24 Sep Feeding recommendations for the polo horse

Exercise for polo horses is characterised by high intensity periods of repeated rapid accelerations and deceleration during matches, interspersed with periods of light to moderate level training activity on non-match days. Overall, the exercise level is rated as moderate to heavy, with rapid depletion of muscle glycogen stores during intense competition to normal levels during recovery periods.

Thompson & Redwood HORSE CUBES are well suited to support this sort of activity as they have:

• A moderately high energy density – will supply sufficient but not excessive energy intake
• They are a good source of highly digestible starch – absorbed as glucose which is taken up by muscle and converted to glycogen. This allows for rapid recovery of glycogen reserves.
• The cubes are fully supplemented with vitamins and minerals – no other supplements are required.

It is important that horses with this sort of workload are kept in good but lean body condition. Excess fat means unnecessary weight places extra stress on joints and support tissues.

Fat is mainly stored under the skin and acts as insulation, making it more difficult to disperse heat. Since the conversion of the energy in glycogen to work energy is very inefficient, heat load can become a real problem during competition. It is thus important to match energy intake to expenditure; the energy density of Thompson & Redwood HORSE CUBES has been set at a level calculated to suit this type of exercise.