2016 is here and with it our hopes for the future.
With every New Year, we hope to be better people, lead better lives, healthier lives, and the same applies to the animals that we take care of. After all, we are the caretakers of all the animals on this planet, as dictated to Noah by God in Genesis 9:1-2, “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.”” What exactly does this mean?
Well, the most important part of that piece of scripture is that animals are given into your hand, which means we have to take care of them and that could mean everything from purchasing top quality portable horse barns to protect them from the elements to making sure they are eating the right kind of food. Considering we are in the first week of the New Year, many horse nutritionists are coming out with diet plans. What is your horse’s diet plan?
In this Horse Channel article, Holly Caccamise writes, “Once you get your new horse settled in, he’ll need to be on the right feeding program to keep him healthy and in top shape. Unlike cats or dogs, horses aren’t just fed some kibble twice a day. They’re grazing animals, designed to eat forage for up to 18 hours; however, our modern equine living arrangements don’t always allow for this.”
Yes, having animals in our care requires us to feed them, but we have to feed them the right way and that means designing a healthy diet. According to Caccamise, we have to start with the hay first, figuring out what type of hay and how much your horse will need. Then you must focus on the grain, but ultimately, you need to decide on what kind of horse you have, what makes it tick, because every horse is different, but that just might be the most exciting part of it all! Be sure to read the Horse Channel article in full and come up with a diet plan that will keep your horse (or horses) healthy and happy!