by Peter Waller

Created on: February 24, 2007   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

Traditional horse rations usually contain large amounts of cereal grains that put horses at greater risk of colic, founder, tying-up and gastric ulcers. Most horse owners feeding the traditional program lines are very concerned about digestive disorders. Alternatively, feeding a forage-based program can provide the nutrients required for optimum performance as well as reduce the risks of under-feeding, over-supplementing, and metabolic disorders often associated with grain starch overload. The only requirement is that you turn back on traditional feeding practices and start feeding your horse like a horse.

Remember where the horse began and begin to feed accordingly. also take into account the intensity of work, whether the horse is young and growing or in various stages of pregnancy or lactation. High roughage content and low concentrate increase the oil/fat content of the ration. Feed regularly. Three small feeds per day will bring about a faster response time in terms of conditioning rather than one large feed once per day. It is imperative we keep the stomach as full as is possible in order to keep the digesta moving through the digestive tract. If you wish to change Dobbin's feeding program, do so gradually and not suddenly decide to take him off what he is currently being fed and immediately make radical changes overnight as this sudden shift in in the diet may also be the trigger for an uncalled-for bout of colic. There is nothing mystical about colics. There are several types, but in essence, they all mean the same thing; a belly-ache.

There are very few horse owner who have a sound knowledge of the nutritional requirements of the horse. There are two very important concepts to keep in mind when feeding your horse.
The first is to understand where and how the horse evolved; i.e. on the plains, and what it lived on. The second is the old horseman's term of "feeding by eye".
Various problems can be caused by poor feeding techniques including colic, laminitis or founder, and excess energy.
If your horse has a cresty neck and quite a bit of fat built up along its back and croup, the chances are that is what is termed an 'easy keeper', and overweight. If you can see the ribs quite clearly defined and the hipbones protrude and maybe even some of the spineous process' are quite visible, then your horse is getting close to dangerously underweight.

The objective of this paper is to point out the failings and misunderstandings of horse owners and attempt to instill

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