The Feeding Practices and Estimated Workload in a Cohort of New Zealand Competition Horses

Data on the feeding, management, and training schedules during the week before the competition were collected via a face-to-face survey of riders competing in dressage, show jumping, or eventing at 1* and 3* level competitions. Data were collected using a pro forma recording sheet, and measurements of horse height, weight, and body condition score (BCS) were also obtained. A total of 158 of 582 riders (and horses) were surveyed, providing a response rate of 27%. The mean height, weight, and median BCS of the horses were 162 ± 1 cm, 533 ± 5 kg, and 6 (interquartile range [IQR], 5-7), respectively. The majority of horses were at pasture, most (68%, 107 of 158) 24 hr/d and fed supplementary feed either once (42%, 67 of 158) or twice daily (54%, 86 of 158). The supplementary feed was predominately a commercial premix feed (90%, 142 of 157) with additional alfalfa chaff or ensiled chopped alfalfa. The horses were offered approximately 60 MJ digestible energy (DE)/d (33-86 MJ DE/d) from supplementary feed. The horses worked for a median of 6 d/wk (IQR, 5-6 d/wk) with one rest day. The median total time trained during the week was 200 minutes (135-265 minutes), which consisted of eight separate training activities. There was no difference in time spent on different activities between the disciplines. Individual training activities were 30-40 minutes, and the median number of competitions per month was 2 (IQR, 2-3). Training workload and pattern of work were similar to reports from other countries, with the exception that many riders regularly added a “hack out” after training.