Horses that tend to bolt their feed have a higher likelihood of choking. Slowing horses feed intake down can decrease a horses risk for choke. Ways to do this include placing a large rock or brick in the horses feed tub, feeding hay first, wetting down the feed and feeding horses out of tubs on the ground.

Hay begins to lose its nutritional value at the time of cutting and continues to lose nutrients both while drying in the field and while in storage.  The nutrients most affected by harvesting and storing are vitamins. Conversely, the protein and mineral content of hay is quite stable. 

In a natural, free roaming situation horses graze nearly constantly throughout the day and night.

When feeding horses in stables it is ideal to try and mimic this feeding behavior. Horses in stabled conditions should be fed their grain concentrate over at least 2 meals, per day and hay should be provided to they can pick at it continuously between feedings.

Horses in strenuous training will likely need to be fed 3 to 4 times per day to safely consume enough concentrate to sustain their increase workload.

If roughage is not offered continuously throughout the day it can increase the horses risk for gastric ulcers.

The grain portion of the diet is intended to be digested in the small intestine of the horse. When large amounts of grain are fed in a single meal, the small intestine cannot digest and absorb all the grain and it moves undigested into the large intestine which can lead to colic and laminitis.

NO more than 2 kg (4 lbs) of grain should be offered in a single meal.

If grain is fed, never feed more the 1.25 pounds of grain per 250 pounds of horse in a single feeding.

This would calculate to no more than 5 pounds of grain per meal for a 1000 pound horse.

The water requirement of a performance horse is dependent on the amount of dry feed eaten, the environmental temperature and the amount of exercise the horse is performing.  A good rule of thumb is 1.5 quarts of water per pound of dry feed.   A 1000 lb performance horse will eat about 25 lbs of dry feed.  This gives a water requirement of approximately 9 gallons.

As environmental temperature increase, the amount of water required increases. A temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit increased water requirement to approximately 20 gallons per day.  Exercising a horse in hot weather further increased the water requirement.

Depending on the exercise intensity (amount of sweat produced), the water intake can increase more than 300% above a horse resting in a cool environment.  The total water requirement would then be 25-30 gallons per day.

Water is the single most important nutrient in the diet.

A 1000 lb horses on average will drink 5-7 gallon a day; unless they are being worked, lactating or in hot weather at which time this amount will significantly increase.

Feed regularly from day to day and at least twice a day.

Trace Mineral salt blocks are typically 97% salt and 3% trace minerals. Trace minerals often included in these blocks are zinc, iron, manganese, copper, cobalt, and iodine.

Pasture and trace mineral salt will NOT satisfy the nutrient requirements of horses.

This is especially true if horses and keep in groups and one horse is at the bottom of the pecking order. Selenium is rarely added to a trace mineral salt block and is lacking in soils and pastures in most parts of the world.

Dietary changes should be done slowly over a period of two to three weeks.

Minerals are inorganic substances that are needed by the horse for normal metabolic and biological activities.  Minerals, unlike vitamins, cannot be created by the horse; thus they need to be supplied in the diet.

There are several nutritional differences between legume and grass hays. 

In the United States, legume hays typically include alfalfa and clover.  Grass hays include many varieties of grasses and can encompass the grain (oat) hays. 

One of the most significant differences between legume and grass hays is protein content.  On average, legume hays will contain much higher levels of protein, sometimes in excess of 15%, and grass hays typically will contain 10% protein or less.  The extra protein in legume hays is not dangerous to horses.  In fact, they can utilize protein for energy. 

The downside of this surplus protein is that nitrogen, a by-product of protein digestion, must be eliminated from the body. 

Horses will drink more water and urinate more frequently when given excess protein.

In the absence of water and fat, protein makes up 80% of the horse’s body and is found in hair, hoof, skin, muscle and blood cells.  Protein is also a major part of hormones and enzymes used to control many physiological processes. 

The amount of protein required in a horse’s diet depends on the individual needs of the animal, the quality of protein being fed, and the amount of feed the horse is eating. 

Protein requirements are highest for young horses due to growth and the fact they cannot eat large amounts of feed. 

Protein requirements are the lowest for mature horses in maintenance situations, since they are not actively growing and have a large feed intake. 

From oats to apples, all feed contains nutrients.  The only difference among feed is the amount of nutrients each offers.

The most common forages fed to horses include pasture, baled hay, hay cubes and hay pellets.

Macro minerals are necessary in large amounts in the diet.  Examples of macro minerals include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and chloride. 

Micro minerals are required in micro or small amounts in the diet. Examples of micro minerals include copper, zinc, selenium and iodine.

Both hay and grain are perishable and require proper storage to minimize losses in feeding value. Protecting feed from changes in moisture content and humidity are the most critical factors influencing the growth of mold.

A proper storage area allows plenty of ventilation, maintains feed at a cool, steady temperature with low humidity, protects feed from direct sunlight and exposure to the elements, and guards feed from animal, rodent, insect and bird contamination.

High-quality pasture can provide horses with every essential nutrient except water.  In addition, pasture is relatively inexpensive.

To be considered high quality, pasture must have an adequate stand of nutritious plant life, few weeds, and no poisonous plants.

A pasture should also be large enough to prevent horses from overgrazing and damaging the plants.

Roughly 65% of the digestive capacity of the  gastrointestinal system is dedicated to the digestion of plant fibers.  This indicates that forage (such as hay or pasture) should be the main ingredient in the diet.

The majority of the horses diet must be composed of forage.

It’s helpful to classify feed by their nutrient profile.  When grouped this way the feed choices are reduced to forage, unfortified grains, fortified grain concentrates and supplements.

Free choice grass hay, alfalfa hay (.05 to 1% of BW), and a vitamin mineral balancer.  (See Article “Feeding The Sick or Injured Horse https://performancehorsenutrition.com/sick-injured-horse)

Remember all diet changes should be done gradually and please consult your nutritionist or veterinarian for specific diet recommendations for your horse.

Vitamins are essential for all metabolic functions within a horse. Horses can create within their body sufficient quantities of all vitamins except Vitamin A and E.

Mares in good body condition will produce enough high-quality milk to meet the nutrient requirements of a growing foal for the first two months of their life. After two months of age, the foal will require additional nutrients and require supplemental feed designed for young, growing horses.

Feeding nutrients beyond those that are necessary to balance the stallions diet have not been show to improve libido.

Recent research has revealed the benefits of supplementing stallions with Omega 3 fatty acids. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; an Omega 3 fatty acid) has been shown to significantly increase the number of sperm per ejaculate, increase motility of sperm and decrease dead and abnormal sperm compared to non-supplemented stallions.

The best general approach for properly feeding a breeding stallion is to consider his nutritional requirement to be similar to those of a performance horse.

With breeding stallions, as with performance horses, the most criteria dietary factor is energy (calories).

• Degenerative joint disease
• Wobbler’s Syndrome
• Contracture of tendons
• Mal-alignment of the limbs
• Club feet
• Bog spavin (hocks)
• Puffy joints (fluid in the joint )
• Stiffness
• Flexion responses
• Lameness (Often seen when training begins)
• Pain

A mare that is lactation (producing milk for her foal) has the highest nutrient requirement of any horse.  These mares are producing nutrient-rich mil for a rapidly growing foal, along with repairing the body tissues associated with pregnancy.

Lactating mare are capable of eating three percent of their body weight in dry food per day.

Before worrying about the ration of calcium to phosphorus, first be sure the diet has the required amounts of both minerals. Once the diet is properly fortified, the ratio of these 2 minerals becomes important. For growing horses calcium to phosphorus ratios may range from 1.2:1 to 3:1. Outside of this range growth disorders can occur. For mature horses, the calcium to phosphorus range is less critical. A range of 1.1:1 to 6:1 is considered safe. Make sure the amount of phosphorus never exceeds the amount of calcium in the diet.

While all minerals are essential for young growing horses, calcium, phosphorus, copper and zinc are most important for bone growth. Calcium and phosphorus are the two most abundant minerals found in the skeleton. Deficiencies in either of these or incorrect ratios will result in decreased bone density and bone demineralization. Copper is important for bone collagen stabilization. Zinc functions in many enzymes associated with protein and carbohydrate metabolism. Excessive zinc however is known to interfere with calcium absorption and copper utilization – both of which can predispose a young horse to developmental orthopedic disease (DOD).

Carbohydrate loading in horses is futile – if the regular diet contains a moderate amount of carbohydrate anyway, then the muscle will be at maximum glycogen storage capacity. Studies have shown that feeding an increased amount of carbohydrate a few days before a race or competition will only raise the stored glycogen a very insignificant amount and this drastic change in diet has no beneficial effect upon performance. In fact it will probably serve to raise the horse’s heart rate and increase the blood lactate accumulation, not to mention put the horse at severe risk of laminitis and colic. Horses’ muscles need to be conditioned to the amount and type of energy being supplied.

* Feed horses regularly

* Keep managers free of dust and dirt

* On days off from work, reduce the consumption of grain the night before and during the day off

* Ration changes should be gradual and not abrupt

* Follow the feeding recommendations of commercial prepared concentrates.

* Horses need free access to fresh water

* During the winter, water in the tank should be ice free

* Horses should have free access to salt

* Most draft horses prefer loose salt over block salt

* All horses require vitamin and minerals supplementation to balance deficiencies in hay and pasture

In a natural, free roaming situation horses graze nearly constantly throughout the day and night. When feeding horses in stables it is ideal to try and mimic this feeding behaviour.

Horses in stabled conditions should be fed their grain concentrate over at least 2 meals per day and hay should be provided to they can pick at it continuously between feedings. Horses in strenuous training will likely need to be fed 3 to 4 times per day to safely consume enough concentrate to sustain their increase workload.

If roughage is not offered continuously throughout the day it can increase the horses risk for gastric ulcers.

• Degenerative joint disease
• Wobbler’s Syndrome
• Contracture of tendons
• Mal-alignment of the limbs
• Club feet
• Bog spavin (hocks)
• Puffy joints (fluid in the joint )
• Stiffness
• Flexion responses
• Lameness (Often seen when training begins)
• Pain

The influence of nutrition on the healing of the spinal cord damage and the resulting muscle atrophy is not well understood.  Nutritional support with Vitamin E has been recommended for horses with EPM. In addition to Vitamin E, the diet should be properly fortified with the essential amino acid lysine and adequate total protein to aid in muscle regeneration.

Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP) is a genetic disorder that affects cellular regulation of sodium and potassium.  This disorder occurs in Quarter Horses and other light horses that trace their lineage to the Quarter Horse stallion Impressive.  HYPP is characterized by sporadic muscle tremors (shaking or trembling), weakness or collapse, and potentially death.  Nutrition management centers on keeping potassium concentrations in blood serum at low levels by limiting dietary intake of potassium.  The normal diet of horses is based around forage.  Unfortunately, forage is an abundant source of potassium with alfalfa hays usually containing higher levels of potassium than grass hays.  Grain contains far less potassium, but if a concentrate is coated with molasses potassium levels increase.  To minimize potassium intake, horses should be fed grass hays and concentrates that do not contain molasses.  Access to pasture dilutes potassium intake because the moisture content of grass prevents horses from rapidly taking in large amounts of potassium.  Sugar beet pulp can be fed as a low-potassium forage substitute.  Replacing five pounds of hay with an equal amount of sugar beet pulp shreds significantly reduces potassium intake.  A word of caution, however, is warranted.  For horses that have not previously eaten it, beet pulp probably should be soaked in water prior to feeding to prevent horses from choking.   

Hay is the primary component in the equine diet. In recent years with the increased incidence of metabolic disorders such as laminitis and insulin resistance, the carbohydrate content of hay has come into question.

Water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) are the predominant culprits in most grass forages. One of the recommendations for horses and ponies suffering from these metabolic disorders is to reduce the WSC content of the diet. In an attempt to reduce the intake of WSCs, owners of horses and ponies predisposed to laminitis often soak the hay intended to be fed to such animals in water.

It has been shown that nutrients, including water soluble carbohydrates, may be leached from hay during the soaking process. The current recommendation commonly used is to soak hay for 30 minutes in hot water or 60 minutes in cold.

A study in England evaluated the amounts of total WSC leached from a range of different grass hays. Hays were soaked for 20 minutes, 40 minutes, 3 hours and 16 hours. The amounts of WSC lost from the different hays in the study varied greatly, which has been a common feature in other studies. This study illustrated that although soaking hay results in reductions of WSC content, the extent of the losses was highly variable between hays, and not related to their initial WSC content.

• sporadic attacks of muscle tremors (shaking or trembling)
• weakness and/or collapse
• Attacks can also be accompanied by loud breathing noises resulting from paralysis of the muscles of the upper airway.
• Occasionally, sudden death can occur following a severe paralytic attack, presumably from heart failure or respiratory muscle paralysis.

(1) avoiding high potassium feeds such as alfalfa hay, brome hay, canola oil, soybean meal or oil, and sugar molasses and beet molasses, and replacing them with timothy or Bermuda grass hay, grains such as oats, corn, wheat and barley, and beet pulp;

(2) Feeding several times a day; and

(3) Exercising regularly and/or being allowed frequent access to a large paddock or yard.

Due to the high water content of pasture grass, a horse is unlikely to consume large amounts of potassium in a short period of time if kept on pasture. If the horse is experiencing problems on its present diet, it is recommended to feed a diet containing between 0.6% and 1.5% total potassium concentrations.

Gastric ulcers are sores or lesions on the lining (mucosa) of the stomach.  Lesions usually occur on the upper portion of the stomach, an area that does not secrete an acid buffer.  Ulcers in horses are cased by prolonged exposure of the unprotected region of the stomach to acid.  The natural stomach defense against acid is saliva, which is produced during chewing and swallowing.    In an effort to avoid gastric ulcers, horses should always be fed as much forage as possible. 

Heaves is a chronic respiratory disease common in horses and is similar to asthma in humans.  Heaves is also known as chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (COPD), recurrent airway obstruction and small airway disease.  The main cause of heaves is an allergic response to organic dust, including molds in feed and bedding.   There is no cure for heaves.  However in the most severe cases, preventative management and treatment measures can lead to improvement.

• Acute ore recurrent colic
• Poor appetite or “picky eating”
• Weight loss
• Hair Coat Changes or Poor Coat Conditions
• Chronic Diarrhea
• Poor Performance
• Behavioral Changes (including aggressive or nervous disposition)
• Teeth grinding / jaw clenching
• Pain/Distress on Tightening Girth

• Physitis
• Osteochondrosis,
• Angular Limb Deformity
• Flexural Limb Deformity

• Muscle stiffness
• Sweating
• Reluctance to move
• Often seen in horses put into initial training or after lay -up
• Episodes usually begin after light exercise such as 10-20 minutes of walking or trotting
• Horses with PSSM can exhibit symptoms without exercise.

• Acid
• Fasting
• Meal Feeding
• High Grain Diet
• Low Roughage Diet
• Stress
  • Transport
  • Stabling
  • Intense Excise
• Long Term Use of NSAID’s

The incidence of colic increases as the amount of grain in the diet increases.   Horses on pasture or horses eating mostly forage diets are less likely to colic than horses being fed five or more pounds of grain per day. 

Lush pasture can be a case of colic, mature, low-quality hay and straw can cause impaction colic due to poor digestion of fiber in the gut, and feeding changes.

• Feed Alfalfa
  • 60 Minutes Prior to Exercise
  • Calcium in Alfalfa Buggers Stomach Acid
  • Chewing (Saliva) Buffers Stomach Acid
  • Helps prevent Acid “Splash” during Exercise
• Feed Free-Choice Grass Hay
• Feed Smaller, More Frequent Grain Meals
  • Minimum 3 Times Per Day
  • At risk horses 4 Times Per Day
• Don’t Feed Grain Prior to Exercise,  just Alfalfa
• Grain with Higher Fat Content, Low Grain Content and Higher Beet Pulp Content.
• The use of Probiotics and Prebiotics help as well.

Treatment may consist of the following:

• Weight loss through diet and exercise if the animal is obese.

• Limiting carbohydrate (sugar/starch) intake through elimination of grain and high sugar feeds.

• Test pastures and hay for amounts of sugars present.

• Soaking hay if it is known to contain high amounts of sugars (> 10 to 12% soluble sugars) in hot water for 30 min or cold water for 60 min.

• Feeding beet pulp that has been soaked to remove sugar from molasses. 

• Cut down on free intake of grass if the horse has a history of founder and/or is obese. Add fat and fiber to the diet at 6-10% for fat and at least 12% for fiber

These horses are often insulin resistant and have high blood sugar levels so non-structural carbohydrates (NSC, sugar and starch) need to be minimized. Feeding recommendations are to provide a total diet with less than 15% sugar and starch for most horses with Cushing’s disease.

Pasture grasses can have high sugar content, especially during the spring and fall seasons. Since laminitis and founder are more common in horses with Cushing’s disease, pasture grazing should be severely limited or totally avoided. Regular exercise reduces blood glucose levels, so it will help horses with Cushing’s disease.

Nutrition counter measures to avoid laminitis include the following:

The base diet should consist of forage and fiber rather than sugar and starch.

Feeds with a combined sugar and starch content of less than 10% should be fed to these horses.

If horses need to gain condition, consider adding dietary fat as an energy source.

Feed smaller more frequent meals rather than large single meals.

Make all dietary changes slowly (7-10 days).

Control body weight and body condition with  regular exercise to prevent obesity and insulin  resistance.

Horses should be maintained in a body condition score between 4 and 6.

Consider not grazing at risk horses.

If grazing is allowed, using a grazing muzzle and grazing early in the morning can help reduce the ingestion of high sugar grasses.

This pain can originate from any of the organ systems contained in the abdomen.  Colic is a generic term for abdominal (belly) pain.  Colic is most often associated with the digestive system.  

Pawing looking at the belly, repeatedly laying down and rising, rolling, sweating, leaving fee uneaten, and grunting or groaning are a few common colic symptoms.

Location.  Gastric Ulcers are ulcers associated with the stomach.  Colonic ulcers are ulcers associated with the large intestine (colon).  Ulcers in general are open sores, sometimes bleeding, on the lining of the digestive tract. 

Gastric ulcers associated with the squamous tissue of the stomach are termed Squamous gastric ulcers.  The squamous tissue is located in the upper region of the stomach and is not buffered or protected from the harmful acid secretions in the stomach.  Ulcers associated with the squamous tissue are the most common ulcers in the equine stomach.  Ulcers associated with the Glandular region of the stomach are ulcers in the lower portion of the stomach.  These are less common in horses since this area of the digestive system is mostly protected from the harmful effects of stomach acid. 

1 – Increasing the Amount of Quality Forage

2- Adding Alfalfa Hay, Chaff or Pellets

3- Gradually Increase the Grain Portion of the Diet (this must be done with care so not to cause digestive disturbances)

4 – Top Dress the Grain with a Fat Supplement / Oil

Choke is an obstruction of the esophagus.  Horses can choke on anything they eat; including hay, grass, pelleted feed, textured feed and treats. 

One of the main reasons horses choke is rapid consumption of feed.  They simply do not get the feed chewed or moistened properly prior to swallowing.  Slowing aggressive eater will often prevent further choke episodes.

1 – The digestive system of a horses contains a simple stomach.  The small size of this stomach reveals that horses are best suited for small, frequent meals.

2 – Digestion should be continuous.  Horses perform optimally if they have hay or pasture in front of them at all times.

3- The grain (starch) portion of the diet is intended to be digested in the small intestine.

4 – Roughly 65% of the digestive capacity of the  gastrointestinal system is dedicated to the digestion (fermentation) of plant fibers.  This indicates that forage (such as hay or pasture) should be the main ingredient.

A horses digestive system is divided into two distinct areas based on the type of digestion that occurs.  The front portion is called the foregut uses enzyme digestion, while the back portion is called the hindgut and utilizes bacteria to ferment feeds.

One of the primary risk factors associated with digestive upset is dietary change.

All diet changes should be made gradually over a 2 to 3 week period. This time frame gives the microorganisms in the digestive system time to adjust to the new feed.

When making a change start replacing no more than 250 grams per day of the old feed with the new feed – each day increase the new feed and decrease the old feed until  you have reached 100% new feed. Introducing horses to pasture should also be done gradually over a 2 week period.

Time spent on pasture should be no more than 1 hour per day for the first week of exposure.

The foregut features enzymatic digestion and the hindgut is designed for bacterial fermentation.

Yes there is a difference in the amount of calories contained in each grain. Corn is the highest, followed by barley and oats. Additionally corn and barley typically weigh more per unit of volume than oats.

In a natural, free roaming situation horses graze nearly constantly throughout the day and night.

When feeding horses in stables it is ideal to try and mimic this feeding behavior. Horses in stabled conditions should be fed their grain concentrate over at least 2 meals, per day and hay should be provided to they can pick at it continuously between feedings.

Horses in strenuous training will likely need to be fed 3 to 4 times per day to safely consume enough concentrate to sustain their increase workload.

If roughage is not offered continuously throughout the day it can increase the horses risk for gastric ulcers.

The grain portion of the diet is intended to be digested in the small intestine of the horse. When large amounts of grain are fed in a single meal, the small intestine cannot digest and absorb all the grain and it moves undigested into the large intestine which can lead to colic and laminitis.

NO more than 2 kg (4 lbs) of grain should be offered in a single meal.

If grain is fed, never feed more the 1.25 pounds of grain per 250 pounds of horse in a single feeding.

This would calculate to no more than 5 pounds of grain per meal for a 1000 pound horse.

Processing of grains increases the amount grain digested in the small intestine and decreases the amount of undigested grain spilling into the large intestine which can cause digestive problems.

Oats are the only grain that can safely be fed to horses without processing.

Grinding, rolling, crimping, pelleting, micronizing and extruding are examples of processing methods.

Fortified concentrates are most often fed to horses.  These products include a blend of several processed grains and a protein, vitamin and mineral supplement package

Unfortified grain is the seed head of a plant that is harvested from the field and dried to suitable moisture content for storage.  Such grains include oat, corn, barley, wheat and milo.

Both hay and grain are perishable and require proper storage to minimize losses in feeding value. Protecting feed from changes in moisture content and humidity are the most critical factors influencing the growth of mold.

A proper storage area allows plenty of ventilation, maintains feed at a cool, steady temperature with low humidity, protects feed from direct sunlight and exposure to the elements, and guards feed from animal, rodent, insect and bird contamination.

Hay begins to lose its nutritional value at the time of cutting and continues to lose nutrients both while drying in the field and while in storage.  The nutrients most affected by harvesting and storing are vitamins. Conversely, the protein and mineral content of hay is quite stable. 

In a natural, free roaming situation horses graze nearly constantly throughout the day and night.

When feeding horses in stables it is ideal to try and mimic this feeding behavior. Horses in stabled conditions should be fed their grain concentrate over at least 2 meals, per day and hay should be provided to they can pick at it continuously between feedings.

Horses in strenuous training will likely need to be fed 3 to 4 times per day to safely consume enough concentrate to sustain their increase workload.

If roughage is not offered continuously throughout the day it can increase the horses risk for gastric ulcers.

When offering hay in the trailer care should be taken to hang the hay net outside the horses breathing zone” or area around the horses muzzle. Dust blowing off the hay may be inhaled, causing respiratory irritation.

If hay nets must be hung in the breathing zone the hay should be soaked in water prior to placing in the net.

There are several nutritional differences between legume and grass hays. 

In the United States, legume hays typically include alfalfa and clover.  Grass hays include many varieties of grasses and can encompass the grain (oat) hays. 

One of the most significant differences between legume and grass hays is protein content.  On average, legume hays will contain much higher levels of protein, sometimes in excess of 15%, and grass hays typically will contain 10% protein or less.  The extra protein in legume hays is not dangerous to horses.  In fact, they can utilize protein for energy. 

The downside of this surplus protein is that nitrogen, a by-product of protein digestion, must be eliminated from the body. 

Horses will drink more water and urinate more frequently when given excess protein.

The most common forages fed to horses include pasture, baled hay, hay cubes and hay pellets.

Both hay and grain are perishable and require proper storage to minimize losses in feeding value. Protecting feed from changes in moisture content and humidity are the most critical factors influencing the growth of mold.

A proper storage area allows plenty of ventilation, maintains feed at a cool, steady temperature with low humidity, protects feed from direct sunlight and exposure to the elements, and guards feed from animal, rodent, insect and bird contamination.

If travelling your horse for more than 6 hours hay and water should be provided in the trailer. Grains should not be offered. For trips less than 6 hours water should be provided at least once preferably at the midpoint. Many people forget to offer water – research has shown eating forage stimulates the thirst response in horses.

High-quality pasture can provide horses with every essential nutrient except water.  In addition, pasture is relatively inexpensive.

To be considered high quality, pasture must have an adequate stand of nutritious plant life, few weeds, and no poisonous plants.

A pasture should also be large enough to prevent horses from overgrazing and damaging the plants.

Roughly 65% of the digestive capacity of the  gastrointestinal system is dedicated to the digestion of plant fibers.  This indicates that forage (such as hay or pasture) should be the main ingredient in the diet.

The majority of the horses diet must be composed of forage.

A common analogy is that proteins are the “words” and amino acids are the “letters” that form the “words”.

Beet pulp added directly to a horse’s diet can be fed in either a wet or dry form.  If a horse has a tendency to bolt its feed, beet pulp should be soaked prior to feeding to minimize the risk of choke.  Otherwise, dehydrated beet pulp can be fed in dry form.

Organic Selenium is commonly known as Selenium Yeast

The amount of protein required in a horse’s diet depends on the equipment of an individual horse, the quality of protein being fed, and the amount of feed the horse is eating. 

Given that many horse owners are concerned about protein levels, the following levels of protein in the total diet provide an appropriate

STARTING point:

Mature (Maintenance) 7-10%

Mature (Training) 9-13%

Pregnant Mares 11-13%

Lactating Mares 13-15%

Weanlings 15-16%

Yearlings 13-15%

Minerals are inorganic substances that are needed by the horse for normal metabolic and biological activities.  Minerals, unlike vitamins, cannot be created by the horse; thus they need to be supplied in the diet.

In the absence of water and fat, protein makes up 80% of the horse’s body and is found in hair, hoof, skin, muscle and blood cells.  Protein is also a major part of hormones and enzymes used to control many physiological processes. 

The amount of protein required in a horse’s diet depends on the individual needs of the animal, the quality of protein being fed, and the amount of feed the horse is eating. 

Protein requirements are highest for young horses due to growth and the fact they cannot eat large amounts of feed. 

Protein requirements are the lowest for mature horses in maintenance situations, since they are not actively growing and have a large feed intake. 

Macro minerals are necessary in large amounts in the diet.  Examples of macro minerals include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and chloride. 

Micro minerals are required in micro or small amounts in the diet. Examples of micro minerals include copper, zinc, selenium and iodine.

Selenium and vitamin E are powerful antioxidants that function together to protect body tissues from oxidation, the process by which fats, carbohydrates, and proteins are converted into energy necessary for body functions. 

Protein is a major component of hair, hoof, skin, muscle, bone, blood cells, enzymes and hormones.

Vitamins are essential for all metabolic functions within a horse. Horses can create within their body sufficient quantities of all vitamins except Vitamin A and E.

Carbohydrate loading in horses is futile – if the regular diet contains a moderate amount of carbohydrate anyway, then the muscle will be at maximum glycogen storage capacity. Studies have shown that feeding an increased amount of carbohydrate a few days before a race or competition will only raise the stored glycogen a very insignificant amount and this drastic change in diet has no beneficial effect upon performance. In fact it will probably serve to raise the horse’s heart rate and increase the blood lactate accumulation, not to mention put the horse at severe risk of laminitis and colic. Horses’ muscles need to be conditioned to the amount and type of energy being supplied.

Horses that tend to bolt their feed have a higher likelihood of choking. Slowing horses feed intake down can decrease a horses risk for choke. Ways to do this include placing a large rock or brick in the horses feed tub, feeding hay first, wetting down the feed and feeding horses out of tubs on the ground.

When offering hay in the trailer care should be taken to hang the hay net outside the horses breathing zone” or area around the horses muzzle. Dust blowing off the hay may be inhaled, causing respiratory irritation.

If hay nets must be hung in the breathing zone the hay should be soaked in water prior to placing in the net.

During the summer months temperatures rise and horses have the extra burden of keeping themselves cool. Research has shown it to be beneficial to provide some calories in the form of fat (RBO) as oil contains up to 4 times as many calories as any other energy source and results in much less heat production during digestion.

Trace Mineral salt blocks are typically 97% salt and 3% trace minerals. Trace minerals often included in these blocks are zinc, iron, manganese, copper, cobalt, and iodine.

Pasture and trace mineral salt will NOT satisfy the nutrient requirements of horses.

This is especially true if horses and keep in groups and one horse is at the bottom of the pecking order. Selenium is rarely added to a trace mineral salt block and is lacking in soils and pastures in most parts of the world.

Hay is the primary component in the equine diet. In recent years with the increased incidence of metabolic disorders such as laminitis and insulin resistance, the carbohydrate content of hay has come into question.

Water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) are the predominant culprits in most grass forages. One of the recommendations for horses and ponies suffering from these metabolic disorders is to reduce the WSC content of the diet. In an attempt to reduce the intake of WSCs, owners of horses and ponies predisposed to laminitis often soak the hay intended to be fed to such animals in water.

It has been shown that nutrients, including water soluble carbohydrates, may be leached from hay during the soaking process. The current recommendation commonly used is to soak hay for 30 minutes in hot water or 60 minutes in cold.

A study in England evaluated the amounts of total WSC leached from a range of different grass hays. Hays were soaked for 20 minutes, 40 minutes, 3 hours and 16 hours. The amounts of WSC lost from the different hays in the study varied greatly, which has been a common feature in other studies. This study illustrated that although soaking hay results in reductions of WSC content, the extent of the losses was highly variable between hays, and not related to their initial WSC content.

Dietary changes should be done slowly over a period of two to three weeks.

* Feed horses regularly

* Keep managers free of dust and dirt

* On days off from work, reduce the consumption of grain the night before and during the day off

* Ration changes should be gradual and not abrupt

* Follow the feeding recommendations of commercial prepared concentrates.

* Horses need free access to fresh water

* During the winter, water in the tank should be ice free

* Horses should have free access to salt

* Most draft horses prefer loose salt over block salt

* All horses require vitamin and minerals supplementation to balance deficiencies in hay and pasture

In a natural, free roaming situation horses graze nearly constantly throughout the day and night. When feeding horses in stables it is ideal to try and mimic this feeding behaviour.

Horses in stabled conditions should be fed their grain concentrate over at least 2 meals per day and hay should be provided to they can pick at it continuously between feedings. Horses in strenuous training will likely need to be fed 3 to 4 times per day to safely consume enough concentrate to sustain their increase workload.

If roughage is not offered continuously throughout the day it can increase the horses risk for gastric ulcers.

The incidence of colic increases as the amount of grain in the diet increases.   Horses on pasture or horses eating mostly forage diets are less likely to colic than horses being fed five or more pounds of grain per day. 

Lush pasture can be a case of colic, mature, low-quality hay and straw can cause impaction colic due to poor digestion of fiber in the gut, and feeding changes.

Treatment may consist of the following:

• Weight loss through diet and exercise if the animal is obese.

• Limiting carbohydrate (sugar/starch) intake through elimination of grain and high sugar feeds.

• Test pastures and hay for amounts of sugars present.

• Soaking hay if it is known to contain high amounts of sugars (> 10 to 12% soluble sugars) in hot water for 30 min or cold water for 60 min.

• Feeding beet pulp that has been soaked to remove sugar from molasses. 

• Cut down on free intake of grass if the horse has a history of founder and/or is obese. Add fat and fiber to the diet at 6-10% for fat and at least 12% for fiber

These horses are often insulin resistant and have high blood sugar levels so non-structural carbohydrates (NSC, sugar and starch) need to be minimized. Feeding recommendations are to provide a total diet with less than 15% sugar and starch for most horses with Cushing’s disease.

Pasture grasses can have high sugar content, especially during the spring and fall seasons. Since laminitis and founder are more common in horses with Cushing’s disease, pasture grazing should be severely limited or totally avoided. Regular exercise reduces blood glucose levels, so it will help horses with Cushing’s disease.

Nutrition counter measures to avoid laminitis include the following:

The base diet should consist of forage and fiber rather than sugar and starch.

Feeds with a combined sugar and starch content of less than 10% should be fed to these horses.

If horses need to gain condition, consider adding dietary fat as an energy source.

Feed smaller more frequent meals rather than large single meals.

Make all dietary changes slowly (7-10 days).

Control body weight and body condition with  regular exercise to prevent obesity and insulin  resistance.

Horses should be maintained in a body condition score between 4 and 6.

Consider not grazing at risk horses.

If grazing is allowed, using a grazing muzzle and grazing early in the morning can help reduce the ingestion of high sugar grasses.

Weight reduction will only occur if the horse’s energy expenditure is greater than its energy  intake. Weight loss can only be accomplished by reducing the number of calories going in and increasing the number of calories expended.  So a combination of diet and exercise is in order to shed extra weight from the easy keeper.

Don’t feed high-fat supplements.  Vegetable oil, flax seed and rice bran are high in fat and they are high in calories.  Eliminate these supplements from your horse’s diet and you can cut out a large number of calories and prevent excessive weight gain. Limit access to pasture by using a    grazing muzzle and replace legume hay with grass hay. Legume hay, such as alfalfa and clover, contain more calories per pound than grass hays. Instead of alfalfa, feed a high-fiber, good quality grass hay free of dust, mold and weeds. Commercially available “balancer supplements” are ideal for these horses as they provide the animal with its mineral and vitamin requirements without adding excess calories.

Before worrying about the ration of calcium to phosphorus, first be sure the diet has the required amounts of both minerals. Once the diet is properly fortified, the ratio of these 2 minerals becomes important. For growing horses calcium to phosphorus ratios may range from 1.2:1 to 3:1. Outside of this range growth disorders can occur. For mature horses, the calcium to phosphorus range is less critical. A range of 1.1:1 to 6:1 is considered safe. Make sure the amount of phosphorus never exceeds the amount of calcium in the diet.

If travelling your horse for more than 6 hours hay and water should be provided in the trailer. Grains should not be offered. For trips less than 6 hours water should be provided at least once preferably at the midpoint. Many people forget to offer water – research has shown eating forage stimulates the thirst response in horses.

First we started with the diet, the final management component to help injured horses heal is to keep the horse active with hand-walking, grazing, and light exercise as soon as the attending veterinarian gives approval.

1 – Increasing the Amount of Quality Forage

2- Adding Alfalfa Hay, Chaff or Pellets

3- Gradually Increase the Grain Portion of the Diet (this must be done with care so not to cause digestive disturbances)

4 – Top Dress the Grain with a Fat Supplement / Oil

Choke is an obstruction of the esophagus.  Horses can choke on anything they eat; including hay, grass, pelleted feed, textured feed and treats. 

One of the main reasons horses choke is rapid consumption of feed.  They simply do not get the feed chewed or moistened properly prior to swallowing.  Slowing aggressive eater will often prevent further choke episodes.

Free choice grass hay, alfalfa hay (.05 to 1% of BW), and a vitamin mineral balancer.  (See Article “Feeding The Sick or Injured Horse https://performancehorsenutrition.com/sick-injured-horse)

Remember all diet changes should be done gradually and please consult your nutritionist or veterinarian for specific diet recommendations for your horse.

Old horses lose digestive efficiency and require diets with higher amounts of quality protein, phosphorus, and vitamins.

A common analogy is that proteins are the “words” and amino acids are the “letters” that form the “words”.

The amount of protein required in a horse’s diet depends on the equipment of an individual horse, the quality of protein being fed, and the amount of feed the horse is eating. 

Given that many horse owners are concerned about protein levels, the following levels of protein in the total diet provide an appropriate

STARTING point:

Mature (Maintenance) 7-10%

Mature (Training) 9-13%

Pregnant Mares 11-13%

Lactating Mares 13-15%

Weanlings 15-16%

Yearlings 13-15%

During the summer months temperatures rise and horses have the extra burden of keeping themselves cool. Research has shown it to be beneficial to provide some calories in the form of fat (RBO) as oil contains up to 4 times as many calories as any other energy source and results in much less heat production during digestion.

When horses sweat it results in both loss of water and electrolytes. Electrolytes are charged particles, including sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium. Loss of electrolytes causes fatigue, muscle weakness and decreases the thirst response from dehydration. Therefore, it is vital to replace both water and electrolytes in exercising horses. Horses should be supplemented with electrolytes the night before and the morning of heavy exercise to ensure adequate utilization. Avoid adding electrolytes directly to the water as some horses may not drink the water and therefore will become more dehydrated. Following exercise, electrolytes should not be given to a horse that is dehydrated; instead the horse must be re-hydrated before electrolytes are provided.

By definition, a supplement is provided “to complete something, to make up for a deficiency.  Ingredients added in very small amounts to make up for an inadequate diet.

The best source of fat for horses depends on personal preference to a large degree. Vegetable oils (corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, etc.) and rice bran (or rice oil) have higher digestibility than animal fat.

Selenium and vitamin E are powerful antioxidants that function together to protect body tissues from oxidation, the process by which fats, carbohydrates, and proteins are converted into energy necessary for body functions.