- Breeding
- The History of Horse Breeding
- Breeding Costs: Things to Consider
- A Brief History of Horse Breeding
- Buying a Horse
- Equine Experts Send Us Your Best Tip - Win $750 Worth of KAM’s Healthy Horse Products and More
- When Dealing With Horses Get It in Writing - Sign Up for May 16 FREE Webinar
- Rocky Mountain Horses
- General Horse Articles
- Traditional verses Specialty Equine Education
- Social Media, User Generated Content, and the Equestrian Industry
- Horses in Art: An Abridged History
- Horse Feeding
- When Dealing With Horses Get It in Writing - Sign Up for May 16 FREE Webinar
- Feeding and Management of Horses During the Transition from Warm to Cool Weather
- Targeted Nutrient Therapy for Insulin Resistance
- Horse Grooming
- eZall Shine & Detangler Transforms Ratty Manes and Tails Into Flowing Tresses
- When Dealing With Horses Get It in Writing - Sign Up for May 16 FREE Webinar
- Relive Southern Eighths/Nikon Three-Day on YouTube
- Horse Health Issues
- Let's Talk About Equine Probiotics - Equitivia
- A Look at Horse Feed
- Keeping the Horse Replenished - Equine Electrolytes
- Horse Training
- What do do when the Panic is On to keep our Horses Safe!
- Training Mythunderstandings: Applied Heeding: Backing
- It's Hard to Get Back to Basics When You Haven't Been There To Start!
- Horses & History
- The Feral Horse and Its Impact
- Horsing around the Sierra Madre - 1974 Style.
- When Dealing With Horses Get It in Writing - Sign Up for May 16 FREE Webinar
- Horses & Sports
- Nearly $7 Million Generated Annually for the District of Columbia
- In Defense of Horses in Sport
- Healthy Horse Boutique Supports Haddad Staller In Her Olympic Quest
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.
