Building Energy and Stamina in Your Competition Event Horse

Three-day eventing asks more of a horse's body than almost any other equestrian discipline. Across the dressage, cross-country and show jumping phases, a horse is required to shift gears between collected precision, sustained gallop and explosive recovery. Fuelling that combination well is a science and an art, balancing slow-release fuel for the marathon work with quick-release energy for the bursts. Riders chasing upper-level placings quickly learn that training creates the engine, but the feed room keeps it running.

In Australia, that balancing act comes with its own realities. Travelling long distances to events, working through summer heat in places like Adelaide and Brisbane, and sourcing reliable forage during recurring droughts all shape how riders plan their nutrition programs. The right approach blends proven equine science with a practical understanding of local conditions and the brands, hay types and regulations that govern what ends up in the feed bin.

Understanding Energy Demands Across the Phases

Eventing is rarely a one-paced sport. The dressage phase calls for calm, controlled energy and mental focus. Cross-country demands aerobic stamina over four to seven minutes of galloping, interspersed with jumping efforts and elevation changes that draw heavily on glycogen stores. Show jumping, run after the cross-country on the same day for lower levels and the next day at upper levels, asks for sharp bursts and a horse that still has reserves in the tank.

Most of the aerobic fuel during cross-country comes from fats and fibres oxidised at lower intensities, while the anaerobic bursts across combinations are powered by glycogen and glucose. A feeding plan that ignores either system leaves performance on the table. Riders watching events like Melbourne International Three-Day Event or Adelaide Three-Day Event will see this play out in real time, where horses still finishing strong on day two are usually the ones whose nutrition has been dialled in long before arrival.

Forage as the Foundation of Stamina

No amount of grain or oil can replace forage when it comes to building stamina. The fermentation of fibre in the hindgut produces volatile fatty acids that supply a steady stream of energy, support hydration through water holding, and buffer the gut against the stress of competition. Australian riders typically have access to oaten hay, meadow hay, rhodes grass and lucerne, each with its own place in the ration.

Lucerne, in particular, is prized for its higher protein and energy content, and is often mixed with a lower-protein grass hay for eventers in hard work. During dry seasons when quality roughage is harder to source, many riders in regional New South Wales and Victoria turn to soaked hay cubes or chaff to keep fibre intake consistent. Aim for at least 1.5 to 2 percent of body weight in dry forage per day, fed in slow-feed nets to keep the gut full and the mind settled.

Concentrates, Grains and the Energy Mix

Concentrate feeds layer additional calories on top of the forage base. Traditional options like oats, barley and cracked corn remain popular in many Australian stables, and processed feeds from manufacturers such as Pryde's EasiFeed and Mitavite offer formulated blends targeted at working performance horses. Choosing between a sweet feed, a pellet and a muesli mix often comes down to how the individual horse holds condition and temperament.

The trick is to add energy without creating fizz or digestive upset. Introduce any new concentrate gradually over seven to ten days, watch manure consistency closely, and avoid stacking high-starch meals within four hours of cross-country warm-up. Many riders split daily grain into two or three smaller feeds, pairing starch-based concentrates with oil-rich additions to slow gastric emptying and steady blood glucose.

Electrolytes, Hydration and the Australian Heat

Heat is the silent wildcard for Australian eventers, particularly during the summer competition calendar. A horse can lose fifteen litres or more of sweat during a long cross-country round in 35-degree heat, taking with it critical electrolytes that drive muscle contraction and recovery. Riders competing through Brisbane's summer or the inland heat of places like Tamworth plan electrolyte loading several days ahead, not just on the morning of the cross-country.

Fresh water should be available at all times, including during float travel, and many riders teach their horses to drink flavoured water so plain bore or town water at events is not a shock. Under Australia's agricultural and veterinary chemicals framework, electrolyte products and feed additives must be used according to label directions, with attention to withholding periods and substances prohibited under FEI and Equestrian Australia rules.

Supplements, Oils and Slow-Release Fuels

Oil is one of the most efficient ways to pack concentrated, slow-release energy into a ration without adding starch. Cold-pressed canola oil, rice bran oil and soy oil are all widely available in Australian feed stores, and most eventers tolerate an introduction up to around 500 millilitres per day split across feeds. Oils spare glycogen, support coat condition and produce less metabolic heat during digestion, a small but real benefit in the warmer months.

Beyond oil, quality yeast cultures, prebiotics and omega-3 sources such as linseed can support hindgut function and recovery. Antioxidants including vitamin E and selenium, balanced to regional forage analysis, help the horse manage the oxidative load of hard work. The key is to add one product at a time, keep notes on condition and recovery, and resist layering five supplements when two well-chosen ones would do the job.

Feeding Around Travel and Competition Schedules

Few countries ask as much of horse transport as Australia. Float trips from regional centres to major events can run six to twelve hours, and airfreight across states is common for riders landing in Sydney. Feeding through travel matters: keep hay in front of the horse to maintain gut motility, reduce hard feed the morning of a long trip, and offer water at every stop.

In the days before competition, gradually increase energy intake so glycogen stores are topped up without a sudden grain surge. After cross-country, a small, palatable meal within the first hour supports recovery, followed by the full evening ration once the horse has cooled and drunk well. Travelling home, ease back to baseline over several days to avoid tying up or digestive disruption.

Common Feeding Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

One of the most frequent errors is underestimating forage and overloading on grain. A horse eating two kilograms of sweet feed but only seven kilograms of hay is working against itself, with a restless gut and unpredictable energy. Another is changing feeds too quickly in the lead-up to an event, which can disrupt the microbiome exactly when stability matters most.

Ignoring the individual is also common. Two horses in identical work may need very different calories to hold condition, and the one that looks easy to keep weight on is not necessarily the better athlete. Dental checks, gastric health, seasonal changes in hay quality and the demands of different competition venues all deserve a second look. A simple feed diary, weighed weekly, catches problems long before they show up in the dressage arena or on cross-country.

A feeding program that builds real stamina rests on fibre, fine-tuned with concentrates, supported by hydration and adjusted for travel and weather. If you want help tailoring a plan to your own horse, the riders at Schramm Equestrian are happy to share what works in their program and point you toward trusted nutrition professionals in your area.