Nutrition to Wow the Horse Show Judge!

The show judge forms an impression on you and your horse as soon as you enter the ring - and depending on the discipline, this impression can make a big difference! A lot of factors of turnout and presentation at horse shows can be worked on the day of the show, such as grooming, tack cleanliness, etc, but the nutrition support required to make a good first impression needs to be solid, in advance, to create the perfect picture.

Keep reading to learn some ways to WOW the judge, through nutrition!

Maintain a healthy body condition score & fitness level. Your horse should look well-muscled for the job at hand, while still carrying a healthy weight. Learn how to body condition score your horse correctly to be able to accurately monitor your horse's condition.

To achieve this, feed to an energy density that matches your horse's workload AND individual energetic needs. Horses who are performing at the same level of competition can have different caloric needs based on individual factors & variation. Skip one-size fits-all nutrition and consider your horse as an individual to avoid your horse becoming underweight or overweight.

Power peak form with quality protein in the diet. While forage should be the base of the equine diet, not all forages are able to provide sufficient quantities of amino acids. As amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and more specifically, are what your horse requires from their protein consumption to meet their requirements, protein quality is dictated by amino acid profile. Insufficient quality protein in the diet can contribute to less-than-ideal condition, as well as visual differences in hoof or hair quality.

Support shine by covering requirements and maintaining balance. Want that super rich, shiny coat? That comes from the inside out, and is only amplified by good grooming practices! Ensuring mineral adequacy will play a big role in this, while omega fatty acids can help further promote skin & coat health!

Interested in learning more about performance horse nutrition? Make sure to check out more relevant articles on the blog!

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