Where Are We Now? Feeds, Feeding Systems and Current Knowledge of UK Horse Owners When Feeding Haylage to Their Horses

Abstract

Despite our improved understanding of equid digestive health and accurate rations formulations, obesity in the UK horse population remains high. Study aims: (1) to determine how owners are feeding their horses and what influences their choices, (2) to understand owners’ knowledge of haylage and (3) to identify key areas that require additional education. Data were collected in 2020 from 1338 UK horse owners via two online surveys. Survey 1 (S1) was on general feeding practices, and Survey 2 (S2) was specifically on the feeding of haylage. Data were processed using chi square analyses + Bonferroni tests, with a significance p < 0.05. Equal numbers of leisure and performance horse owners completed both surveys. For S1, 67% fed hay as the only forage, 30% fed forage (hay/haylage) + balancer, 36% fed haylage and hay to manage energy intake, 84% added a cube or coarse mix, 88% did not do forage analyses, 74% did not see the need for it and 16% did not know analyses could be done. In S2, those who were not feeding haylage, 66% were not sure how to feed it, 68% worried about aerobic spoilage and 79% said the bale size was unsuitable. Body weight measurements (S1 and S2) were rarely performed (11%). Aspects of ration formulations, the value of feed analyses and how to interchange hay and haylage require additional education to owners for improved ration compilation.

Confidence does not mediate a relationship between owner experience and likelihood of using weight management approaches for native ponies

“…This percentage closely aligns with the 14% reported in the present study. Notably, a comparable proportion of respondents in the previous study (16%) and in the current work (20%) were unaware of the practice of forage analysis [ 61 ]. It is important to note that the previous research targeted all UK horse and pony owners, whereas the current study specifically to evaluate owners of native-breed type ponies in Scotland.…”

“…Research has identified a high degree of variability in the results of preserved forage analyses [ 60 ], indicating that multiple samples are required from each batch taken for the most representative results. In a survey of 613 UK horse owners who fed haylage, only six out of the twenty-nine who paid for an analysis did so with every batch [ 61 ]. This suggests that it may be uncommon for analysis of forage to be undertaken with great frequency, perhaps attributable to high preserved forage bale turnover, such as on livery yards or where owners feed a large number of horses.…”