- Breeding
- The History of Horse Breeding
- Horse Breeding: Covering a Mare
- Horse Breeding, Part 3: Birth and Care of a Foal
- General Horse Articles
- Horseback Riding as Therapy
- Why Keeping Your Horse in a Herd Makes Sense
- In Defense of Horses in Sport
- Horse Health Issues
- An Overview of Horse Grooming
- Horse Dental Problems and Prevention
- You’ve Got the Right Feed, Now What?: Proper Feeding Practices
- Horses & History
- Battle-Ready: A History of the War Horse
- The Feral Horse and Its Impact
- A Brief History of Draft Horses
A Look at Horse Feed
05/26/2008
An average adult horse consumes around 25 pounds of dry feed per day. Feeds can be broken down into three different categories: forages, concentrates, and supplements.
An average adult horse consumes around 25 pounds of dry feed per day. Feeds can be broken down into three different categories: forages, concentrates, and supplements.
Forages
Forages should be at least 50% of your horse’s diet. This category includes hay and grasses, and also legumes. Legumes will contain higher amounts of proteins and energy than grasses will. But they do need good weather and good soil to be the healthiest for your horse. When cut early, hay will be at its most nutritious. Generally, in this state, hay can be very green. If looking to provide a very consistent quality, hay – and especially alfalfa – can be processed and compressed into pellets or cubes. This is also more convenient and easier to store. Horses are more prone to choke on them, however, and overfeeding can also be a problem. If choking is a concern, or your horse has tooth deficiencies, then these pellets can be soaked until they break apart into a thick slurry.
Concentrates
Referred to as “oats” or “corn,” concentrates are generally whole or crushed grains. With its high fiber content, which aids digestive health, oats are the most popular grain choice for horses. Corn comes in second, but it is not recommended that you rely on corn by itself. Corn is very low in fiber, and overfeeding your horse with corn can result in obesity. Barley is another popular grain, but is only useful when processed. Many horse owners prefer to mix it with corn and oats, in a mixture generally referred to as “COB.” Many grains can be purchased in mixes to provide a more complete and predictable diet for your horse.
Supplements
An average horse may not need supplements, but a horse in training or subjected to other forms of stress may need to supplement their diet for additional nutrition. Supplements can provide added vitamins and minerals, but also fats and proteins. A very common protein supplement is soybean meal. There are many various supplemental feeds on the market today. Many of them are tailored a horse’s specific nutritional needs. Determine what your horse’s diet is lacking and plan accordingly.
