Feeding Horses 101

What to know for the health of your horse as well as your bank account!

It is said that feeding horses is an art as much as a science!  Feeding according to the individual horse and owners’ circumstances is an important part of keeping horses healthy and happy, yet there seems to be a lot of misinformation, confusion, and downright ignorance when it comes to what and how we should be feeding.  This article is a “Feeding 101” guide to help you consider a few key factors.

Small, frequent meals.  Feeding one or two meals per day is a convenience for us but is less than ideal for the horse, unless they also have access to pasture. The use of “slow feeders” can help when it is not practical to feed more often.  Of interest is recent research that indicates if a horse goes without food in their system for 4 hours or more, they begin to stress.  Something to consider when it is not uncommon for horses to go 12 hours or more between feedings, especially in boarding situations.

Minimum roughage of 1.5% of body weight.  A horses digestive system needs this minimum amount of fiber simply to stay healthy, 2.5 – 3% is better and free choice is ideal, but not always practical.  Consider the type of fiber used (hay, beet pulp, soy hulls, coconut meal and the like) and the horses’ requirements (easy or hard keepers, workload, access to pasture etc.).

Energy.  The horses’ workload and the individual (easy or hard keeper, breed etc.) will guide what you feed for energy, often good quality hay will only require a small amount of supplementation.  Grains (corn, oats, barley etc) all have different amounts of energy and unless the horse is in heavy work, are generally not necessary.  Fats and oils provide a “slow release” energy for horses in light to medium work, competing in endurance or needing to put weight on. 

Protein.  Horses need quality protein as opposed to high levels of protein, quality referring to the amino acid profile.  Generally, horses in light work only require around 12% protein, those in hard work, breeding or growing horses may need up to 18%.  The practice of feeding large amounts of prime alfalfa (lucerne), which can be more than 30% protein may want to be reconsidered.

Price per pound.  It is amazing how many people don’t read labels!  When you consider products on a price per pound basis the false economy of feeding cheap brands becomes apparent. Cheaper brands often have high feeding rates and if you are not feeding according to the recommended rate, your horse may not be receiving adequate nutrition.  This is also useful when buying hay, as a cheap but light bale of hay may end up being more expensive than a pricier but heavy bale…. Remember we need to feed by weight (min. 1.5% bodyweight) and not by volume.

Hard Keepers.  I hear it often, people asking what “grain” they should feed to put condition on a thin horse.  My advice is this: 1. Ensure adequate amounts of fiber – quite often that is all that is required.  2. Feed higher calories – oils and high fat supplements can assist; alfalfa is often higher in calories than grass but remember the high protein levels as well.  3. Grains (corn, oats, barley etc.) are generally fed for energy rather than fat and are the most expensive way of putting conditioning on a horse.

 “Easy keepers” are those that seem to get fat on air, ponies especially, and can pose a challenge to provide adequate nutrition without them becoming overweight and still delivering the minimum 1.5% minimum roughage.  These types still need vitamins and minerals for muscle, tendon and bone health, nerve and organ function and resilience to disease, so it is not simply a matter of just feeding less!

There is a wealth of information available on horse nutrition and feeding. Owners are encouraged to become more knowledgeable so that they may make more informed decisions when it comes to feeding their horses, and not just relying on what’s cheap or what the champion trainer next door does.  There are many equine nutrition consultants available, and they can assist further, particularly in circumstances of metabolic disease, rehabilitation, and high performance.