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load. Their level of fitness required depends on the sport and the level of competition to which the rider aspires to compete. Endurance horses, driving horses, and event horses all require high levels of fitness, particularly stamina, and therefore high levels of energy from their food. Dressage horses and jumpers require a different type of fitness. Rather than stamina these horses require energy for power generation.

There are five key nutrients needed for competition horses. Because competition horses spend a lot of time on the road and away from home they are under more stress than a non-competing horse. Water should always be offered during traveling and at the competition to prevent dehydration. Some horses are picky about the water they drink and will not drink water that tastes unfamiliar. This can be solved by putting electrolytes of even apple juice or Gatorade into the water. If you are putting an additive into the water, be sure to provide an extra bucket of clean water without additives.

Energy and protein are very important in any horse's diet but they are especially important to a competition horse's diet. Both of these factors need to be in balance to fuel both exercise and recovery. Fiber, starch, and oil are the main sources of energy in a horse's diet. Using fiber and oil to generate energy at low speeds can help to conserve glucose for when it is needed most.

When a horse exercises it sweats and when a horse is under more stress than usual a horse sweats; all this sweating leads to a loss of nutrients in the body as well as dehydration. To counteract this loss, it is important to feed electrolytes as part of a horse's daily diet. Electrolytes consist mainly of salts and therefore help to restore the salt balance in the horse's body. This excess intake of salt also makes horses' thirsty which makes them want to drink, which alleviates dehydration.

It is very important that horses are fed correctly as it affects all aspects of their life. Nutrition is often the last thing that people look to when trying to troubleshoot and diagnose a problem. Veterinarians need to share information with their clients and make them more aware of the situation at hand. Barn managers and horse owners need to do their own research, ask questions and be informed of the importance of a well balanced diet for their horses.

Learn more about this author, Robyn Goldenberg.
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