For eventing and combined driving · Eventing and combined driving
Feeding around maximal effort — cross-country and marathon day
After the effort, always in this order: 1. cool the horse — 2. water (let it drink freely) — 3. forage (hay or alfalfa chaff) — 4. electrolytes (only after drinking) — 5. hard feed (last, once the horse is settled and eating). Never reverse this order. Never give electrolytes before water.
This covers the single hardest day of your event — cross-country (eventing) or the marathon (driving). It is a general illustration of the principles; the exact timing and amounts for your horse come from your EVN plan.
| Timepoint | What generally happens | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| The night before | Hay available all night; the last hard feed in good time in the evening. | A full gut means a better fluid reserve and a protected stomach; finishing in good time lets the stomach settle before morning. |
| Morning — well before the start | Forage first, then a small hard feed. | A small early feed gives energy without a full stomach at the start. Forage always goes in before hard feed. |
| Morning — until shortly before the start | Hay continues until about an hour before the start; water freely until you go to the start. | Hay right up to the last hour keeps building the gut fluid reserve; a short gap lets the gut settle a little. |
| Just before the effort | No hard feed in the last hours before the start (forage is fine). | A hard feed too close to effort works against your horse during the warm-up; forage is fine, grain is not. |
| Driving only — the vet box (marathon) | Water and a little alfalfa chaff; electrolyte solution only if the horse is drinking. | The compulsory halt is a real feeding opportunity — but never push electrolytes into a horse that will not drink. |
| Immediately after (first half hour) | Cool the horse (sponge, scrape, shade; cold hosing where allowed). Offer water freely. | A hot horse will not drink. Cool first, then rehydrate. Do not reach for electrolytes yet. |
| After (half to one hour) | Forage, then electrolytes once the horse has drunk. | Forage restores gut fluid and potassium and protects the stomach. Electrolytes come after the water. |
| After (1–2 hours) | Normal hard feed, once the horse is settled and eating. | A normal feed supports energy balance, muscle repair and gut health. Extra grain to 'refill' does not speed recovery (see 'Refuelling after hard work'). |
| Evening | Hay all night; a full evening feed with extra salt and alfalfa. | Overnight is the main refuelling window; alfalfa replaces the calcium and magnesium lost in sweat. |
Note: a generic example
This is a general illustration of the principles, not a prescription. The exact timing and amounts for your horse are set in your EVN plan and are the owner's responsibility, in consultation with the vet.
Never electrolyte paste for a horse that will not drink
A hypertonic electrolyte paste given to a horse that has not drunk, or that is refusing water, draws fluid into the stomach and raises the ulcer risk in an already vulnerable horse. If your horse will not drink, wait — rehydrate first, paste later.
Watch for the 'thumps'
A rhythmic thump or twitch in the flank, in time with the heartbeat. Stop exercise, give no supplements, and call the event veterinarian immediately. This is a veterinary emergency.
Urine colour check
Pale straw yellow = good. Dark yellow or orange = more water needed. No urine within about 4 hours of finishing — speak to the event veterinarian.
This is general information. It does not replace the individual feeding plan your EVN vet prepares for your horse after assessing it.