{"id":57199,"date":"2020-06-03T23:00:38","date_gmt":"2020-06-03T23:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zinpro.com\/the-role-of-nutrition-for-performance-horses\/"},"modified":"2023-07-19T13:10:13","modified_gmt":"2023-07-19T18:10:13","slug":"the-role-of-nutrition-for-performance-horses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.zinpro.com\/en_na\/resource-center\/blog\/the-role-of-nutrition-for-performance-horses\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Nutrition for Performance Horses"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is no secret that horses are incredible\nathletes. While a solid exercise regimen is vital to success, good nutrition is\nmost important to the overall health and performance of the equine athlete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Horses are grazing animals with a unique\ndigestive system equipped to utilize fiber. Naturally, horses will eat small\namounts of roughage often. As a result, the stomach only accounts for about 10%\nof the equine digestive system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water, forage and feed all work together to\nsupply the necessary nutrition to performance horses. Let\u2019s take a closer look\nat the building blocks of nutrition \u2013 including water, energy, vitamins and\nminerals \u2013 and see what role each plays in helping horses stay healthy and keep\nperforming at the highest level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Equine nutritionists often spend a lot of time\ntalking about the feed aspect of their equine nutrition program, such as\nprotein, energy, fat, fiber, etc. In reality, water is the most essential\nnutrient for equine athletes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, a horse can live about a month without food, but within 48 hours can start developing issues like colic, impaction, lethargy or kidney failure. As such, having enough high-quality water available to performance horses should be the first priority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protein<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Proteins are made up of amino acids and\ncontribute to building the body of the horse. As a major component of all\ntissues, protein is critical for muscle and bone development. The higher the growth\nrate, the more protein is required by the horse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Energy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Energy \u2013 primarily fats and carbohydrates \u2013\nprovides the calories that are needed to fuel the horse on a daily basis. Fat\nprovides the most nutrient-dense source of energy while carbohydrates from\nfermentable fiber or starch are the most common sources. Excess protein can\nalso contribute to energy needs but is a much less efficient source of energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vitamins and Minerals<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Vitamins are needed to support metabolism,\nimmunity, bone formation, vision and reproduction. Each vitamin plays a\ncritical role in the overall health of a horse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minerals, both macro and trace minerals, are\nvital for many metabolic functions, including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n