Horse Competition Nutrition and Performance

Optimizing nutrition for competition horses requires balancing energy supply, gut health, muscle function, and hydration — with welfare implications when nutritional management falls short or is misapplied.

Key Facts

Competition horses have significantly elevated energy requirements that vary by discipline, intensity, and duration.
High starch diets used to fuel performance increase risk of gastric ulcers, hindgut acidosis, and laminitis.
Fibre-based energy sources such as beet pulp and super fibres provide more sustained energy with less digestive risk.
Electrolyte supplementation during prolonged work or hot weather is critical to prevent fatigue and dehydration.
Poor nutritional management is a common underlying factor in poor performance and behavioural problems in sport horses.

Welfare Considerations

Nutrition-related welfare problems in competition horses often emerge gradually and are attributed to behavioural or training issues before the nutritional root cause is identified. Gastric ulcers, hindgut disturbance, and chronic energy deficits all affect the horse's physical comfort and mental state. A welfare-oriented nutritional approach prioritises forage, digestive health, and meeting energy needs without compromising gut function.

What You Can Do

Work with an equine nutritionist to design a diet appropriate for your horse's discipline and competition level.
Ensure forage access for at least 16-18 hours per day to support gut health and natural feeding behaviour.
Use an equine gastric ulcer scoring system periodically if your horse is in intensive work.
Monitor body condition score monthly using a standardized scale to track nutritional status objectively.