EXPLAIN FEEDING SCHEDULE FOR YOUR OWN MOUNT. Instructor: Club/Center: Region: Year:

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1 EXPLAIN FEEDING SCHEDULE FOR YOUR OWN MOUNT Instructor: Club/Center: Region: Year: Topic: Know how to make a feeding schedule for mount and how to explain it Class Size: 1-10 Level/Certificate: D-2 Time: 20 minutes. Whether or not you allow them to begin filling in their Feeding Schedule depends on the time allotment Objective: D-2 Stable Management: Knowing when, what, and how much to feed your own horse, and how to make a schedule Equipment Needed: Feeding Schedule, one/student Pens or pencils for the students Feed Chart (from HM Rules)-optional-to pass around, 1-2 copies References: USPC D Manual (2 nd Edition), p. 200, 207. HM Handbooks p. 54 Safety Concerns: None. Safety Check: Medical armband/bracelet Appropriate Footwear Lesson Procedure 1. Introduction of Self/Students Hello, my name is and I am a certified member from Pony Club or Riding Center. I d like to go around the room and have each of you introduce yourself, and tell us who you ride for your Pony Club lessons, and whether or not you keep your mount at your home, or whether he/she is boarded elsewhere [ask questions as appropriate to make sure you are getting this information, and give out name tags] 2. Verbalize Objective of Lesson Today we are going to discuss feeding your horse or pony according to a schedule, and how to chart your horse or pony s daily feeding schedule. 3. Ask Prior Knowledge of Topic How many of you feed your own horse or pony? Raise your hands. How many of you have been involved in feeding your own horse or pony, or helped in some way? Raise your hands. [Acknowledge the answers. You might modify the wording of these questions based on the information you got during the introductions. Based on the age of the students, you might ask the following:]

2 Who can tell me what a schedule is? [or just say:] A schedule is a timetable, or giving a certain time for doing something. Have you had a lesson, or read about, Rules for Feeding? Raise your hands. 4. Demonstrate/Discussion: In learning about the importance of having a feeding schedule for your horse or pony, it is important to keep in mind that we should feed small amounts often, rather than one big meal all at once. This helps the horse or pony to digest his food more easily and is more like his natural system when living in the wild. You may recall that this is one of the Rules for Feeding. A stabled horse or pony must be fed at least twice a day (three times a day is better, if it is possible). A pastured horse or pony which ample pasture, can graze as much as he needs to; he may be fed only grain or extra hay once a day, based on how much extra feed he needs. Another Rule, which is the subject of today s lesson, is that a horse or pony should be fed on a regular schedule. This means that he is fed at the same time every day. Does anyone know why? Horses and Ponies become used to being fed at a particular time (having regular feeding times), and if you are late, they may become anxious, or upset. This can lead them to feel stress, which is not good for them, and can even make them ill or have a stomach ache. Another unfortunate possibility pertaining to horses or ponies who are anxiously awaiting their [late] meal, is that they can injure themselves. Events leading up to injury could include such things as kicking or banging on the stall, or chewing on wood. 5. Application of the activity: Let s review. Who can tell us how often to feed a horse or pony?(2-3 times a day) Is it important to feed at the same time every day? Why?(Yes, so they don t get sick or hurt) What do we mean by a feeding schedule? (accept answers) Correct. It is a plan based on what we feed and what time it is fed every day. I have feeding schedules to pass out, and for you to fill in. If your horse or pony is boarded, or somebody else feeds at your farm, you may need help with the amount of hay fed, knowing the weight. Giving the amount of hay in flakes, or the amount of grain in scoops is not reliable. You can start by writing your name, your horse or pony s name, and the number of times it is fed hay and grain each day. I will help you with this information. Filling out the rest of the schedule will be your homework. [Depending upon the amount of time, they may do it all as homework ] 6. Additional Ideas if time allows: [Depending on how much additional time you have, you may discuss one or both of the following: a) Why we weigh feed, and b) Making our feed schedule more detailed into a Feed Chart and how/why we would use a feed chart] You may wonder why we are talking about weighing our feed. That is because the weight of a flake of hay can differ quite significantly from one bale to the next. Some flakes of hay hold together very well, and a flake may be relatively heavy. You have probably seen hay where the flakes are loose and fluffy, and sometimes don t hold together at all. The most reliable way of feeding hay is to know what weight feeding is best for your horse or pony, and weigh the hay to be sure to give the right amount. In the case of grain, it isn t the weight that varies, but it is the scoop or container in which you measure your grain that can vary. Once you know how much grain (by weight) that your pony needs, be sure to specify exactly WHICH scoop or container you are using to measure his ration, and label it, OR weigh the grain every time you feed.

3 How many of you have gone to an overnight Pony Club rally, or even a Pony Club camp where you were asked to bring a feed chart and label your feed? How many of you keep your horses or ponies at a stable where feed charts are posted on the stalls or in the feed room? This kind of feed chart gives us a little more information than the schedule that we discussed today. Today s schedule is to emphasize the importance of knowing what your horse or pony is being fed, and when. A feed chart such as I have copied from the Horse Management Handbook, gives enough information that someone could match up the correct feed; including hay, grain, and supplements with the correct horse or pony. At a rally, camp, or in the barn, you would label your grain, hay, and supplements so that another person would be able to feed your horse or pony his correct ration, should you happen to be away. Anyone could read on his feed chart what kind of hay, what kind of grain, and what supplements he should be getting, and then be able to find those feeds in the feed room with his name on them. I have printed a Feed Chart from the Horse Management Handbook and filled it in for my own horse, so that you all can look at it. It isn t hard to do, once you know exactly when your horse or pony eats, and the amounts he should be given. [pass around a copy, or if there are a large number of students, pass two copies starting at opposite ends of the room] 7. What did you learn today? [If the students raise their hands, you can start calling on them, until you get the answers you want. Otherwise, ask the question below. Only ask about weighing feed or the purpose of a feed chart if you covered that additional information:] Why is it important to have a schedule for feeding? [horses and ponies need to be fed regularly, it helps keep track of what you feed and when, since, for optimum health, a horse or pony should be fed a minimum of two times a day, etc.] Why do we weigh feed? [to make sure our horse or pony is getting the correct amount for his needs; it is more reliable than saying a flake, a scoop, a coffee can, etc.] What is the purpose of hanging up a feed chart by your horse, or in the feed room? [this provides enough information to allow somebody to take over the feeding of your pony in your absence] Thank you for coming and I am glad you learned some new things about taking care of your pony. Use the handout below or the Feeding Chart from the HM Handbook, p. 54.

4 My Pony s Daily Feeding Schedule My name: Pony s name: My pony is fed lbs. hay (grass, alfalfa, etc.) times per day at and My pony is fed lbs. grain times per day at and Supplements: The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. The Kentucky Horse Park, 4041 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY / (PONY) Fax 859/ uspc@ponyclub.org Copying permitted for internal use by and for members and volunteers of The United States Pony Clubs only.

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