How do you keep your horse fit to compete?
A full competition schedule places high demands on a sport horse, and proper management is essential. One of the most important aspects of effective management is the choice of feed for your horse. Nutrition not only plays a role in overall health and condition, but also influences how a horse copes with stressful situations during competitions.
Even with the best care, a lot happens on competition day. Horses travel (often long distances) and are unloaded in unfamiliar or new environments. Both transport and the change of surroundings—combined with the physical effort required—can cause stress for a horse. Many riders experience stress and nerves themselves, so it’s completely natural that a horse would feel the same.
Because horses are flight animals by nature, their digestive systems can “shut down” when they’re not fully at ease. In such moments, less blood flows to the digestive system, preparing the horse to flee if needed. This natural response can reduce performance during competition and may also prolong the horse’s recovery after exertion.
To promote more calm and relaxation in the digestive system, HAVENS Gastro+ was developed. This unique pellet contains a special soothing cocktail of ingredients including sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, and magnesium to support a healthy stomach pH. It also contains a high level of fibers, oils, and probiotics to optimize digestion in the intestines.
Read more about Gastro+ here:
https://www.horsefeed.nl/files/media/productsheet_gastro_en.pdf
For sport horses that are intensively trained and need to perform at a high level, we have further developed HAVENS Gastro+ into HAVENS Performance 14. This muesli provides a unique combination of long-term and explosive energy and contains approximately 30% HAVENS Gastro+. The added natural oils and fibers support endurance to sustain strength efforts. The grain content, including black oats, provides the right boost for peak performance during competition.
This premium muesli consists only of high-quality grains that have been processed to improve digestibility and reduce strain on the horse’s small intestine.
HAVENS Performance 14 is also an excellent source of high-quality proteins and amino acids. It is enriched with banana flakes to help maintain fluid balance, muscle contraction, and neural activity. The vitamin content has been carefully tailored for the demands of top-level sport, evident in the high level of vitamin E to support lactic acid removal. Thanks to these properties, HAVENS Performance 14 promotes fast recovery after exertion and helps keep the muscles flexible. Only then is your horse quickly ‘fit to compete’ again after a competition!
The optimal support provided by HAVENS Performance 14 has already helped many horses reach even greater achievements!
Read more about Performance 14 here:
https://www.horsefeed.nl/files/media/productsheet_performance-14_en.pdf
Take a fresh look at your horse’s nutrition too, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions. The HAVENS Horse Feed team is happy to assist you and your horse in the ultimate quest for the ideal feed.
Contact us via: info@havens.nl
