Feeding and training
Stress in horses: tips for more relaxation
Of course, we all want the best for our horses but, sometimes, it is impossible to
avoid stress or a stressful situation. Read more about stress here, how to recognise
the signs and what you can do to help your horse relax more.
What is stress?
Stress is a state of psychological tension and pressure and stems from a situation of
unpredictability and uncontrollability. In horses, as in humans, we know two different forms of
stress: acute and chronic stress. Acute stress is short-term; in particular, it is the body's
rapid response to a 'dangerous' situation. Chronic stress is long-term and can even be
detrimental to your horse's health in the long run.
Recognising stress signals in horses
There are several signals horses give off the moment they experience stress. There is a
difference between acute and chronic stress. With acute stress, the moment your horse is
startled or finds itself in an unknown 'dangerous' situation, your horse will naturally want to
flee; after all, horses are flight animals. You will also notice that the heart rate and breathing
become higher which may cause your horse to sweat and tremble. Thirdly, your horse may
start defacating (sometimes even diarrhoea) or urinating more often.
Horses that experience chronic stress are often lean and more likely to suffer from stomach
ulcers. In addition, long-term stress can also manifest itself in barn vices, such as weaving,
air sucking and cot biting. Performing these stable vices produces endorphins which have a
calming and narcotic effect.
Tips to reduce stress in horses
Sufficient roughage
The more a horse chews, the better it is. So make sure your horse has plenty of roughage
available when he is stressed, preferably unlimited. Also at night! If you fear your horse will
get too fat, use a hay net with small holes or a slow feeder. Besides reducing stress,
chewing on roughage is also healthy for the stomach and digestion.
Free movement
In the wild, a horse moves day and night. This is different from an hour's workout with you.
Quiet free movement is important for his health. Grazing is the most pleasant way for a
horse to encourage this. If that is not possible, a dry paddock or a large walking stable is an
alternative. To prevent your horse from standing in a corner, you can offer roughage in
different places.
Social contact
A horse is a herd animal. Contact with conspecifics is very important to him. If he is denied
this, it can cause stress.
Supplements for nervous and tense horses
Besides satisfying a horse's basic needs (roughage, free exercise and contact with
conspecifics), you can provide extra support for relaxation with a supplement for stressed
and nervous horses. Some horses are naturally sensitive and easily stressed and benefit
from structural support. For these horses, Pavo NervControl can provide a solution. But
there are also horses that only find unfamiliar or unexpected situations (very) stressful. Think
for instance of a visit to the farrier, dentist or vet. Also an outside ride, going to a competition,
training on a strange terrain or even windy weather can cause some horses stress to a
greater or lesser extent. Pavo BeChill works quickly (within half an hour to two hours) and
has been specially developed to ‘take the edge off’ in occasional situations, without making
your horse sleepy.
Pavo BeChill vs Pavo NervControl
Pavo BeChill
Pavo NervControl
Application
For occasional stressful situations
For generally stressed or nervous horses
Effect
Instant effect
Long-term effect, for structural support
Form
Liquid
Small pellets
Magnesium reduces stress in horses
Magnesium is an important ingredient when it comes to reducing stress in horses.
Magnesium makes your horse more resistant to stress. This works both ways: the moment
the body is exposed to stress, it consumes extra magnesium. On the other hand, a
magnesium deficiency makes the body more susceptible to stress. This increases the
magnesium deficiency even more and you end up in a vicious circle. Furthermore, a horse
cannot produce magnesium itself. It is therefore important that, especially for stress-sensitive
horses, there is always enough magnesium in the feed. Both Pavo NervControl and Pavo
BeChill contain, amongst other things, magnesium to make your horse more resistant to
stress (in certain situations).
Feeding and training
4 Tips for rapid muscle building in horses
A muscular horse provides strength and stamina. With the right nutrition and training, you can help your horse build its muscles.
How long does muscle building take in horses?
As with humans, your horse will not become beautifully muscled overnight. It requires a combination of the right nutrients, such as sufficient protein, and adequate training to encourage muscle growth. If you get all this just right, you can see your horse's muscle mass build significantly over an average of 3 months. Use the tips below to support your horse's muscle growth in a healthy way.
How does my horse gain muscle?
It is good to realise that a horse can never gain more muscle; the amount of muscle cells is genetically determined. However, muscles can get fatter. Training triggers muscle cells to store more energy, thus increasing muscle mass and also increasing your horse's performance and stamina.
1. Provide sufficient protein in the ration
The main building blocks for muscle are proteins which consist of chains of several amino acids. There are both essential and non-essential amino acids. Non-essential amino acids can be produced by the horse's body but essential amino acids, such as lysine, methionine and tryptophan, cannot. A horse has to get these through food, so you need to help with that.
Your horse gets most of its nutrients from roughage, such as hay. Using a forage analysis, you can test how much protein and energy your hay contains, amongst other things. Since sport horses have an above-average need for protein (and energy) to perform, chances are that the values from the forage are not sufficient so needs to be supplemented. It is best to do this with a protein-rich roughage product, such as Pavo FibreBeet or Pavo WeightLift. Both products are a fibre-rich, healthy support for horses with a condition deficit and/or poor muscling. The main difference is the preparation: you feed Pavo FibreBeet soaked and the advice for Pavo WeightLift is to just feed it dry.
Does your roughage and concentrate feed contain enough energy, but not enough protein? Then the supplement Pavo ProteinPlus is a suitable choice. This is a concentrated protein source specially made to supplement protein shortages in the ration, without providing extra energy or other nutrients in the process.
2. Training schedule for muscle building
Besides nutrition, training and fitness play a crucial role in building muscle. It is important that training is built up slowly and that there is enough variety. By keeping your horse in good condition, you increase the share of energy sources in the muscle that allows your horse to work longer without becoming sore.
Always start your training with a good warm-up and finish with a cool-down.
Make sure there is enough variation between tightening and relaxing in training. Think about alternating heavier exercises with easier ones and take regular breaks to let your horse stretch its neck.
3. Supplement to provide extra muscle support
Horses that could use some muscle-building support, (young) horses that have just started training, or sport horses after a rest period can benefit from the extra nutrients of a supplement. Pavo MuscleBuild has been specially developed to support the building of muscle mass. It contains whey powder, known from the bodybuilding world, which contains a number of very important amino acids (proteins) for muscle building. In addition, it helps prevent muscle fatigue and thus helps your horse keep up their effort for longer.
Tip: The ultimate boost for a muscular horse consists of the protein-rich roughage product Pavo FibreBeet or Pavo WeightLift in combination with the supplement Pavo MuscleBuild.
4. Give the muscles time to recover
Besides all the exertion, relaxation is at least as important. Give your horse regular days off between training sessions so that the body has time to recover.
How do you care for a horse's muscles?
If training is built up very quickly and the muscles have to work too hard, there is a risk of them becoming sore. Waste products then accumulate in the muscle and your horse may experience some muscle soreness and will feel stiff after exercise. As your horse's muscles get stronger, the point at which they become sore will stay further away.
To prevent stiff and sore muscles, you can provide extra support to the muscles by giving them a nutritional supplement. Nutrients such as vitamin E, selenium, magnesium and antioxidants support the maintenance of supple muscles. The supplement Pavo Eplus contains all these nutrients and is intended to prevent stiff and sore muscles after intensive training.
In horses that exert heavy effort, are sensitive to muscle acidification or in horses that work irregularly, the muscles need some extra care. For these horses, the supplement Pavo MuscleCare can offer extra support. This supplement takes care of stiff and sore muscles after (heavy) effort. Pavo MuscleCare contains natural antioxidants and beta-alanine which support the accelerated breakdown and removal of waste products in the horse's muscles. As a result, the horse can sustain intensive work for longer and more easily.
Feeding and training
Muscle pain? Here's what you can do!
Muscle pain, or muscle acidification in horses, is often a result of (too) intensive training. With these tips, you can quickly recognise sore muscles in your horse and know how to prevent it happening.
What is the difference between muscle soreness and muscle acidification in horses?
Neither is pleasant for your horse, but sore muscles are different from muscle acidification. With muscle soreness, tears occur in the muscle fibre due to (too) intensive training. The muscle cell also forms lactic acid, causing the muscles to acidify slightly. Lactic acid forms when too much is asked of the muscles. With muscle acidification, so much lactic acid is formed that the muscles acidify to such an extent that the pH in the muscles drops. Muscle acidification can be detrimental to your horse's health, so it is important to take good care and prevent it happening as much as possible.
Another painful muscle condition in horses is muscle ptosis. Muscle soreness is usually caused by metabolic disease, excess sugars and starches or very intensive training.
How long does muscle soreness last?
Just like in humans, horses can still have muscle soreness up to a few days after intensive training. However, if it takes longer to heal and your horse is still sore after three days, it is wise to consult your vet.
How do you know that a horse has muscle pain?
You can recognise muscle pain and muscle acidification in a horse by a number of symptoms. And while muscle pain is, therefore, slightly different from muscle acidification, you won't see any real clear differences in symptoms. A horse suffering from muscle soreness:
Takes shorter strides than normal when you take him out of the pasture or stall
Reacts more violently to the touch of a brush while brushing
Feels stiff when riding and holds on more/ struggles to relax
May resist more during training, as certain movements or exercises may be painful
How does muscle pain occur in horses?
Movement of your horse is made possible by a cooperation between tendons, ligaments and muscles. Muscles are the most flexible of this group. If a horse's training is built up very quickly, there is a chance that the muscles will pull on the ligaments and tendons, so to speak, because they are less flexible. This hurts the muscles or creates muscle pain. If a muscle has to work very hard, there is also a chance of acidification. During heavy exercise a muscle needs extra energy and, to get that energy, fuel is consumed. The consumption of fuel produces waste products that accumulate in the muscle causing acidification.
Which supplement helps with muscle pain in your horse?
If your horse generally suffers from stiffness and muscle soreness after (heavy) exercise, a nutritional supplement can help provide extra support to the muscles. Nutrients such as vitamin E, selenium, magnesium and antioxidants help keep muscles supple. The supplement Pavo Eplus contains all these ingredients and works preventively for muscle stiffness and helps prevent sore muscles after intensive training. If you want to preventively give the muscles a little extra to stay supple, this is a perfect supplement during intensive training and the competition season.
Horses that exert heavy effort are prone to muscle acidification, or horses that perform irregular work may benefit from some more intensive muscle care. For these horses, the supplement Pavo MuscleCare can offer extra support. This supplement takes care of sore and stiff muscles after (heavy) effort by breaking down and removing the built-up waste in the muscles more quickly.
Tips for preventing muscle soreness in your horse
Always start your training with a good warm-up and finish with a cooling down;
During cooling down, it is important that your horse does not cool down too quickly. When the muscles stay warm, blood flow stays good and the muscle recovers better. So, if it is very cold, stepping out with a fleece blanket is recommended;
Train your horse regularly so that he is in good condition and build this up slowly. As a horse gains endurance through training, he will suffer less from muscle soreness;
Adapt the feed to your horse's efforts and provide extra support to your horse's muscles with a muscle supplement, such as Pavo Eplus (preventive effect) or Pavo MuscleCare (nurturing effect).
Feeding and training
What is the difference between Pavo E'lyte and Pavo ReHydrate?
Pavo E'lyte and Pavo ReHydrate are both supplements for horses that sweat and/or have to work hard. They also both contain electrolytes – the salts that horses lose when they sweat but each has a different function. In this article we explain the differences to you.
What are electrolytes?
Just like us humans, in addition to moisture, a sweating horse loses body salts such as sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium. These are also called electrolytes. These substances play an indispensable role in keeping the acidity of the blood stable and thus all organs functioning, including the muscles. For the optimal function of your horse, it is therefore important to replenish lost body salts on time.
Did you know, horses that sweat normally (wet under the saddle and some foam spots at the reins and between the hind legs) already lose 12-16 teaspoons of salt? Read more about how much salt horses lose when they sweat.
How do you know when to replenish salt?
If you do not replenish salts in time, a deficiency can arise. You can notice this in the stamina of your horse: he becomes lethargic, listless and drags his heels. In severe deficiencies there is even a risk of dehydration and colic. Do you notice that your horse can no longer keep up with his work and is lethargic?
If so, there is a good chance that you need to supplement with salt. This can be done with a salt block or lick, but it is better to give electrolytes especially for horses, such as Pavo E'lyte or Pavo ReHydrate.
Pavo E'lyte: electrolytes for optimal endurance.
Pavo E'lyte is a complete electrolyte supplement made from very small chunks. It contains all the necessary body salts (electrolytes) in the correct proportions. The proportions are especially important for good supplementation and absorption!
Suitable for: (sport) horses and ponies that sweat. It is suitable for every discipline.
Feeding advice: you can give Pavo E'lyte before, during and after work. For light work, 100 grams per day is sufficient. With intensive effort, where there is a lot of sweating and/or very hot weather, you can increase this to 200 grams per day. For a pony feed half the amount. Tip: mix Pavo E'lyte with slobber or Pavo FibreBeet. In this way, your horse is guaranteed to eat the tasty feed and immediately gets extra moisture. It is also ideal for competitions!
Pavo E'lyte is a complete electrolyte mix to replenish salts that are lost through sweating.
Pavo ReHydrate: sports drink for a quick recovery
Pavo ReHydrate is a sports drink (liquid) for the real top athletes! It is a concentrated sports drink with electrolytes and glucose which together ensure that your horse recovers quickly after strenuous exercise. The right combination of electrolytes and the high proportion of glucose is what makes this product so unique. It not only ensures a direct recovery of the electrolyte balance but also replenishes energy. In addition, when taking ReHydrate, natural thirst is stimulated so that your horse will drink more quickly and restore its natural moisture balance.
Suitable for: sport horses after strenuous exercise and after a loss of many electrolytes due to heavy sweating. Also suitable for transport horses and for horses showing symptoms of dehydration. Pavo ReHydrate is widely used in endurance sports, such as eventing.
Feeding advice: give Pavo ReHydrate after exercise, such as heavy training or competition. You can dissolve it in drinking water, mix with the food or administer directly into the mouth with a syringe. Very important: in all cases make sure that your horse has access to sufficiently cool, clean and fresh drinking water! The dosage depends on the method of feeding and the intensity of work. View Pavo ReHydrate's feeding instructions for this.
Pavo ReHydrate is a sports drink for real top athletes given after hard work to support a quick recovery!
Can you also combine Pavo E'lyte and Pavo ReHydrate?
Absolutely! If you are passionate about sporting activities with your horse, take part in endurance sports and/or are regularly on the road with the trailer, the combination of Pavo E'lyte and Pavo ReHydrate is a very good one. This is how you offer complete sports care: give Pavo E'lyte before work for maximum endurance and afterwards mix Pavo ReHydrate with drinking water, with the food, or spray it directly into the mouth for a quick recovery of electrolytes, fluid and energy.
So the difference between Pavo E'lyte and Pavo ReHydrate is:
• kibble vs. drink (liquid)
• electrolytes vs. electrolytes and glucose
• prior to work vs. after work
Feeding and training
Horses and hot weather: 10 tips
Horses can handle heat reasonably well but extremely high temperatures can be dangerous. So, for your horse's health, it is important to take some precautionary measures on hot days.
Can horses cope with hot weather?
The optimal temperature for horses is between -7 degrees Celsius and +25 degrees Celsius. Horses feel most comfortable at these temperatures. Anything above 25 degrees Celsius can be considered warm and from 30 degrees the heat alarm should go off. Horses can adapt reasonably well but several factors, such as bright sun, exertion, low wind and high humidity, can cause body temperatures to rise. At its worst, this can cause heat stress, manifesting as diarrhea, colic, dehydration or even heat stroke. Horse breeds from northern regions, such as Icelandic horses and Fjords, generally suffer a bit more from the heat. This also applies to horses with black coats as they absorb the sun's rays more and thus heat up more.
How to help your horse when it is hot
These 10 tips will help your horse keep its cool in hot weather!
1. Adjust your grazing schedule
If your horse is outside for several hours each day, adjust the times. Preferably go outside at night and inside during the day. If that is not possible, try to organize grazing as early in the morning as possible.
2. Provide shade
A shelter is preferable but a row of trees can also provide shade. If that is not available, consider placing a party gazebo in the horse pasture so that your horse has the opportunity to seek shade.
3. Air circulation
A fan is a great tool to circulate air in the barn but must be used with caution. A horse should definitely not be able to get near the fan itself and beware of any cords!
4. Provide plenty of cool water
Unlimited access to fresh, clean and cool water is a necessity. Ice cold water is not necessary, horses prefer to drink water around 15-20 degrees. Remember to provide a water bowl of sufficient size as the water will get hot too quickly in a small bowl.
5. Encourage your horse to drink more
If your horse drinks very little, consider spraying the hay with slightly salty water. This is because the salty taste makes your horse thirsty so he will drink more.
6. Work more quietly than usual
Although horses can handle heat reasonably well, it's not comfortable for a horse to do very heavy work in extreme temperatures - you wouldn't like that either. Unless you are riding at the absolute top level, take the work back or divide it into two short sessions in the morning and evening when temperatures have dropped a bit. Tip: after riding, take everything off your horse (saddle, possibly tendon protectors, etc.) as soon as possible to allow the heat to dissipate.
7. Cool off with water
Just as we like to cool off in the water during hot weather, horses like to do the same. A quick rinse after riding or between grazing will cool your horse down. However, always start with a hose down at the legs and work upwards from there to avoid scaring your horse, giving him a chance to get used to the water.
8. Prevent your horse from getting sunburned
A fly rug is very practical for horses when it is hot. It creates a kind of "shadow effect" which reflects the sun, making it a little cooler. So it works not only against flies but also sunburn. Horses with light skin or body parts with little hair (nostrils and around the eyes) are very sensitive to the sun and you can protect them with sunblock.
9. Shave horses with extremely thick coats
To give horses with thick coats, or horses with Cushing's disease relief in the heat, you can shave them. This way they won't sweat too much and are less likely to have circulatory problems.
10. Replenish body salts after sweating
When sweating, your horse loses fluid and important body salts such as sodium, potassium and chloride. With electrolyte deficiency, your horse's ability to retain fluid in the body is impaired, skin elasticity is reduced and stamina decreases. With the help of a complete electrolyte mix, such as Pavo E'lyte, the lost body salts are replenished. This is suitable for all horses and ponies after sweating. For sport horses that have just finished working hard, the sports drink Pavo ReHydrate is more suitable. This provides an immediate replenishment of electrolytes and energy.
Tip: add the electrolytes to a tasty slobber meal with Pavo SlobberMash or Pavo GrainFreeMash which you prepare with cold water. That way your horse also gets some extra moisture straight away.
What is the difference between a salt lick and electrolytes?
A salt lick - the word says it all - provides your horse with salt: sodium and chloride. That is, if he licks it. To make sure that your horse gets enough and especially the right salt, the use of special electrolyte supplements such as Pavo E'lyte is recommended. This not only compensates for the loss of sodium and chloride but also potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus - a mix of all the body salts your horse loses through sweating.
