SO MANY FEED CHOICES- HOW DO I CHOOSE WHAT MY HORSE EATS?  

Let’s start with a little quiz. You don’t have to submit the answers, or score it, or even share it with anyone. It’s just to get you thinking about the choices you make when feeding your horse.

1. My horse eats ________________________ and it’s made by ______________.

2. He gets this much feed _______________ per meal and is fed __________times a day.

3. I feed this because a) my trainer/farrier suggested it.

b) my horse is boarded out and this is what the barn manager feeds him c) it’s what he’s always eaten

d) my vet suggested it/ I researched and felt this was the best choice

f) it’s what Susie Champion-BlueRibbon feeds and her horse always wins

4. The hay my horse eats is: first crop / second crop (circle one)

5. He gets this much hay in the summer ___________and this much in the winter__________

6. He always has access to clean, fresh water that isn’t frozen in the winter Y / N

7. He always has access to salt Y / N

So…what does your horse eat? How much, and how often? What I’m really interested in is WHY you feed your horse as you do. If you find yourself admitting to several of the choices in Question 3, you aren’t alone. I pulled most of those from personal experience!

The field of commercial horse feeds is broad. There are feeds for young horses, old horses, performance horses, breeding stock, pasture pets, horses that need to gain or lose weight, horses that are sensitive to sugar and starch, horses that have metabolic or other health issues. Feeds can be high or low calorie, controlled starch, low starch, high fiber, suitable for all life stages, fixed formula or nutrition-locked. Like most things, the higher the quality, the higher the price tag. With some thought and a bit of research, you can find something to suit your horse’s requirements and your wallet.

There are several things to consider when deciding the best diet for your horse. Here are some questions you should be prepared to answer. These aren’t in any order, and they don’t necessarily collect all the information that may be pertinent to your horse, but they are good for starting the process.

1. Can he eat hay or pasture? Forage, as we’ve said before, should be the principal part of your horse’s diet. Everything else should be built around forage, which can be any combination of pasture and hay. If he has no access to pasture or can’t have grass, then we’re looking at hay or other forms of forages as the major component of his diet. If he can’t eat hay, perhaps because of his teeth, then the next step is to look at complete feeds. These supply the nutrients, calories, and fiber that a horse needs daily, if they are fed according to the guidelines on the bag. If you are feeding less than the recommended amount, your horse isn’t getting what he needs. Granted, horses have different metabolisms and maybe your horse needs more or less than the bag recommends, but if you are feeding one pound and he should be getting five, then he will suffer for it. Hay extender pellets, while useful for replacing part of your horse’s forage diet, should not replace all of it and don’t contain the protein, vitamins, and minerals that the complete feeds contain.

2. How old is your horse? Age matters. Young horses have different requirements than older horses. Feeding them incorrectly can cause joint and bone development issues which will become apparent as they become older. This is why we have growth formulas. We have senior feeds because older horses become less efficient at extracting nutrients from feed as they age, and you may find that the feed he’s eaten for years no longer does the job. Senior feeds are formulated to make the nutrients more available to the horse. There is no set age at which a horse is considered a senior- some horses in their mid-teens would benefit from a change to senior feeds. Many, but not all, senior feeds can be fed as complete feeds. Check the bag to be sure. Complete feeds give feeding directions for horses that can eat forage and those that cannot. A caveat with senior feeds- they are not all alike. They can vary in the number of calories per pound and the amount of starch and sugar. If your older horse is needs to gain weight, or lose weight, or is sensitive to starches and sugars, these are additional requirements you should consider when selecting a feed.

3. What breed is he? Different breeds on average have different metabolisms. Some, such as Mustangs, have developed in the wild to exist on very little and do well on forage with ration balancers to fill the gaps in vitamins and minerals. Your Thoroughbred…different story. She likely needs a higher calorie diet to fuel her daily routine. “Hot” breeds and nervous horses tend to expend more energy because they are constantly active. Some breeds can tolerate higher levels of sugars and starches better than other breeds, and there are breeds that may carry defective genes such as HYPP (Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis) that require a closely monitored diet and strict attention to the levels of potassium. Of course, every horse is an individual and should be fed as such, and there are variations within breeds. The point here is that being aware of certain dietary requirements, concerns, and/or restrictions related to your horse’s breed can help you select your horse’s meal.

4. What is his job- how active is he? What your horse does for work determines a huge part of his nutritional needs. If he earns his keep by giving several lessons a day, or competes, or races, he has a greater caloric need than his friend who is a pasture buddy. If his job involves speed and quick responses, he will benefit from calories that are supplied by sugars and starches. If his work is more “slow and steady,” then calories from fat are probably a better choice. And not just calories- his need for protein and vitamins and minerals is greater too, because he is using them up with his increased movement. Calories provide energy but they don’t build and maintain muscle- you need protein for that. Bones and teeth need the correct calcium and phosphorous balance to stay healthy and strong. Vitamins and other minerals are essential for eyesight, blood circulation, transmission of impulses to the muscles, healthy brain…you get the picture. There are many performance feeds on the market that are designed to help the horse stay at optimum health. He still needs forage though! Considering the type and amount of work that he does will help you make an appropriate choice.

5. Are his teeth examined and maintained on a regular basis? I can’t repeat this enough: dental health is critical. The horse starts the digestive process in his mouth when he grinds up his food and mixes it with saliva before swallowing. If his teeth are sharp or if he has hooks, waves, or missing teeth, then he isn’t able to start digestion properly. This leads to feed that isn’t properly broken down before entering his stomach and can lead to an increased chance of choke and impaction. Some hard grains, such as whole corn, can travel through the digestive system intact if they aren’t properly ground by the teeth. Grains that aren’t digested don’t have any nutritional value. You might as well feed him those dollar bills! If he is smooth-mouthed or missing teeth and can’t eat hay, complete feeds are a great option because of the high amount of fiber and because they can be soaked and consumed easily. Dental health is worth every penny that you spend on it. Get those teeth examined at least once a year, twice is better. Even if you’ve been told that he can go a longer period of time, get them checked. Horse mouths, like human mouths, can change over time. Did I mention that dental care is critical, and that digestion begins in his mouth? Increased attention and care of his teeth can improve his ability to absorb whatever feed you give him.

6. What is his body condition- is he skinny or fat? If you are not familiar with the concept of “body condition scoring,” take a few minutes and look it up. This is a way to standardize a horse’s appearance so that we all have a similar image in mind when we talk about “skinny” or “fat.” Instead of relying on individual perception, it uses measurable points of the horse’s body to assign a numerical score.

We’ll look at the skinny horse first. There are feeds and supplements that help a horse gain weight by adding more calories in the form of fat, fiber, or simple carbs. Adding fat is a “cool” and safe way to increase calories, and horses tolerate this quite well. Increasing the amount of fiber is another safe way to add weight. It’s worthwhile to have your hay analyzed and then weigh your horse’s typical meal so that you know how many calories he’s actually getting from the hay that he consumes. Increasing his weight may be as simple as increasing the amount of hay that he eats. Simple carbohydrates, consisting of sugars and starches, are not as calorie dense as fats, meaning that you need to feed more to put weight on your horse. Some horses are sensitive to starches and sugars, either in their behavior or their metabolic health, so increasing fat and fiber is a better choice for them.

Now we must step into more complicated territory for a moment. Carbohydrates can be structured or non-structured. Fiber is actually a structured carbohydrate, meaning that it has a complex chemical make-up. The process of digesting fiber releases energy and heat, but slowly. Because of the slow release of heat, feeding more hay is an excellent way to help keep your horse warm in the winter. Non-structural carbohydrates, or NSCs, have a simple chemical make-up and break down to release energy quickly. They are the source of quick energy for performance horses, but a source of concern if they are not used up and are stored in the horse’s body instead. Feeds can be low NSC/high calorie because they have increased fat or fiber, and they can be low NSC/low calorie because the main ingredients are grain by-products. Hay also contains NSCs- yet another reason to have your hay analyzed! Horses can be sensitive to sugars and starches because of their age, genetics, and activity level, and your choice should be made based on these factors.

If he is too fat, there are “lite” feeds that provide the vitamins and minerals that he needs but with a lower calorie count. It’s worthwhile to note here that just feeding your horse less than the recommended rate of a high calorie feed isn’t the best way to help him lose weight, because you’ll be cutting the protein, vitamins, and minerals as well. If the feed tag recommends that you feed him five pounds per day and you give him “just a handful,” you are depriving him of nutrients. It’s much better to switch to a lower calorie feed or a ration balancer. Again, testing your hay and weighing his meal will help you make decisions, as you’ll have a better picture of what his calorie and nutrient intake is.

7. Is he on a regular deworming program? This won’t help you make decisions about his diet, but good management regarding deworming helps him to make the most of his feed. Parasites can interfere with nutrient absorption, so talk with your vet about a program that works for your horse and your farm.

8. Are there any health concerns? Are there issues such as allergies, PPID (Cushings), HYPP, laminitis, or insulin resistance? First, you should consult with your vet about your horse’s specific needs: there may be nutritional supports that he should have, ingredients you should avoid, and management changes to make. Your vet has studied equine nutrition and can help you determine what kind of diet your horse should follow. He or she may not choose to recommend a specific product though. The large feed companies, while offering many different lines of feed, all offer choices that are designed to help horses with specific dietary needs. There are also feeds that are free from certain grains that might cause allergic reactions or affect your horse’s digestion.

This is a lot of information- who can help me sort through it? In addition to your vet, your local feed store is a great place to start. Most feed stores hopefully have at least one person on staff who understands horses, and that person should be asking you these questions. Many small, locally owned feed stores hold seminars throughout the year to help you learn about feed and offer to help you test your hay. They may carry several lines of feed, so you are sure to find something that will work for your horse.

If you feel like they can’t help you, ask if you can be contacted by a feed company representative. True, the rep will try to steer you to their company’s products, but they can be an excellent source of information. COVID restrictions aside, some feed reps can make farm calls and discuss your feeding program in detail and make recommendations.

In summary, let’s look at Question 3. Can you explain why you feed your horse as you do?

1. If your trainer or farrier recommends a product, listen to their explanation but don’t stop there. Do some research to see if it is a good fit for your horse. Remember that their expertise is not necessarily in the field of nutrition, although they may have helpful ideas.

2. B) Your barn manager may have experience feeding many horses but may prefer to use just a few feeds as opposed to having 25 open bags in the feed room. If you decide to feed something different, be prepared to take on the responsibility of getting the feed yourself.

3. If your feed program hasn’t changed in years, take a hard look to determine if it is still working. Ask your vet and your local feed store for recommendations.

4. If you have already consulted with your vet and done some research, you are ahead of the curve. Be careful of online information though- “Workhorses R Us” blog or “Fuzzy-Wuzzy-Pony-Forum” are not reliable sources! You want information that is the result of controlled tests and has been documented. The major feed companies provide lots of good information on feeding and managing equine diets. Many universities are sources of helpful information too.

5. And finally, if you are feeding as you do because it’s what Susie Champion-BlueRibbon feeds and she always wins, that’s not what it’s about. Granted, better nutrition means a healthier horse and greater performance potential, but it’s not about the ribbons. It’s about the time you spend with your horse and the effort you take to give him the best care that you can.