How to Feed a Horse

Measure the horse’s body mass with a tape measure or gravimeter (horse scale). Weight bridges are often more accurate and should be used in place of a tape measure if possible. Condition assessment is the most effective form of weight change monitoring. You can measure your horse’s weight every two weeks and reflect the change graphically.

Calculate the total daily dietary requirements of the horse (forage and meal). Horses typically consume food equivalent to 1.5 to 3% of their body weight, averaging 2.5%. To determine the daily amount of feed for a horse, you can use the following formula: Horse weight/100 x 2.5 = Total daily requirement.

Determine how to gain weight for horses. Do you want them to stay at their current weight (weight maintenance regimen)? Want your horse to lose weight due to health problems (weight loss regimen)? Or do you want them to gain weight because of a medical history or the horse is underweight?

• The best way to plan your horse’s feeding is to feed based on desired weight rather than current. For example, a horse is underweight and has a mass of 300 kg. If you want them to gain 400 kg, you should not provide the equivalent of 2.5% of 300 kg but 2.5% of 400 kg.
• Use the same method as above for horses that are overweight. Feed them based on their target weight, not the current one. This means that you feed your horse less than its current weight needs so that they lose weight quickly.

Control energy levels in forage by feeding different varieties or mixing them together. Each forage contains different amounts of DE (digestible energy) depending on the type of feed (grass, forage, hay, oat straw) and the type of grass (rye, grass) cat’s tail, chicken leg grass or garden grass). Also the time of year has an impact on DE. Spring grass has a high energy level while winter grass is lower. For reserve grass, harvesting time also affects DE. Freshly harvested grass usually has high DE levels while old grass will have a reduced DE. Oat Straw has a very low DE content. The best way to determine the nutritional value in animal feed is by analyzing the ingredients.

Determine the type of energy for the horse. Some horses are rather short-tempered (getting excited quickly and getting scared easily). In this case, you should give them a slow release energy source (fiber and oil), as this is the safest type of energy and causes few health problems. Meanwhile, some dogs are lazy and inactive, so you should feed them a quick-release energy source (starch in cereals such as oats and rye. May cause health problems and should be provided in moderation in some horses.

Consult a specialist in the event that the amount of feed intended for the horse cannot be determined. If you’re not sure how much to feed your horse, you can talk to an equine veterinarian. In addition, some feed manufacturers offer some helpful advice when feeding horses.

Adjust the horse’s feed intake if necessary. The nutritional needs of horses depend on the amount of fresh grass they have eaten while grazing in the field and their activity level. You need to determine your horse’s daily needs to decide whether to reduce or increase the amount of food in the usual diet. ^[12]

• If you graze your horses in the field all day and they already eat a lot of fresh grass, there is no need to eat more hay.
• If the horse is active all day and moves a lot, you should give them more food to make up for the calories consumed.

Feed one hour before or after riding. You should not feed them right before or after intense activity because blood flow will redirect away from the internal organs and interfere with digestion. Plan your feeding according to your horse’s performance schedule. ^[13]

• If the horse is very active, you should feed it about three hours before.