The Importance of Protein

The importance of getting your horse’s diet optimal on a paddock paradise track system is often misunderstood. Sure, it’s critical that any inflammatory triggers are removed from the horse’s diet, which is typically grass, particular hard feeds and some types of hay. However, what many owners forget is that the removal of inflammatory sources does not then equate to an optimum diet.

Aside from providing adlib access to suitable fibrous forage, aka hay, fulfilling their nutritional needs also involves meeting their salt, vitamin and mineral requirements. Whether your horse is a poor doer, a youngster or a chunky pony that struggles to budge that extra weight, meeting these needs is critical to their healing and management regardless.

One forgotten or misunderstood portion of our horse’s diet is protein. We work with Sue Dawson from Calm Healthy Horses UK from time to time and she very generously agreed to help explain the importance of protein in the diet.

‘Horses and ponies on track will naturally go through a process of metabolic change. Weight loss, reduction of inflammatory cellular fluids and fat pads, increased muscle tone and eventually topline. This process normally takes 6-18mths depending on the individual. During their transformation which you should expect to see the development of a well-covered, toned, shinny, calm and inquisitive equine.

To achieve this transformation for their own horses, many owners are moving to grass-free tracks and adopting hay-based diets. These are hugely positive steps. However, I have recently observed in a number of equines on track a crucial area of nutrition that’s appears to be lacking, that is PROTEIN.

From my experience of managing track equines, it’s important to recognise that even with ad-lib hay, horses can become undernourished if their diet lacks sufficient protein. Essential amino acids are needed to maintain muscle mass, repair tissue, and support healthy skin, hooves, and immunity. This is equally important for those not in work and particularly older horses and ponies as well as those that are regularly ridden. Standard feeding advice often overlooks the specific needs of leisure horses on grass-free, forage-only systems, assuming that leisure horses will receive adequate protein, along with sufficient vitamin e and omega 3 / 6 fatty acids from their pasture.’

Common Signs of Protein Deficiency:

• Sagging or flat topline

• “Hay belly” or pot-bellied appearance

• Dull coat or poor hoof quality

• Weak immune response or poor healing

Pops, pictured below, is a thoroughbred in our care, living out his days in retirement. Prior to his arrival, he struggled with sub-clinical Laminitis, having been kept on grass. When he arrived here in September 2023, his diet obviously changed to a hay-based diet and all of a sudden, he was getting an increased amount of daily movement thanks to the way a track ultimately functions.

Pops did well for a while, before he started losing some top line and muscle. Whilst we’d prefer each horse was fed to supplement their basic vitamin and minerals, our old livery packages didn’t include this in the monthly cost, unless separately added, and so every owner had previously been given the option as to what they preferred (this has since changed). When we identified a problem with Pops, we spoke to his owner who allowed us to start feeding and supplementing him.

This can be typical of older horses or those classed as poor doers and so Pop’s weight loss was attributed to a rather large increase in movement and the need for some additional vitamins and minerals. We had tried Pops on a bucket feed before the supplements, but with little success. We began Pops on a small feed of Thunderbrook’s meadow nuts and hay cobs, coolstance copra and micronized linseed, as well as Calm Healthy Horses Vitamins and Minerals MVA which contains extra protein. He’s been on this concoction of feed and supplements since September 2024 now and is back to an great weight. We hope with time he should continue to get stronger still.

So, what should you do if your horse appears to be protein deficient? Sue says…

‘Feed a high-spec supplement that provides key amino acids: lysine, methionine, and threonine, plus essential vitamins and minerals. The simple practice of feeding a daily bucket with micronized linseed and a quality supplement can provide most horses and ponies with their full daily protein and micronutrient requirements to complement that provided by their hay.

While the amount of quality protein needed daily is relatively small, it is absolutely critical. Just 30–40g per 100kg of bodyweight can make a major difference. If muscle has already been lost, adding a short-term protein boost using an additional amino acid support or a protein-fortified feed will enable recovery. For equines with underlying issues such as PPID / Cushings, owners should critically review protein sources to ensure these equines receive an adequate supply in response to their specific needs.

Importantly, don’t rely on hay alone. Late-cut hay is incredibly beneficial, but it tends to be low in usable protein, and most equines will need additional sources, particularly during periods of higher physiological demand, such as the seasonal coat changes.

Remember, calories aren’t protein — while oils and fibre provide energy, they don’t supply the essential amino acids needed to build and repair muscle, connective tissue, hooves, skin, and immune cells.

Ideally, our horses should be lean in terms of fat while well-covered by muscle. Achieving this depends not just on reducing unnecessary calories by feeding late cut fibrous hay, but also by providing adequate quality protein and encouraging regular movement. It is achieving this balance on track that supports metabolic health, physical soundness and that transformation into calmness and curiosity that we are all seeking.

If you’ve made the right move to grass-free living, don’t let invisible malnutrition undermine your horse’s wellbeing. Train your eyes to recognise signs of protein deficiency, review their protein sources and address through a thoughtful bucket feed to keep their body strong from the inside out.’