Importance of Horse Nutrition
A horse’s feed and nutrition play a huge role in his ability
to do the job you want him to do, his mental attitude and
longevity. Age, weight, and level of activity are all part of
the determining factors in deciding your horse’s
nutritional requirements.
What to feed
A horse’s diet should be made up of carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins and minerals. They get this through a
combination of roughage, concentrates and water.
Roughage – Roughage (sometimes called forage) is essential in aiding the digestion process and adds bulk to their diet.
Roughage includes:
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Grass – Grass is anything that is still growing out in the field. A horse that lives in pasture, for instance, can get
part of his nutrients from grazing. The type of grass and availability depends on your location and the time of
year. The quality of it largely depends on the quality of the soil. If pasture grass is a mainstay of your horse’s diet,
you may want to get the grass and soil tested for quality.
Grass pellets/cubes – Grass that’s been dried, mixed with minerals and/or vitamins and then pressed into pellets
or cubes. They are high in fiber but often (not always) low in energy and protein.
Hay – Hay is basically grass that has been cut and dried. Some types of hay include oat, timothy, orchard grass,
rye grass and alfalfa. Be sure the hay isn’t brown, moldy or dusty. Again, the quality will depend on when the hay
was cut and the quality of the soil.
Concentrates - Concentrates, sometimes called “hard food,” are a highly nutritious source of carbohydrates and provide
energy to the horse. They should not be fed alone; to obtain the full benefit of grain it should be mixed with some bulk
food so that it is digested slowly. Types of concentrates include:
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Oats – They are an ideal source of energy for horses because they are digestible and light, but they should be
bruised or rolled to prevent horses from bolting them too fast.
Barley – Another good source of energy and bulk, barely often replaces oats as a basic grain ration.
Wheat Bran – A by-product of wheat, this lacks any real food value but can be added as bulk or simply a treat
for a horse. It can be a good way to medicate a horse if the horse is difficult to give pills to. It can be fed dry or
with water added to suit the tastes and needs of your horse.
Rice Bran – The same as wheat bran except that it’s a by-product of rice. Good for adding fat to a horse’s diet or
for a horse who can’t eat wheat.
Beet – Traditionally fed as a messy pulp that comes form soaking beet pellets overnight in water, today many
foods already contain beet pulp in it. Beets are a great source of fat to help a horse that is a “hard keeper” maintain
their weight.
A combination of any of the above is often referred to as a sweet feed. Feed comes
in a variety of blend for vastly different purposes so identify what you want the
feed to do (more energy? More fat?) before determining which one to buy. If you
have questions, talk to the people at the feed store or contact the food
manufacturers directly (usually they have websites) to get advice.
Water – Approximately 60% of a horse’s body weight is water. He needs 10 – 12 gallons of clean , fresh water a day to
remain hydrated and healthy. Horses use water to digest, absorb and excrete food as well as maintain their body
temperature. They get most of their water either from a water bucket or an automatic waterer but they also gets water from
outside sources as well. The only time to withhold water is if the horse is overheated. Always keep in mind that a horse
can survive for several weeks without food but only a few days without water.
Water buckets – Hanging water buckets in your horse’s stall is the easiest way to monitor his water consumption as well
as build up your biceps from emptying, cleaning and filling the buckets on a daily basis. A stabled horse drinks from five
to eight gallons of water everyday, so the buckets may get heavy after a while but at least you’ll know how much he’s
drinking. Be sure to hang the buckets high enough so that there’s no chance of him getting a leg hooked up in it while
rolling or pawing.
Automatic waterers – This is probably the easiest way to provide water for your horse, although it does require some kind
of running water being fed directly in the stall. More than one horse vs. automatic waterer has ended in a flooded stall, but
by and large this cuts down on the amount of work immensely. It just means you have to be even more diligent in looking
for signs of dehydration since you’ll have no way of knowing how much water your horse is drinking. It’s also even more
important that you take the time to clean the waterers on a daily basis, as a horse would rather go thirsty than drink from a
dirty or contaminated waterer.
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Alternative sources – Carrots, apples and fresh grass all provide a large amount of water. Though no substitute for
a water bucket, they can prove especially helpful if you have a sick horse that doesn’t want to drink.
Golden Rules of Watering:
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Always provide a fresh, clean source of water
Water before feeding
Never work a horse hard immediately after he’s taken in a lot of water
After hard work, give him a small amount of water (1/2 gallon or so) every quarter of an hour until he’s satisfied.
Try using warmer or room temperature water instead of cold water to avoid cold-water colic.
If you’re giving electrolytes (minerals that help keep them hydrated in extreme heat or work) in their water,
always give them a choice of plain water as well.
Keep all water utensils clean
Check automatic water bowls as well as buckets every day.
A Balanced Diet
The ratio of roughage to concentrates varies according
to the nature of the horse, his age, and the job he’s
given to do. Older and younger horses, for instance,
need more energy giving food.
A horse in light work doesn’t need a lot of energy-giving food. In fact, too many concentrates can make him “hot” and
difficult to ride. On the other hand, an active horse with a heavy work schedule needs more energy and less bulk.
For a horse doing light work (about six hours a week hacking and light schooling) as well as for ponies, the roughage to
concentrates ratio is 70% roughage to 30% concentrates,
For horses in medium work, (ten hours a week of work including dressage, show jumping and hacking) the ratio should be
50% to 50%.
For a horse in hard work, (more than 10 hours of work a week in disciplines such as fox hunting, eventing, or endurance
riding) the ratio should be 30% roughage and 70% concentrates.
A horse should never receive less than 25% bulk by weight.
How Much to Feed
Feed intake should be 2% of the horse’s body weight if they are in light work, 2.5% of their weight if they are in training
or heavy work. Remember, this is only a guideline; keep an eye on your horse to decide if the food you are giving him is
the right amount. If he loses weight, increase the food slowly. If he is getting fat, cut back on his food! Obesity in horses
can lead to many potentially fatal illnesses, like founder, so monitor your horse’s weight.
If you don’t happen to have a truck scale at your barn, a measuring tape
designed to estimate your horse’s weight is readily available at most tack
stores. It’s always a good idea to know your horse’s weight in case he
needs medication and the vet needs to figure out the right dose to give
him, as well as for feed purposes.
Roughly speaking, ponies weigh between 400 – 500 pounds; small horses 900-1,000; Thoroughbreds 1,100 – 1,200
ponds; Warmbloods weigh around 1,300 – 1,400 pounds.
Once you know your horse’s weight, the calculation is fairly simple:
YOUR HORSE’S WEIGHT X 2% = AMOUNT OF FEED
For instance, if your horse weighs 1,158 lbs x 2% = 23 lbs of food a day to maintain his current weight. If your horse is in
hard work, increase the percentage to 2.5%.
Using the above example (a horse in light work), of those 23 pounds of food approximately 70% - or 16 lbs.) should be
roughage. Typically that equals 4 – 5 flakes of hay, depending on they type, etc. 30%, about 7 lbs, should be concentrates,
or about 3 scoops of some kind of concentrate.
MEASURE FEED BY WEIGHT, NOT VOLUME. If you calculate that your horse needs 8 pounds of hay a day, for
instance, don’t assume that will always mean 2 flakes of hay. Different types of hay and even different cuttings of the
same hay throughout the year weigh different amounts. A cup of one grain won’t weigh the same as the same cup full of
another. For that reason, keep a scale (preferably a hanging one) in your feed room and periodically check to be sure
you’re feeding the correct amount of food.
In case you don’t have a scale readily available, here are some rough equivalencies you can use while shopping for one:
Flake of hay = 4 lbs.
Large haynet – holds 18 lbs.
Bale of hay – 44 lbs
Standard scoop of hay cubes or pellets = 3 lbs.
Standard scoop of grain or feed mix = 3 lbs.
How and When to Feed
A horse is a grazing animal by nature so it has a small stomach relative to its overall body size. Therefore, it’s better to
feed them small meals throughout the day rather than one big “Thanksgiving feast”. Feeding a horse 3 – 4 times a day will
help them digest their food better, utilize the nutrients more efficiently and avoid any problems with ulcers or other
digestion issues that come with having no food in their stomachs. This is especially true of older horses.
Horses are creatures of habit and prefer to eat at approximately the same time every day. Consistent feeding times will
lead to a less stressed, happier horse.
Feed hay on the floor rather than hanging in a bag if possible. This is their natural
feeding behavior and reduces any stress on their neck and back from having to pull
hay out of a bag at an unnatural angle. Eating off the ground also maintains the
horse’s correct jaw action and minimizes tooth wear. Plus it enables proper airway
drainage for the horse.
Wait 1 hour after feeding before exercising your horse. For intense work, wait 4 – 5 hours. It takes up to 2 hours for the
nutrients from the food the horse just ate to be accessible in his bloodstream. Exercising before you give him time to
digest these nutrients may mean that his energy sources are below optimum. Wait an hour after exercising to feed him as
well
*Feeding time facts: In the wild, horses spend 66% of their time eating, or about 16 hours a day. It takes a horse about 20
minutes to eat two pounds of hay. It only takes them 8 minutes to eat two pounds of concentrated feed.
Twelve Rules of Feeding:
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Provide a clean, fresh supply of water at all times.
Feed little and often
Provide a correctly balanced diet
Feed only good quality hay and grain
Keep to regular feed times
Do not make sudden changes of diet.
Never work a horse fast, or travel him, soon after a full feed.
Do not leave a horse longer than 8 hours without a food supply
Keep buckets and feeders clean – remove leftovers
Store feed in a clean, dry container
Keep feed and hay dry
Worm your horse regularly and have his teeth checked
Horse Suppliments
When feeding any kind of supplement, it’s important not to overfeed any vitamin or mineral. Always check the nutritional
content and discuss with your Vet before starting your horse on any new supplement.
Suppliments are also used for weight gain or to keep weight on a horse who is a “hard keeper” (hard to keep weight on).
Vegetable oil/corn oil is a source of fat that is commonly given to horses.