be lost.
As the horse sweats, dissolved electrolytes are carried out of the body along with fluid. Electrolytes include minerals such as sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium; they are critical for regulating a large number of body processes and vital for passing impulses along nerves and for muscle contraction, Excessive electrolyte losses during exercise can contribute to serious exercise related conditions such as Exhausted Horse Syndrome, Synchronous Diaphragmatic Flutter (SDF) and Equine Rhabdomylosis Syndrome (ERS- Tying Up).
Creating a fluid reserviour
A typical 500kg horse may have 35 to 80 litres of fluid, with associated electrolytes, in the large intestine or hindgut (Meyer & Coenen, 1989). This “reservoir” in the digestive tract could provide a source of water and electrolytes for the horse to draw on.
The size of the hindgut reservoir may be influenced by the composition of the diet; in particular, the amount and type of dietary fibre may be an important factor (Warren et al. 1999). Research has shown that horses fed a high forage diet were less dehydrated after an exercise test than those fed a diet with limited forage.
Studies have indicated that alfalfa has a higher water holding capacity than grass hay (Bhatti & Ferkins 1995; Wattiaux 1991) and this particular fibre may therefore be especially effective in increasing the size of the fluid reservoir.
How you can help
The WINERGY Equilibrium feeds contribute to a higher overall fibre content in the diet and all include an appropriate level of alfalfa, this potentially encouraging the development of a larger hindgut fluid reservoir.