by Beth Valen

Created on: March 12, 2009   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

While there are many variations and opinions on the optimal way to feed horses, the basic concept is very simple.

1. Feed 1.5-2% of the horses bodyweight, per day. This means a 1000# horse will be fed a total of 15-20# of hay and grain, per day.

2. Of this total ration, make sure that 80-90% is high quality forage (grass or hay). Grain or concentrates should be a small part of the total ration.

3. Ensure constant access to clean, drinkable water and salt.

There may be variations for horses that are idle, lactating, under heavy work but the above provides a good starting point that will work for the majority of horses.

Forage is the basis for every horse's ration. This can be pasture/grass, or hay. If the horse does not have access to grazing, then the entire amount must be fed in hay. Most people tend to deal with hay in terms of the number of flakes (or pads or laps, depending on the part of the country) but it's important to occasionally weigh those flakes to determine how much you are actually feeding. If the flakes are fairly consistent, weigh 3 or 4 and take the average. Alternatively, you can weigh a few bales, then divide that bale weight by the number of flakes per bale. Unless the horse is overweight, many horseman prefer to err on the side of providing more hay, rather than less. Horses evolved as grazing creatures and it's beneficial for them to be able to nibble continuously through the day. Long periods without any food disrupt the digestive process, then encourage the horse to gorge and eat too quickly when offered food again. Consider keeping grass hay in front of the horse at all times, just as a horse in the wild would have access to grazing at all times.

Concentrates were not part of the horse's natural diet. They were developed to provide the extra calories horses required to maintain their weight when calories were being depleted by their work (riding, racing, etc). As horse feeds evolved, they were fortified to provide the various nutrients that horses required (iodine, selenium, copper, calcium, phosphorous, etc).

Concentrates can include grain, fortified grains, ration balancers, etc. Oats are the most popular straight grain that is fed, but many owners prefer a fortified feed. Fortified feeds can be textured (sweet feed or dry mix) or pelleted. They contain a variety of grains, fortified with the vitamins, minerals and amino acids that are required for optimal health. It's important to feed any concentrate according to the label direction. If the bag says a 1000# horse needs 8# per day, feeding less will not provide the vitamins, minerals and amino acids promised on the nutritional analysis for that feed. If the horse is fat, and you want to reduce that amount of feed, consider a ration balancer. Ration balancers are a more concentrated version of a fortified grain, which include the same vitamins, minerals and amino acids but with less grain, so that everything the horse needs can be fed in 1-2# per day.

If you are feeding more than 4# of concentrates, it's best to divide it into multiple feedings. Simply feed half in the morning, and half in the evening, rather than all at once. If the daily amount is more than 8#, then add a third feeding. This can be important in avoiding colic.

Finally, be sure the horse always has access to fresh water. In winter, either use trough heaters, or break the ice as needed. Clean the water troughs or buckets often. If you can't see the bottom of the bucket or trough, or would not want to put your hand in it, why would you think your horse would want to drink that water? Provide access to a salt block year round. Horses may seem to ignore it for weeks or months at a time, but they know when they need it.

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