For three-day eventing and combined driving · Eventing and combined driving
The multi-day competition feeding timeline
This is a generic illustration of how feeding shifts with the workload across a multi-day event — not the same ration every day. It is an example to show the idea; your horse's actual amounts and timings come from your EVN plan.
For the hard cross-country / marathon day itself, see 'Feeding around maximal effort'. For why recovery takes three to four days, see 'Refuelling after hard work'.
| Day / timing | What generally happens | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| The week before | Keep the normal ration and forage — do not change feeds. | The gut needs days to adjust to a feed change; the week before an event is the wrong time to switch. |
| A few days before | Build up the salt provision gradually (per your EVN plan), always with free water. | Tops up salt reserves before the heavy sweating days. |
| Travel day | Forage continuously; less hard feed; water at every stop. | Travel is tiring and drying; forage protects the gut on the road. |
| Light day (e.g. dressage) | Forage first, then part of the hard feed well before the test. The largest feed that evening. | The evening before the hard day is the main fuelling window. |
| The hard day (cross-country / marathon) | Follow 'Feeding around maximal effort': forage first, no hard feed just before the start; after, cool, water, forage, electrolytes, then feed. | The pivot of the event; this sets up tomorrow's recovery. |
| The night after | Forage all night; a full evening feed with extra salt and alfalfa. | The main fuelling window before the final day; alfalfa replaces calcium and magnesium. |
| Moderate final day | Forage first, a lighter hard feed well before. | Your horse is running on partly refilled stores — normal biology. Good pacing protects performance more than extra feed. |
| Afterwards (a few days) | Keep the full ration for a while; then your EVN vet adjusts it down. | Recovery is fuelled by food, even during rest. |
Note: a generic example
This timeline is a general illustration, not a prescription. The actual amounts, timing and adjustments for your horse are set in your EVN plan and are the owner's responsibility, in consultation with the vet.
Urine colour check (each evening)
Pale straw yellow = well hydrated. Dark yellow or orange = your horse needs more water. If your horse has not urinated within about 4 hours of finishing a hard phase, speak to the event veterinarian.
Watch for the 'thumps'
A rhythmic twitch or thump in the flank, in time with the heartbeat, after a hard day. Stop, do not give any supplements, and call the event veterinarian straight away. This is an emergency.
This is general information. It does not replace the individual feeding plan your EVN vet prepares for your horse after assessing it.