Feeding Horses and Supplements

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Feeding Horses and Supplements

Forage first, hard feed, common risks and what supplements actually do

A horse's digestive system is built for continuous grazing of low-energy forage, and almost every feeding problem comes from departing too far from that.

Forage first

Hay, haylage or grass should make up the bulk of the diet, commonly quoted as a minimum of one and a half to two percent of body weight daily in dry matter. Long gaps without forage are associated with gastric ulcers, which are very common.

Slow feeders and small-hole nets extend eating time, which matters more than the quantity for many horses.

Hard feed

Only for horses whose workload or condition genuinely requires it. Feeding by the scoop rather than by weight is the usual error, and scoop weights differ enormously between feeds.

Introduce any change gradually over one to two weeks, since a sudden change disrupts the hindgut and is a recognised colic risk.

The main risks

Laminitis, linked to obesity, sugar and starch intake and underlying conditions such as equine metabolic syndrome and Cushing's. Colic, linked to sudden dietary change, poor water intake and insufficient forage.

Obesity is now one of the most common welfare problems in leisure horses, and body condition scoring is a better guide than appearance.

Supplements

A balancer covers vitamin and mineral shortfalls where forage alone is fed, which is a genuine gap. Beyond that, evidence varies enormously and marketing outruns it.

Do not stack several products, since exceeding safe levels of selenium or vitamins is possible.

Weight and condition

Body condition score monthly and use a weigh tape to track change, since a horse in front of you every day is the hardest one to judge. Restricting grazing and increasing exercise both work and need doing carefully.

Never starve a horse to reduce weight, which risks hyperlipaemia, particularly in ponies and donkeys.

Teeth and worming

Dental checks at least annually, since a horse that quids or drops feed is in pain. Worming should follow faecal egg counts rather than a blanket schedule, which reduces resistance.

Water and turnout

A horse drinks a considerable amount daily and drinks less when water is cold or dirty, which is a colic risk. Check troughs and buckets twice a day in winter.

Turnout and company matter as much as feed. Horses are herd animals and isolation causes real stress.

Weigh feed rather than using a scoop, since scoop weights differ enormously between feeds.

Introduce spring grass gradually, which is when laminitis cases peak.

Getting advice

A vet or a qualified equine nutritionist, and forage analysis if you keep several horses.

Clean water constantly, checked for ice in winter.

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