People love horses and the idea of having stables, but not many people know how to feed a horse properly. There are many contradicting theories on what horses should and should not eat. The law requires people who manufacture commercial animal nutrition products to label them properly. They should have a list of products used as well as the nutritional value. This helps the horse owner to plan a good diet for the horses. Proper nutrition for a horse is not about the food only. You should also consider the type of horse, feeding time, and the nutritional value of the food, supplements, and many other determinants. Here are the basic requirements for proper equine nutrition.

 

Feed Horses by Weight

Many people make the mistake of feeding a horse by volume instead of by weight. Typical horses consume approximately two percent of their body weight in forage. Since forage is the main source of nutrients, make sure that the horse has access to a good pasture. You can release the horse to graze for around eight hours a day and restrict pasture for the rest of the day. If you have to switch from grass to hay and grain, start with a couple of hours and switch gradually to avoid colic and laminitis.

 

Have a Balanced Diet

Good quality commercial feeds have vitamins, probiotics, and rich nutritional value. Feed your horse a good balance of carbs, fats, minerals, protein, and forage. High-fat diets for horses are fairly new in the market. Commercial feeds add fat in horse feeds in the form of stabilized oils. If your horse does not feed on commercial feeds, you should supplement minerals and vitamins with ration balancers. Remember to feed your horse according to weight. Pregnant and young horses also require special consideration in their diet.

 

Minimize Wastage

As you feed your horse, make sure that you are not wasting feeds. Sometimes, you think you have provided enough volumes of feed only to discover that the horse has only taken a small portion. Observe the feeding schedules so that the horse can have effective feeding hours, as opposed to feeding all day. Feed the horse depending on activity levels.

 

Observe the Pecking Order

Sometimes, the pecking order can affect the feeding patterns of your animals. The bullies end up eating too much and becoming obese. The submissive horses may be eating less than they need. If you need to rearrange the feeding schedules so that they all get their fair share, then do it. Make sure you have an extra feeding bucket for water and grains for the submissive horses.

 

Water and Salt Are a Must

Horses consume a large amount of water due to their size. Make sure that they have access to freshwater. If they go for long hours without water, they can develop dehydration. Long-term effects of dehydration in horses result in kidney failure and brain damage. Equine nutritionists recommend adding an appropriate amount of salt in the water or their feeds. This provides the horse with calcium and phosphate. Some horses like to lick a salt block after their feeding session.


 

To understand equine nutrition even further, visit Sweet River Equine Clinic, Inc. at our offices in Modesto, California. You can also call (209) 524-9191 to book an appointment today.