Many of us like to feed our horses treats. These tidbits may include things like apples, carrots, or other favorite fruits or vegetables, handfuls of grain, sugar cubes or candies, or sometimes odd things like a bite of a hot dog or boiled egg. However, it may not be advisable to feed horses meat or too many sugary treats, including fruit.
Full Answer
What is the best thing to feed a horse?
Your horse can get its essential nutrients from many types of feed. 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.
How to take care of a wild horse at home?
Never feed moldy or dusty hay, grass or grain. Never feed lawn grass clippings. Have fresh, clean water available at all times-except to a hot horse. A hot horse needs to be given water slowly. Keep feed and water containers clean. Check and clean water buckets and tanks regularly.
What are the rules of feeding a horse?
The rules of feeding are the big ones. Remember them, and you’ll have a good foundation upon which to build your overall horse care. 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 you never feed a horse?
Never feed moldy or dusty hay, grass or grain. Never feed lawn grass clippings. Have fresh, clean water available at all times-except to a hot horse. A hot horse needs to be given water slowly.
Can I feed someone else's horse?
Extra feeds or feeding unsuitable items can lead to weight gain and obesity, and some severe emergency issues. Jamie Forrest, our Intern Veterinary Surgeon, explains: "It is so important not to feed other people's horses and donkeys without getting their owner's permission.
What household items can horses eat?
Almost any fruits, and many vegetables, are safe treats for healthy horses. Apples and carrots are traditional favorites. You can safely offer your horse raisins, grapes, bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe or other melons, celery, pumpkin, and snow peas.
What should you not feed horses?
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:
Can you feed a horse on the ground?
Why feeding hay and grain from ground level is in your horse's best interest. You can reduce your horse's risk of choke, colic and respiratory disorders and increase the amount of nutrients he gets from his ration by doing nothing more than eliminating chest- or head-high feed tubs and hay racks.
Can horses eat Quaker oats?
Oats are a naturally grown type of grain that can be used as a feed for your horse. One of the primary benefits of feeding oats is that they are considered one of the most easily digested types of starch that you can provide for your horse.
Are carrots bad for horses?
Carrots are very high in vitamin A (carotene), low in saturated fat and cholesterol. To feed carrots to your horse, either cut the carrots longwise or cut each into small pieces. Most horses love to eat carrots, but like other treats, do not feed them too many.
Is bread good for horses?
Bread is also high in starch and if your horse has equine metabolic syndrome and is insulin resistant, bread could lead to laminitis and founder. So although many items like bread are not toxic to horses, it is still not a good idea to feed these items as there are much healthier choices for equine feeds.
Can a horse just eat grass?
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. Horses are meant to eat roughage, and their digestive system is designed to use the nutrition in grassy stalks.
Why are apples good for horses?
Apples are also high in potassium, which aids in your horse's muscle function, and high in fiber, for a healthy digestive system. There are a ton of different varieties of apples available, and horses can safely eat any color, including red, yellow, and green.
Do horses need hay if they have grass?
We know horses need to eat either grass or hay. When horses eat grass, you will need to keep an eye on their condition and make sure that they are neither eating too much nor too little. Horses can overeat grass, especially if the pasture is lush, but it is also easy to let a horse get too fat from eating hay.
Should you hand feed a horse?
Hand-feeding your horse treats will make him mouthy, disrespectful, and dangerous! This conventional rule of horsemanship has been taught for years. In truth, many horses accept food without a hint of adverse behavior.
How long can a horse go without eating?
Horses can go for two or three weeks without eating anything. However, starved horses begin to develop health complications in one to two days.
Can horses eat sugar cubes?
Sugar cubes: Perhaps the oldest treat of the horse world, sugar cubes are a great treat when fed sparingly. One sugar cube has about 4 grams of sugar (one teaspoon). Keep in mind that all feeds (except oil & water) have sugars and starches.
Can horses eat potato chips?
Thankfully, horses generally avoid potatoes due to an off-putting taste. But with so many delicious forms of potato, that isn't always the case. French fries, chips, gnocchi, and other potato-based foods are all dangerous to horses.
Can horses eat cheerios?
All of my horses LOVE cheerios, and its a simple and healthy treat! I've found one of my old horses with her nose in my lunchbox trying to get to a bag of cheerios I had inside. They especially like the honey-nut flavor.
Can horses eat bread?
Bread is also high in starch and if your horse has equine metabolic syndrome and is insulin resistant, bread could lead to laminitis and founder. So although many items like bread are not toxic to horses, it is still not a good idea to feed these items as there are much healthier choices for equine feeds.
How to feed a horse grain?
Feed grain in small amounts and often 1 Every horse has different needs. Consider both their size and the amount of work they do when deciding how much they need to eat. 2 Consider the amount of hay or pasture your horse gets: Horses who are grazing on good pasture the majority of the day don’t need much hay, if any. Horses who don’t get much turnout or aren't on good pasture will need more hay, whether they are inside or out. 3 During winter or drought, supplement pasture grazing with hay. When the grass is thick and lush, you can cut back or eliminate hay rations completely, depending on available pasture. 4 With grain, less is always more, so start with a minimal amount and adjust as necessary. You’ll find the right balance of pasture, hay, and grain for your particular horse’s needs. 5 If the amount of work your horse is doing changes, be sure to adjust their food ration.
How much should a horse eat?
A horse should eat one to two percent of their body weight in roughage every day. Horses who spend much of their time in stalls aren’t doing much grazing, but their natural feeding patterns can be replicated by keeping hay in front of them for most of the day.
What happens if a horse eats too much?
When a horse is fed too much at once, the food isn't digested as effectively . Every horse has different needs. Consider both their size and the amount of work they do when deciding how much they need to eat. Consider the amount of hay or pasture your horse gets: Horses who are grazing on good pasture the majority of the day don’t need much hay, ...
Why is it bad for horses to eat after work?
When feeding a horse after work, let them cool down completely—the ir breathing rate should be back to normal, and their skin should not feel hot or sweaty.
How to measure horse feed?
Start off measuring your horse’s feed by weight using a kitchen or postal scale, or by using the scale at your local feed store. Once you figure out how much your horse’s typical ration weighs, measure that portion at feeding time using a scoop, coffee can, or whatever suits your needs.
How long should you wait to ride a horse?
Ideally, you should wait an hour or so after your horse has finished a meal before riding them. If you’re going to do something really strenuous, it should be closer to three hours. A full digestive system gives the horse’s lungs less room to work, and makes exercise much harder on them.
Can you cut back hay rations?
When the grass is thick and lush , you can cut back or eliminate hay rations completely, depending on available pasture. With grain, less is always more, so start with a minimal amount and adjust as necessary. You’ll find the right balance of pasture, hay, and grain for your particular horse’s needs. If the amount of work your horse is doing ...
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.
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 roughage should a horse eat?
For example, a 1,100 pound horse requires at least 11 pounds of roughage.
How many nutrients do horses need?
A horse requires five types of nutrients. Each nutrient has an important role in the horse's body and is needed to keep the horse healthy.
What are the best supplements for horses?
Only add supplements to the diet if something is missing. Some protein supplements are oilseed meals, soybeans, cottonseed, linseed (flaxseed) meal, peanut meal, sunflower seed meal and rapeseed (canola). Vitamin and mineral supplements should only be added to the diet if the horse is deficient. Generally, the only minerals of concern in feeding horses are calcium, phosphorus and salt. In some geographical areas, lack of selenium and, in growing horses, copper and zinc, is a concern. Other minerals are likely to be present in adequate amounts in a normal diet.
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.
Why do horses have mirrors?
It helps to prevent the feeling of isolation by giving the impression of other horses being around. Being herd animals horses can get extremely stressed when they feel that they’re on their own but with these stick-on mirrors, they believe that at least one other horse is with them.
Why can't horses sweat?
This can be very dangerous because the horse isn’t able to regulate his temperature and can overheat. For many years beer has been used as a successful treatment for this.
Is coconut oil safe for horses?
It doesn’t really matter how you use coconut oil around horses it’s going to benefit them in so many ways, just as it does with us. I won’t go into all of the ways coconut oil is good for your horse because I’ve covered the subject in more detail here but I’ll quickly summarise how good it is to feed it to your horse daily.
Can you feed coconut oil to horses?
When to feed: Coconut oil is so versatile that you can either add it to your horse’s daily feed or give it to him as a lick. If you prefer you can also use it as an occasional treat.
Is a horse friendly?
As a rule, horses are gentle , mild-manner ed creatures that , despite their size, are generally friendly and affectionate towards humans but sadly this isn’t always the case. The good news though is...
Do watermelons help horses?
They have vitamin A that can help with eyesight (not that horses need much help with that ), vitamin C that can not only help to improve your horse’s immune system but also speed up the healing of wounds, and vitamin B1 and B6 that can help to give your horse ‘cool’ energy.
Can horses eat all their food?
While the nutrition al needs of a horse are dependant on things like their age and workload some foods can be consumed by all horses regardless of any particular needs they have, whether as part of their daily diet or as occasional treats .
Why is it important to feed a horse?
It is important to know your horse’s body weight, condition and level of work and follow the recommended feeding guidelines on the feed sack. Check regularly for changes in body weight and condition and alter the feed/amount accordingly.
What is a specialist diet for horses?
Does your horse need a specialist feed? Specialist diets include feeds low in starch and sugar, feeds suitable for laminitics or feeds for horses or ponies with intolerances to certain feed ingredients.
What is digestible energy in horses?
It is very important that your horse’s diet is based on the correct amount of energy needed for the level of work he is doing. The digestible energy (DE) level of a feed (measured in mega joules, MJ) tells you how much energy is available to the horse for maintenance and exercise. As energy and calories are basically the same thing, ...
How to calculate body weight of a horse?
To calculate approximate bodyweight using body length and girth measurement: Measure your horse’s girth (circumference) and length (from point of shoulder to point of buttock) and use the following calculation to give an approximate figure for bodyweight.
How long before riding should you feed a horse?
Most horses don’t need a grain-heavy diet but if your horse does have grains (such as oats or barley) then you should give him enough time to digest this properly first before riding.
Can you ride a horse on an empty stomach?
Horses are constantly producing stomach acids which is why they need to spend a lot of time (up to 14 hours a day) grazing. This continual grazing produces a lot of saliva which helps to protect the delicate lining of the stomach but it also means that there’s often something in the horse’s stomach for the acid to attack.
Can you feed a horse hay before riding?
Hay is easy for horses to digest so feeding them a small amount before exercise won’t cause any issue but will instead prevent the stomach acids from moving around because they’ll be busy ‘attacking’ the hay.
Can you feed a horse after riding?
While a lot of focus is placed on feeding your horse before riding not much is talked about feeding them after riding but this is just as important. If your horse is worn out through exercise then he’s not going to be able to digest his food properly which can lead to all manner of issues, not least colic.
Can you give a horse water before riding?
Regardless of whether or not you feed your horse before riding him, you should always make sure he has enough water to drink. This is even more important if you’re riding when the weather is hot.
Recommended products
Over the years I use have tried hundreds of different horsey products, from various blankets and halters to different treats. Some I’ve loved, others I’ve hated but I thought I’d share with you my top all-time favorite products, the ones I never leave the yard without.
Shopping lists
I’ve also put together a few shopping lists of essentials items that I’ve found helpful over the years. I’ve broken the lists down into different categories rather than put everything in one massive list 😉
How to feed a horse by weight?
Weighing grain concentrates is important too. Most caretakers use the scoop method. But horse feed companies recommend feeding by weight and calculate recommended portions by body weight. If you just go by eye, you may be under or over-feeding your horse. At least weigh the portions to calculate the amount, and then mark your scoop so you're feeding the same amount each time.
How to keep horses from getting colic?
Providing clean plentiful water is essential to your horse's health. Impaction colic can occur if your horse, especially one who has access to only hay, doesn't stay well hydrated. Very cold water can dissuade horses from drinking in the winter—and not surprisingly, that's when impaction colic is most common. A trough heater or half bucket of hot water mixed with the cold is a good way to make sure your horse doesn't have to drink icy cold water.
What to do if your horse is not working?
If hay or pasture won't keep your working horse in good condition, look to concentrates to make up the shortfall. However, keep in mind that the bulk of your horse's diet should be made up of grass or hay. Underfeeding hay or pasture and overfeeding grains and concentrates can lead to colic.
Why do horses need salt?
Salt is important to maintain your horse's electrolyte balance. Some people put loose salt on their horse's feed. Be careful not to 'over-salt'. Most horses can self-regulate with a salt block in their stall or pasture.
Can you overfeed a horse?
Overfeeding can lead to problems of obesity including equine metabolic syndrome and can lead to laminitis . If you find yourself becoming a master chef for a horse that doesn't have any unusual or specific feeding requirements , you could be in danger of overfeeding your horse. Most horses need a very simple diet of good pasture or hay and only need supplements or concentrates if there is a shortfall in nutrition. There's no need to be mixing and cooking bran mashes, slicing carrots, and serving up elaborate meals. Having hay tested is a good idea, as it indicates what types of supplements you might add to your horse's diet.
Is hay bad for horses?
Buying hay can be difficult, but it really is worth it to be particular because poor hay can cause all types of problems. Hay may be nutritionally deficient. Some hays are not suitable for horses and can cause colic. Dusty, moldy hay can be bad for your horse's lungs.
Can you mix bran mashes with carrots?
There's no need to be mixing and cooking bran mashes, slicing carrots, and serving up elaborate meals. Having hay tested is a good idea, as it indicates what types of supplements you might add to your horse's diet. Overfeeding is a particular problem in young horses.
People just want to know what to feed their horse
They want someone to tell them how much of what product (s) to put in the bucket. I could do that. I’ve written a few blog posts like that.
So that leaves me writing a different kind of post
One that explains that there is no simple ‘feed X, Y and maybe Z’ answer. That there’s all sorts of different factors to take into account, and there’s many different methods and techniques for management, which will suit different environments, and different horses.
Round and round I go..
with this stupid, elusive, frustrating part 4 of my otherwise awesome (if I do say so myself) nutrition for barefoot horses series.
We Are What We Eat
It's easy to see why diet is so important. The body is always regenerating, it needs good nutrition to be able to build healthy cells. Nutrition is such a confusing subject though!
How to keep flies off horses?
Many people claim that giving apple cider vinegar daily will keep the flies away, while others swear by garlic powder or brewer’s yeast. The fact more often than not is that it is very difficult to get the horse to eat enough of these items to make a difference where flies are concerned because they typically have a strong taste and smell; the trick is getting the horse to ingest them at all. The important thing to remember is that horses are all unique and what works for your neighbor’s horse may not have the same effect on your horse.
What are the enemies of horses?
In warm months, it seems like flies and other biting insects are always the #1 enemy of horses. They annoy, they bite, they cause itching, bumps, swelling and skin reactions. Often times horse owners go to great lengths to lessen the impact of flies on their horses. But can what you feed your horse actually have an impact on your fly population?
What are some good foods to feed a horse?
Many of us also know what kinds of treats or foods pass as “safe” to feed on occasion. Things like apples, carrots, or the occasional sugar cube (though not necessarily the healthiest option!). But there are several foods which horse ...
What can't horses eat?
But there are several foods which horse owners might believe are safe, but actually aren’t. Here are eight foods you should never feed your horse: 1. Chocolate.
Can horses eat persimmons?
2. Persimmons. The fibers and seeds of this fruit can cause a sticky mass known as a phytobezoar, which can become lodged within the gastrointestinal system, leading to colic. While persimmons might not be something you consider feeding to your horses, if you have persimmon trees in your pasture, they will gladly eat up the ripened fruits ...
Can you feed a fruit with a pit?
Feeding fruits with the pit in them is a choke hazard. And if you’ve ever dealt with choke, you know it is definitely not fun and can even lead to serious complications. Some pitted fruits (such as apricots, cherries, or dates) are fine to feed, so long as you remove the pit first. 6.
Can chocolate kill a horse?
1. Chocolate. Like dogs, horses are also sensitive to the chemical, theobromine, in chocolate. Large amounts of cocoa can actually kill a horse, but even a small amount will test positive on a drug test.
Can horses eat grass clippings?
Lawn clippings consist of cut grass, so many people think they are safe to feed to horses. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Lawn clippings could potentially contain toxic plants, but they are more likely to cause colic or even laminitis because it’s easy for a horse to over consume them.
