What are the different types of feed for horses?
Feed manufacturers typically simplify workload into four categories when helping you to decide if a feed is appropriate for your horse – maintenance, light, medium and hard work. Here we look at the description within each category.
How to choose the right food for your horse?
When you feed your horse, take into account its age, weight, work and growth to determine its diet. Some horses are easier to feed and require fewer nutrients than others. Other horses are very difficult to feed and require special attention.
What does a medium work horse need?
A horse in medium work is usually expected to be doing regular schooling for around an hour a day and competing in affiliated competitions. Feeds for horses in medium work are typically formulated to provide 10-12MJ/kg DE.
Why feed your horse a medium energy feed?
It is essential to make sure that your horse does not become overweight or lose condition and a medium energy feed is a great way of providing your horse with everything he needs, without the calories or energy levels of a competition feed. Cool & Collected® has been specially formulated for horses and ponies at rest or in light to medium work.
What should I feed my horse in medium work?
Most horses doing light or medium work, like hacking and schooling, just need good pasture or hay, made up of a variety of different grasses. Only horses in really hard and fast work, breeding stock or very underweight horses will need high energy concentrate feeds.
What is the best feed to feed a horse?
Roughage/Forage Roughage, found in hay or grass, is the bulk of the horse's food. Grass or alfalfa hay, or a combination of the two, are good sources of roughage. Grass hay is generally higher in fiber and dry matter than alfalfa, but alfalfa may be higher in protein, energy, vitamins and calcium.
What do you feed horses in full work?
Provide plenty of roughage Many pleasure and trail horses don't need grain: good-quality hay or pasture is sufficient. If hay isn't enough, grain can be added, but the bulk of a horse's calories should always come from roughage.
What should I feed my horse daily?
Rules of Feeding HorsesFeed little and often. ... Feed plenty of bulk and roughage such as grass, hay, haylage, etc. ... Feed according to size of horse and workload. ... Keep a check on your horse's condition. ... Do not make sudden changes to the diet. ... Keep to the same times of feeding each day.More items...
What are 4 types of horse feed?
Types of Horse FeedSugar Beet Horse Feed.Straight Horse Feeds.Conditioning Horse Feed.Balancer Horse Feed.
Can horses live on grass alone?
In short, yes, all horses can live on grass alone. Healthy grass for grazing needs to be rich in nutrients to keep a horse healthy. Optimal levels of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) need to be present in the grass. Some areas don't have enough protein available.
What is moderate work for a horse?
A horse in moderate work does between three and five hours per week. This is made up of approximately 30% walk, 55% trot and 10% canter, 5% low jumps or other skill work.
How much grain should a horse eat a day?
The 2% Rule Experts generally agree that all horses, regardless of activity level, should consume about 2% of their body weight per day in a combination of forage and concentrates (grains). Horses who are doing little to no work should eat closer to 2% of their body weight in forage, with little to no concentrates.
How much hay should a horse eat on pasture?
The average 1,000-pound adult horse, on a day of normal weather conditions, will eat:Between 20–25 pounds of total feed.A minimum of 10 pounds of hay/pasture (1.5–2% is preferred)
What is a balanced diet for a horse?
Basic Nutrients. When feeding horses, it is important to recognize that there are six basic nutrient categories that must be met: carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. Often, feed companies will balance the first five nutrients for us; however, it is critical not to forget about water.
How many flakes of hay does a horse need?
Answer: A 5-year-old warmblood, who is worked moderately for an hour a day, needs more than three flakes of hay per day. A general rule is that a horse needs half a bale of hay per day to satisfy baseline dietary requirements. But depending on the horse and the hay, the amount may vary.
Should you feed a horse once or twice a day?
When feeding the horse, there are three general guidelines one should follow. Feeds should be fed at least twice a day. Feeds should be fed in equally divided amounts. Feeds should be fed near to or at the same time each day and at even intervals throughout the day.
Why horses should not be fed grain?
One of the problems associated with grains and their high simple carbohydrate content is that diets high in this feed can lead to digestive issues such as stomach ulcers and even colic. Because of this, grain should be regulated. A good rule of thumb is for a horse's diet to contain no more than 25% grain.
How much grain should a 1000 pound horse eat?
For example, if you have a 1,000 pound horse who is in light work, a good diet might consist of 17 pounds of hay or hay cubes and 3 pounds of grain per day. The same 1,000 pound horse in a heavy work program may need 10 pounds of hay and 10 pounds of grain, since the grain is higher in energy.
Do horses need grain every day?
Re-evaluate your horse's feed plan, and if grain isn't really necessary, remove it. If your horse really does need the extra energy that forage alone can't provide, rethink how and what you are feeding for your horse's optimal digestive health and, in turn, his performance. Horses need grain = myth.
What not to feed your horse?
Here are some “people” foods you should avoid feeding your horse:Caffeine: Coffee, tea and cola contain the stimulant caffeine (trimethylxanthine) which can cause an irregular heart rhythm.Chocolate: ... Garlic and onions: ... Tomatoes: ... Fruit seeds and pits: ... Dog and cat kibble: ... Potatoes: ... House plants:
How many hours a week do you work on horses?
The National Research Council (NRC) gives descriptions you can use for estimating work level: Light work (recreational riding, beginning training, and horses that occasionally show). One to three hours per week of work composed of 40% walking, 50% trotting, and 10% cantering;
How to determine work level for horses?
Tracking Your Horse’s Exercise Level. Keeping a journal of what you do each ride can be a very helpful tool for tracking work intensity and might help you determine an appropriate work level for your horse. The most accurate way to determine work level is to measure your horse’s heart rate during work. As work intensity goes up so does heart rate.
How does riding affect horses?
A rider’s weight combined with that of any tack worn will impact energy expenditure as will the horse’s fitness. Weather conditions also play a role, as can the horse’s age.
What is the best feed for a horse?
The nutrient requirements of a horse vary with its age, weight and the amount of work it performs. Good quality hay is sufficient feed for a mature horse that is ridden very little. With an increase in work, grain should be added to its diet.
What are the minerals needed for horses?
Small amounts of minerals usually are needed. Iron, copper, phosphorous, calcium and magnesium are examples of minerals that are important for a horse's body. Without iron, blood cannot carry oxygen to the body's cells. Without calci um and phosphorous, bones and teeth will not form properly.
What is a complete feed?
A complete feed is a grain mix that is high in fiber because it contains a forage or high-fiber byproducts feed such as hulls. Complete feeds are held together, usually by extrusion (puffed up like dog food) or by forming into pellets. If you are feeding a commercial complete feed, you will not need to feed hay (follow the label for feeding recommendations). There are also feeds for specific classes of horses. Some feeds are specially formulated for young, growing horses (weanlings and yearlings); and for geriatric (aged) horses that are old and have specific nutritional needs. Some commercial feed companies make pre-mixed, convenient, easy-to-use formulated feeds for horses that are on different hay diets such as grass or alfalfa. You should not need to add any other supplements to the diet. These feeds may be more expensive than developing your own ration, but they are good for the owner who does not want to spend time to research their horse's diet.
How much roughage should a horse eat?
For example, a 1,100 pound horse requires at least 11 pounds of roughage.
Why is it important to know how to feed a horse?
Understanding the function of the horse's gastrointestinal (GI) tract is critical for maintaining its health and preventing conditions such laminitis.
How much water does a horse drink?
A horse drinks about 10 to 12 gallons of water daily depending on the work it is doing. In hot weather, a horse may drink up to 15 to 20 gallons of water. In very cold weather, water heaters may be needed to prevent the water from freezing. Energy in feeds is measured in Mega calories (Mcal) of digestible energy (DE).
What are the parts of a horse made of?
Proteins eventually become muscle, internal organs, bone and blood. Skin, hair, hooves and many other parts of a horse also are made of protein. Protein not needed to maintain or build a horse's body is either converted into energy or passed through the digestive system.
What is the best feed for horses?
Feeding a high level of cereals does increase the risk of digestive problems such as gastric ulcers and colic. Therefore for horses in hard work choose a high fibre feed with a high oil content, such as Alfa-A Oil or Performance fibre.
What nutrients do horses need?
The requirements for antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin E and selenium also increases with increasing workload and so feeds for horses in medium work or above will also contain higher levels of these nutrients.
What is medium work for horses?
Horses in medium work. A horse in medium work is usually expected to be doing regular schooling for around an hour a day and competing in affiliated competitions. Feeds for horses in medium work are typically formulated to provide 10-12MJ/kg DE. The higher level of energy in these feeds comes from the use of more digestible fibre sources such as ...
What is a horse at maintenance?
Horses at maintenance are those that are not taking part in any ridden or enforced exercise such as those that are retired. Their energy requirements are simply those to support their normal bodily functions and to maintain weight.
What is the mantra for feeding a horse?
Feeding your horse can seem like a minefield, but one mantra that every horse owner should start with is “feed according to your horse’s bodyweight and workload”. Whilst this sounds simple in practice, how do you know how hard you are working your horse?
What is the best score for a horse's condition?
Body condition scoring is the best tool to know if you are supplying sufficient energy in the diet; a condition score 3 on the 5 point scale is about right for most leisure horses. Good do-ers in light work may simply require a ration that’s similar to those at maintenance.
What do horses need to be healthy?
Whatever the level of work horses are doing, they need essential quality protein, vitamins and minerals to support general health and well-being, including tissue integrity, muscle tone and healthy hoof growth. For horses in little/no work or very good doers’ balancers’ are particularly useful as they supply all these essential nutrients ...
How to match horse diet to workload?
Matching your horse’s diet to their workload involves supplying the calories and nutrients they need to maintain the desired body condition and provide energy for their work whilst keeping the diet balanced at all times.
What is the minimum amount of forage needed for a horse?
The recommended minimum level of forage for maintaining overall health and function of the digestive system is not less than the equivalent of 1% of the horse’s bodyweight. ‘Good-doers’. Different horses have different metabolisms so whilst a horse’s requirement for calories (energy) will depend both on workload and body condition, ...
Why should forage intake be limited for horses?
The psychological and physiological benefits of this approach far outweigh any which suggest that forage intake should be limited for horses in intense work in an attempt to minimise bulky fibre sitting in the horse’s digestive system. The only instance when forage intake really requires management is for the especially good- doer ...
Do racehorses need concentrates?
Horses in hard work, such as racehorses need high energy feed, such as concentrates. The total concentrate ration should be divided into as many small meals as possible to avoid overloading the digestive system.
Do horses lose appetite for concentrate feed?
With a greater amount of calories and nutrients coming from concentrate feed, it is possible that horses will lose some of their appetite for forage but ideally horses should still have access to forage ad lib, to satisfy their need to chew and to maintain a healthy digestive system.
