When determining the feeding needs of your horse there are several key factors that the horse owner needs to evaluate. This evaluations top key factor is how much and how hard she works. For an elderly horse that is rarely or lightly used can usually make do with the standard consumption of two percent of their body weight, which is twenty pounds for a one thousand pound horse. This can be maintained with quality grass hay or alfalfa hay on a daily basis.
On the other hand, a hard working horse cannot be sustained on free-choice forage alone. This will not satisfy their nutrient requirements. This also applies to growing horses, mares in foal and lactating broodmares. These horses may not have the time or the opportunity or even the gut capacity to consume all of their energy fuel needs in the form of forage, even an older horse may need to be rationed or give food that is easily digestible and higher in caloric intake.
In these situations you will need to provide concentrates to their diets. These must be matched to your horses own requirements, and this will be based on the horses activity levels. As noted above, a low activity horse that is ridden lightly, maybe once or twice a week may be fed enough high quality forage, they can usually do fine without any concentrates. Horses that are moderately active, ones that are ridden three or more times a week but light training or trail riding may need about twenty five percent of their calories by weight from concentrates. Whereas a horse in heavy training and performs at high limits and high endurance riding will need to receive as much as fifty percent of their diet from concentrates. You want to make sure that your calculations of rationalizing hay and grain is by weight and never by volume.
These horses that require concentrates are needing this for energy, but you want to add energy cautiously as they also contain starches. These can disrupt their digestion process. This is done by overpowering the beneficial bacteria that inhabit the gut and break down fibrous plant matter. This can also disrupt the horse’s insulin balance creating the possibilities of metabolic disorders. To prevent overloading the starches you want to make sure you are feeding her based on her energy needs, if she needs more energy, slowly bring up the amount of grain fed as well as feed a highly digestible source of carbohydrates, such as oats. Break out their meals into three rations per day and make sure they have a continuous supply of hay.
Some helpful hints I have learned regarding adding calories to your horses diet without adding more grain. One, is beet pulp, I learned this contains as much energy as oats and in turn in high in fiber and as digestible as hay. Two, is fat, this can be accomplished by pouring vegetable oil over the ration, this results in adding calories without disrupting the intestinal flora the way starch does. This method will also improve the horses coat, by adding shine and luster.
I have heard from several horse owners that have sparse pastures and also have a difficult time getting good hay that they will feed a complete feed. This consists of a combination of hay, grain and supplemental vitamins and minerals. They do not need to feed their horse hay or grain. This is also great for horses that do not get turned out. Large breeding farms who keep their stallions inside most of the time, will feed a complete feed. There are also complete feed products for special needs horses, such as broodmares, pleasure horses, performance horses, young horses and elderly horses. This type of feed may also help with horses with upper respiratory or asthmatic issues.
Remember also, to add supplements when required for any deficiency your horse may have. Your veterinarian or stable health care worker can assist you on the best choices of supplement for your horse.
Most importantly, it is highly recommended to evaluate your horse’s ration on a regular basis. Use your nature given common sense, if everything looks good and works good then she is probably getting everything that she needs. Don’t forget the salt and water as well. As the salt regulates body fluids and conducts electrical impulses in nerves and muscles. A salt block is the easiest way to get their daily salt requirements, as your horse has a natural appetite for salt and they will consume what they need. Keep their waterers clean and filled with fresh water. Enjoy your beautiful animal, they are worth the time and the investment to make sure they are fed correctly.
