By Dr. Clarissa Brown-Douglas

Show horses should present an image of polished athleticism, complete with shiny coats, dapples, and appropriate muscling for the job at hand. But the temptation to pour calories to these horses must be balanced with their individual nutritional and performance requirements to present a pleasant picture and demeanour in the ring.

A horse that is willing to work and unfazed by the competition atmosphere at the show is created through careful preparation at home. Nutrition plays a vital part in getting the ideal performance from your equine athlete.

Many show horses are fed higher energy feeds in order to keep them on the fleshy side — a 6 to 6.5 on the 9-point Henneke scale (1 being emaciated, 9 being obese). However, these feeds may provide more than the horse’s needs actually dictate.

Easy keepers often have their needs met by high quality forage alone, fed at a minimum of 1.5 percent of the horse’s body weight (7.5 kilograms per day for a 500 kilogram horse or 16.5 pounds per day for an 1100 pound animal). If the animal is not receiving a concentrate at recommended levels, a well-formulated balancer pellet should be fed to provide required nutrients.

Show horses that do require a high energy feed to maintain condition might become excitable. For these animals, use a combination of energy sources, looking specifically at fermentable fibre and fat. Adding fat to a horse’s diet brings the additional benefit of providing a shiny coat. A hoof and coat supplement is another option to add sparkle in the show ring. Lower starch or low-glycemic feeds are also good options for adding condition without the resulting behavioural “fizz.”

Conditioning show horses requires a combination of balanced nutrition, fitness, and dedication to ensure excellence in the show ring. In addition to a carefully balanced diet, preparation of the coat, hooves, and topline is vital if the horse is to stand out in the ring.

Main Photo: Robin Duncan Photography - For horses that require a higher energy feed to maintain condition, look for feeds with fermentable fibre and fat, and low starch, to get increased energy without additional excitement.