What should I Feed my horse?
Horses have evolved to eat a very high fibre diet so this should be the main component of any feeding regime. Any extra nutrients or higher energy feeds the horse may need can be added by supplementary feeding if the hay or grass is deficient or the horse is working hard/producing a foal etc.
What is the best diet for a horse with a topline?
A balanced diet with a lot of hay will do wonders to your horses topline. Soya bean meal is a great carb and protein source for your horse, just make sure you get it from a quality source. Speedibeet is an allround feed with high nutrional content.
What is the best hay for horses?
Lucerne (alfalfa) is the most common hay fed to horses, followed by grass (meadow) and oaten hay. Lucerne hay is grown in all Australian states and is widely available, whereas grass hay is harvested in southern areas.
Can I reduce the quantity of feed I Feed my horse?
This may lead to an owner reducing the quantity of feed when in fact it would be better to reduce the calories fed to the horse but keep up the volume. Reducing the quantity of feed fed to a horse can be dangerous as horses are meant to graze and browse for at least twelve hours a day.
What is the best thing to feed my horse?
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.
What human food can I feed my horse?
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. Most horses will chew these treats before swallowing, but horses that gulp large pieces of a fruit or vegetable have a risk of choking.
What are the 5 types of feeds for horses?
Wheat and milo are other grains fed to horses.Oats. Oats are the most popular and safest grain to feed to horses. ... Barley. Barley is very similar to oats as a feed except for some characteristics that affect how it is used. ... Corn. ... Wheat. ... Milo (Grain Sorghum) ... Molasses (Dried or Liquid) ... Beet Pulp.
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 horses eat carrots every day?
Feeding too many carrots in one day could also cause your horse to not eat their normal food, which is essential for proper digestion. Feeding one to two carrots per day is recommended by the majority of horse owners. I would not feed more than 2 per day and it is helpful if you feed them at different times.
Why horses should not be fed grain?
The amount of energy being consumed by the horse to keep the grain out is greater than the amount of energy being produced by the digestion of the grain. A net negative energy consumption occurs causing the horse to use fat and muscle to maintain life.
What food gives a horse energy?
Starch is a carbohydrate found in cereal grains such as barley, maize and oats and provides a good source of fast release energy, particularly useful for horses working hard for short periods.
Is corn or oats better for horses?
Oat starch is more digestible in the small intestine than corn starch, and this feature makes oats the safer feed choice when large amounts of cereal grain must be fed. Oat starch reduces the risk of hindgut acidosis, which is caused by starch entering the hindgut and undergoing rapid fermentation.
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.
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 cereal?
Owners frequently feed cereal grains such as corn and oats at the expense of forage in the diet. They feed cereal grains when the horse needs more energy than forages can provide. But horses can only eat a limited amount of cereal grain before facing serious nutrient-related illness.
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.
Why do horses need supplementary feed?
Any extra nutrients or higher energy feeds the horse may need can be added by supplementary feeding if the hay or grass is deficient or the horse is working hard/producing a foal etc. Horses require feed that takes a long time to collect and chew – slow feeding. They evolved to eat low energy ...
What to do if your horse is not getting enough pasture?
If there is not enough pasture aim to feed lots of hay. If you have a horse that is prone to getting fat try to source low calorie hay. If you buy your hay from a produce store ask them to source some for you. Even if they do not have any in they may find some if there is enough demand for it.
Why is it bad for horses to get fat?
Unless the horse is working hard (i.e. endurance, eventing, racing etc.) they can easily get too fat. This may lead to an owner reducing the quantity of feed when in fact it would be better to reduce the calories fed to the horse but keep up the volume. Reducing the quantity of feed fed to a horse can be dangerous as horses are meant to graze and browse for at least twelve hours a day. The saliva that a horse produces from chewing buffers acid in the gut which is dripped in to the stomach constantly and their gut is designed to work continually.
How does a horse produce saliva?
The saliva that a horse produces from chewing buffers acid in the gut which is dripped in to the stomach constantly and their gut is designed to work continually. Whenever possible allow your horse to graze and aim for this to be the bulk of your horse’s diet.
Is it better for horses to eat low calorie food?
Therefore we have to try to mimic the natural feeding behaviour of horses as much as is practical. Put simply it is much better for the horse to eat lots of low calorie food than a little high calorie food. Remember that what your horse likes best is not necessarily what is best for him or her!
Do horses eat plants?
Horses are herbivores. This means that they eat only plants. Plant matter is far bulkier than the feed of a carnivore (meat eater). Meat is also much more energy dense. This is why a dog spends a very small amount of time eating and large periods of each day sleeping compared to a horse that spends large periods of each day eating (or should do) and much less time sleeping.
Can you soak hay to feed a horse?
Do not give the water used to soak the hay to your horse as this will now be high in sugar! If you do decide to start feeding your horse concentrates (because he/she is working very hard and is not maintaining condition on hay/grass alone) then get some expert advice about what to feed.
What kind of grain do Australian horses eat?
Australians have traditionally fed more straights or cereal grains than premixed feeds, although this pattern is changing with the development of better quality feeds and recognition of the performance, convenience, and value these products can offer. Oats are by far the most common grain fed to horses based on safety, price, and the fact that there is no need for further processing. Australian oats are usually lower in protein than many.
What kind of hay do horses eat?
Australian horses are fed forage in the form of hay, chaff, pellets, and cubes. Lucerne (alfalfa) is the most common hay fed to horses, followed by grass (meadow) and oaten hay. Lucerne hay is grown in all Australian states and is widely available, whereas grass hay is harvested in southern areas. Lucerne and grass hay is usually packed in small bales and the unit of feeding is a biscuit, which is similar to a flake. In northern Australia the only hay available is lucerne. While this hay is acceptable for various classes of horses, lucerne can be problematic for some performance horses because of the excessive amount of protein it provides.
What is haylage in New Zealand?
In New Zealand, lucerne and oaten chaff are the primary forms of forage added to grain. Meadow and lucerne hay is fed in similar quantities to stabled performance horses and horses in the paddock. The haymaking season is shorter and more difficult in New Zealand, and therefore a great deal of care is needed to ensure hay is cured properly. Because it is harder to make good grass hay in New Zealand, haylage is becoming popular and is made commercially or on the farm. Most racing stables have access to pasture and will often cut about 6kg (13 pounds) of wet pasture for each stabled horse.
What is chaff for horses?
Chaff can also be produced on the farm using a small-scale chaff cutter. Many horses are fed a mix of oaten or wheaten chaff and lucerne chaff with their grain. Most commercial chaff is steam clean ed to remove dust and allow easier cutting. Some chaff is rough cut and includes some longer fiber. Good quality chaff should not contain any formed grain, but grain kernels are often found in chaff. Some manufacturers add oat-laden chaff to their products because the grain is cheaper than pure chaff.
Why is hay grown in Australia?
The climatic conditions at the time of haymaking are usually favorable, so hay grown in Australia is generally free of dust, molds, and other contaminants. Oaten hay is fed less commonly because production is lower and storage is more difficult. It is fed in sheaves or bales. Because hay quality is generally acceptable, horses are not usually fed haylage (fermented forage).
Why is haylage so popular in New Zealand?
Because it is harder to make good grass hay in New Zealand, haylage is becoming popular and is made commercially or on the farm. Most racing stables have access to pasture and will often cut about 6kg (13 pounds) of wet pasture for each stabled horse.
What breeds of horses are popular in Australia?
Other popular, breeds include Arabians, Quarter Horses, warmbloods, and various pony breeds. Equestrian sports are very popular, and Australia has taken the gold medal in the team three-day event competition at the last three Olympics.
What to feed a horse to give it energy?
Concentrates – if your horse is old, young, nursing, pregnant or competing, your vet may recommend concentrates, which are grains like oats, barley and corn. These give your horse energy. Be aware that these can be dangerous if you mix the wrong amounts or combinations, causing mineral imbalances.
What do horses eat?
Horses naturally want to graze all day and should eat little and often. Here are our top types of horse feed:
How long do wild horses graze?
They tend to live near fresh water supplies. It is estimated that wild horses can graze for 15-17 hours per day.
What causes a blockage in a horse's digestive tract?
Bread and cakes – these could cause a blockage in a horse’s digestive tract.
What causes a horse to choke?
Stone fruits – if not pitted these could cause your horse to choke.
How much should a horse eat?
An average adult horse should eat dry matter (what remains after all of the water is evaporated out of a feed) weighing around 1.5–3 per cent of its body weight. This depends on the horse’s activity and the quality of the food.
When to use hay for horses?
Hay or haylage – keeps your horse full and its digestive system working, particularly in the cooler months from autumn to early spring when pasture isn’t available.
What is the best feed for horses?
As we've already discussed, low calorie, low protein, fibrous feeds are the most biologically and behaviourally appropriate place to start when it comes to feeding your horse. Well managed, good quality pasture on its own can be enough to maintain many horses, and it can be easily supplemented with hay if needed.
How much feed should a horse eat?
To calculate the total amount of feed your horse can consume, use 1.7% of their bodyweight as a rule of thumb, this means a 500kg horse can safely consume up to 8.5kg of dry feed (including pasture hay and chaff) daily . Once you know the maximum quantity of food your horse can consume, you can calculate whether they are able to get all of their nutrient requirements from your feeding plan. This process can be a little complex but it is really important to get nutrition right - so if you're not sure consult your equine veterinarian for more advice.
How much to feed?
When it comes to pelleted feeds the energy and nutrient content varies from product to product, so it is always best to consult the feeding guide on the packaging for best results. Your horse's energy requirements will vary greatly depending on their level of work, body condition and stage of life.
What is the difference between horse and horse?
Differences in individual metabolism mean that some horses in light to moderate work maintain condition well on pasture and grass alone, while others need a little extra. In order to add condition without 'heating up' your horse look for balanced hard feeds that are rich in fats and fibres like Barastoc Calm Performer, Barastoc Competitor, or Hygain Allrounder.
What to do if your horse isn't getting enough hay?
If your horse isn't maintaining a good body condition score despite free access to ample hay and pasture, or if he is in heavy work, you may need to consider adding a 'hard feed' or concentrate to his diet.
Why do horses need hard feed?
Horses in heavy work may need a hard feed to help support their increased energy needs and may benefit from additional nutrients such as fats and oils for skin and coat health as well as antioxidants and essential amino acids to help support muscle health and repair.
What should a horse look like when viewed from the side?
When viewed from the side a horse with a good body condition should have: A firm neck, without a crest. The ribs should be covered but easily felt. From behind the rump should appear nicely rounded, not flattened on top or bulging. No central gutter along the back when viewed from behind.
What to feed a horse to keep them healthy?
A balanced diet with a lot of hay will do wonders to your horses topline. 3) Full fat soya bean meal. Soya bean meal is a great carb and protein source for your horse, just make sure you get it from a quality source. 4) Speedibeet.
What is speedibeet feed?
Speedibeet is an allround feed with high nutrional content. It is not only known to fill out the topline, but also to give extra shine to your horses coat, and sometimes develop dapples. If you want to give any additives, amino acids are essential. Especially lysines and methionine.
