Basics of Horse Feeding

• Artificial conditions put stress on horses. Horses used to roam large areas and could choose their own feed. Now most horses are kept in stalls or small enclosures and are totally dependant on humans to provide for their nutritional needs. 
• Soils have been leached of nutrients and depleted. In an effort to combat this problem, growers are using chemicals to get bigger yields. Because what is (and isn't) in the soil affects the plants grown there, our horses are being shortchanged nutritionally.
• Many problems, such as weak and crooked legs, enlarged joints, splints, and spavins, can be traced to faulty nutrition. Often these problems started during the early growth phases, even prior to birth.
• Horses don't reach maturity until they are about four or five years old. However we ask our horses to perform physically demanding routines much younger than that. Some of the races with the biggest purses are for two-year-old. The prestigious reining and cutting futurities are for three-year-olds.
• Foals generally attain most of their adult height and about three-quarters of their mature weight by the time they are a year old, therefore providing proper nutrients in the correct ratios is of extreme importance for youngsters.
• The digestive system of the horse is very different from most other livestock, particularly cows. The horse has a relatively small digestive system and cannot eat as much as a cow at any one time. Rather horses were designed to eat small quantities of feed almost constantly.
• Horses' feed requirements may vary. All horses require certain nutrients for maintenance, but young horses need nutrients suitable for growing muscle and bone, broodmares need nutrients to supply the her own needs and the needs of her foal, race horses (and other horses that are worked heavily) need nutrients to supply their energy requirements.
• A particular horse's nutritional needs will vary depending on the horse's age; whether it is being bred; the kind and degree of activity; the horse's temperament; the weather; the kind, quality, and amount of feed; where it is housed; and the health and condition of the horse.

Nutrients that horses need:

Carbohydrates

• Used as a source of heat and energy. Helps regulate protein and fat metabolism. Consists of nitrogen-free extract (NFE) and fiber. Any excess may be stored as fat or excreted.
• Where does it come from? - Pasture grass and hay.

Fat

• Used as a source of heat and energy and for the formation of fat. Provides more than twice the amount of heat or energy per pound as do carbohydrates. Can become rancid with improper storage. A small amount is necessary as the carrier of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K).
• Where does it come from? - The small amount necessary is generally found in typical horse feed.

Protein

• Consists of amino acids. A major source of building material for muscles, blood, skin, hair, and internal organs. Necessary for the formation of hormones. Helps regulate pH - preventing the body from becoming too acid or too alkaline. Helps form enzymes and antibodies. Usually 10-20 percent of a horse's body is made up of protein.
• Where does it come from? - Generally found in the actively growing portion of plants. Legumes, such as alfalfa, can synthesize their own protein. More widely distributed in animals than in plants.

Minerals

• Furnishes structural material for the growth of bones, teeth and tissue. Regulates many physiological processes and act as catalysts for many biological reactions. Important in the production of hormones.

• Often unbalanced (too much of some minerals and not enough of other minerals) in the typical horse ration.
• Where does it come from? - Inorganic (non-living) compounds that occur naturally in the earth and are required in small amounts.

Vitamins

• Organic food substances found only in living things. Necessary for the growth, development, health, and reproduction of horses. Divided into fat-soluble or water-soluble types.
• Where does it come from? - Generally found in high-quality, leafy, green forages.

Water

• One of the largest single constituents of the horse's body. Helps produce saliva and other fluids; acts as a carrier for other substances; assists in temperature regulation; required for various important chemical reactions of digestion and metabolism.
• Horses will drink 4 to 15+ gallons of water every day. The amount can vary depending on the weather, the type of feed, the amount of work done, and the horse's age and size.
• Vital to survival. A horse can lose virtually all of the fat and nearly half of the protein in his body and still survive, but losing 12 to 15 percent of body water can kill him.

Okay, so now you know the basics, but how do you know what to feed your horse?

Horse feed varies throughout the world, but it typically consists of some sort of roughage such as grass and/or legumes (such as alfalfa), either fresh or dried. Often horses are also fed some type of grain - oats, barley, and corn being the most common. Regardless of the type of feed given, the two most important considerations are that it is of good quality (not moldy, spoiled, or dusty) and that it provides a balance of nutrients.

Because the type and quality of feed varies so much it's hard to make generalizations, however an average adult horse will eat the equivalent of about two percent of his body weight every day. Use this as a starting point only, for a draft horse with a slower metabolism may need the same amount of food as a much smaller, hot-blooded horse. Also horses with special needs - broodmares, growing foals, and horses in training - will eat proportionately more food.

Two tips to help you determine how much to feed: First, weigh the food. A coffee can filled with corn has twice the digestible energy compared to what looks like the same amount of oats. You should also weigh the hay you feed rather than thinking a "flake" from one bale is about the same as a "flake" from another bale. Second, make it a habit to really look at your horse on a regular basis. Are his ribs plainly visible? If so, you should give him more feed, or higher quality feed, or higher density feed. At the other extreme, is he blubbery to the point you can't even feel his ribs? If so, you need to cut back on the amount or density of his feed. To make it easier and quicker to detect these changes you can use a scale (if available) or weight tape regularly. Make a note of your horse's weight so you don't have to try to remember it each time.

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According to Feeding to Win II, an average horse needs the following:

As you can see, a horse's nutritional needs can vary. Also these amount are only approximate - an individual horse may require more or less of some of these items.

Here are the approximate values of some common feeds:

Nothing, by itself, is a perfect fit. My choice to feed is a good quality grass hay, with a little bit of alfalfa and some whole oats. Some horses might get a little bigger percentage of alfalfa or a little more oats, but they all get a dose of Dynamite Plus and free access to 2 to 1 Free Choice. The broodmares also get Breeder Pac, and some horses might get other supplements depending on their individual needs.

The information given here is to help you learn more about your horse and not to replace your veterinarian's advice.