Does Lucerne Chaff Make Horses Hot?

Grains and grain based feeds, molasses and forages like alfalfa/lucerne hay tend to be commonly blamed for making horses ‘hot’.

Why does Lucerne make horses hot?

Lucerne Hay contains approximately 18% Protein, 28% Fiber and 16g/kg DM (Dry Matter) of Calcium (https://www.feedipedia.org/node/275). It’s also high in Vitamin K and E. Due to the high amounts of Digestible Energy released it does tend to make horses go hot when fed on its own or in high quantities.

What feed makes horses hot?

Feed ingredients such as oats, corn, barley, alfalfa and molasses have been identified by horse owners as causing “hyper”, “fizzy” or “hot” horses. Grains contain starch and sugar that may result in large fluctuations in blood sugar and result in mood or behavior changes.

Is Lucerne chaff good for horses?

It is a good fibre source and has a significant profile of other nutrients. Lucerne chaff can be included in the diets of horses, beef and dairy cattle, pigs, poultry and sheep.

Can a horse have too much Lucerne?

With performance horses, as with growing horses and pregnant mares, Lucerne must be fed in moderation. Unlike the above classes of animals, excess protein in the diet of working horses, particularly those that are stabled, can be detrimental to their health and performance.

Can too much Lucerne cause laminitis?

Actual protein intake depends entirely on how much is fed. There are some insulin resistant/elevated insulin horses that can’t tolerate Lucerne and these horses should never be fed Lucerne. In this case, Lucerne for these horses is a risk factor for laminitis.

How do you calm a hot horse down?

For most hot horses, it’s a good idea to avoid spending too long going in straight lines. With few exceptions, a better tactic is to keep them occupied with plenty of changes of bend, pace, and direction. This helps to keep their attention and focus on you, and gives them less chance to get strong or too fast.

Why does my horse get so hot?

Hot horse behaviour is associated with changes in stress hormones. Cortisol is a stress hormones that has a cascading effect on the horse’s body. Chronically elevated cortisol levels in horses are associated with ulcers, colic, and impaired immune function.

Why does my horse feel hot?

Horses that have a fever usually have warm-feeling skin. This FAST FACT refers to a horse that feels warm overall. Heat in a localized area is also a cardinal sign of inflammation, so expect inflamed or injured areas to be warmer than surrounding skin throughout the healing process.

Does chaff give horses energy?

Horses in hard work could be fed high oil chaffs to help provide extra energy.

How much Lucerne chaff should I feed my horse?

As a rule of thumb, allow 1.5 to 2 kg of feed per 100 kg of the horse’s body weight. However, it is safer to use 1.7% of body weight (or 1.7 kg per 100 kg of body weight) to calculate a feed budget.

Can Lucerne cause colic in horses?

Indigestible fibre does serve a purpose in the horse, as it keeps the digesta moving through the digestive tract, like a laxative, which is also important for the health of the horse. But too much indigestible fibre increases the risk of impaction colic and reduces the energy supplied by the hay.

How much chaff do you feed a horse per day?

For optimum digestive health horses must receive at least 1.5% of their body weight each day in roughage (grass, hay, chaff and other fibre sources) which would equal 7.5kg for a 500kg horse.

Is chaff better than hay?

The benefit of increasing chewing time is that concentrate then enters the digestive tract more slowly and in smaller amounts, this allows the simple carbohydrates to be fully absorbed in the small intestine. Chaff is also easier to digest than hay and so it is great for young and older horses.

Is lucerne chaff high in sugar?

Lucerne is relatively low in sugar and starch, containing about half the amount of cereal hay (oaten, barley and wheaten) so it doesn’t cause large insulin spikes and blood sugar level fluctuations and is very useful as a component of feed for horses with laminitis or metabolic issues such as insulin resistance.

Can you feed lucerne chaff to laminitic horses?

Lucerne is a good source of protein, and being a legume it generally contains a much lower level of fructans. It is safe to feed up to 25% of the ration in weight to ‘at risk’ horses. To be extra cautious, feed the second or third cut lucerne as these are lower in sugar due to being cut after the bloom stage of growth.

How much lucerne is too much?

Lucerne (otherwise known as alfalfa) is a legume not a grass and due to its high nutrient density and digestibility it should only comprise approximately 1/10 of your horses total forage ration. It is the first thing to remove, whenever horses become ‘grass-affected’ in any way.

Can laminitic horses have lucerne?

For a laminitic prone horse/pony, low sugar roughage sources may include Teff hay, Rhodes grass hay, lucerne hay, beet pulp or soaked grass hay.

How do you cool a horse down fast?

Whether sourced from a hose, pond or river, the fastest way to cool down your horse is to continually pour water over them. Continuous application of water removes heat via conduction, which is the direct movement of heat from the horse into the water.

What to feed a horse to calm it down?

Fibrous feeds that are fermented in the hindgut to release energy are the most natural and also the ‘coolest’ sources of energy for horses. Using forages like pasture, hay, and chaff to provide the majority of the energy in your horse’s diet will help to keep your horse calm and responsive.

How do I cool my horse down?

Following your ride or work out, walking him for 10 to 15 minutes will allow the heat built up in the muscles to dissipate. Once you’ve dismounted, loosen the girth or cinch, but don’t remove the saddle immediately as this will allow cold air to the muscles of his back and may cause cramping.