Horse Feed

What should I feed my horse? If this is the question that is flying in your mind then you must know that just like humans horse also need a balanced and nutritional diet. To keep your horse healthy one should split its day’s feed. Mostly people feed two or three times a day. Keep a regular schedule and permit the horse some hours work between feeding.

The amount of food your horse needs will depend on things like: size, breed, age, and activity. Usually a horse needs 2 to 2.2 pounds of feed for 100 pounds of body weight.

The horse feed can be divided into following categories:

1. Pasture: It is the most natural and balanced food for horses. Horses need a large area to graze the pasture. Green field doesn’t mean that it’s good grazing for a horse. One can utilize the amount of grazing available by dividing their pasture into segments and rotating your horses through the different paddocks. That way, grass will get a chance to grow back.

2. Hay: it is the essential food for domestic horses. Feed should contain good quality hay. One should examine hay carefully before purchasing. Take care that the bales are green and dust and mold free. Make sure that the bales are not warm. Feeding moldy hay can cause colic disease.

3. Concentrates: Hay alone cannot provide enough nutrition for your horse. Hard-working horses, pregnant and nursing mares, or growing youngsters need concentrates to complement the hay.

   Concentrates contain grains (whole, rolled or cracked), sweet feed (grain mixed with molasses), and manufactured feeds (pellets, cubes, or extruded). One can purchase bags of feed specially planed for every stage of a horse's life.

4. Beet pulp pellets: Beet pulp is the material left back when table sugar is extracted from sugar beets. It is a perfectly safe horse feed. Beet pellets must be drenched before feeding, to allow them to expand. If one use hot water, they expand in about an hour, but with cold water, allow overnight soaking.

5. Water: it is important to include fresh water in your horse diet. Hygienic water should be available at all times. Horses mostly drink 5 to 10 gallons a day.

6. Salt and Minerals: proper salts and minerals should be included in horse diet. One can include a variety of vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements in their horse diet after consulting their veterinarian.

   Overfeeding can be a hitch. Some horses eat only what they need, but most horses eagerly overeat if given the chance. This can give birth to founder or laminitis. One should keep a regular eye on his horse diet to prevent it from digestion problems.

   One should stick on that diet which works for his horse. If he wants to make any changes in feed than start it slowly as horse needs some time to adopt new feed. If your feed is making your horse unwell than consult a veterinarian.