Feeding your Horse - the basics of Horse Nutrition
Good Horse Nutrition
and feeding are fundamental to your horses health.
Traditionally horses and ponies were fed on grass,
hay, oats, bran, flaked maize,and chaff, with perhaps the addition
of boiled linseed,
sugar beet or even Guinness for extra nutrition!
Today there are many choices of Horse Feed with specialised mixes for every type of horse
from foals to
veterans.
In addition to the basic horse feeds there is a bewildering choice of
equine supplements and nutrition for horses which claim
to cure every problem from
calming excitable horses to increasing your horse or pony's
joint flexibilty.
When feeding horses and ponies it is important to remember
that they have delicate digestive systems, and the most natural food for
a horse is good quality pasture. Horses are grazing animals with small
stomachs designed to process small amounts of food almost continuously.
Forage feed (grass and hay) is necessary for the proper functioning of
their digestive system as it is the horse's most natural
diet.
A horseor pony usually consumes about two percent or more of their body
weight in horse feed each day although amount of food your horse needs
varies according to activity, age, breed, weather, quality of feed, quality
of shelter, condition of
teeth, etc.
Horses also need lots of drinking water and an adequate amount of salt
and minerals.
When feeding ponies follow the same rules as for feeding horses.
Feeding horses
- traditional horse feeds
- Forage feed - This includes grass and
hay and is necessary
for the horse's digestion. Forage feed should make up at
least half of a horse's daily intake of food, preferably
more.
- Oats - are nutritious and easily digested
if fed in crushed, rolled or cooked form. Oats are a high
energy, or "heating", food and the feeding of oats can cause
excitability in some horses and ponies.
- Bran - is easily digested and provides
bulk. It can be fed as a bran
mash.
- Chaff - adds bulk to food and prevents
the horse from bolting down its food too fast.
- Molichaff or Mollichop -
is a mixture of chaff and molasses, the molasses makes it
the chaff more appetising.
- Barley - If fed whole it should be boiled
or soaked for at least 2 hours before feeding as it swells
when wet. This is done to prevent it swelling once in the
horse's stomach, causing problems. It is better fed dry
if rolled and crushed first. Highly nutritious it is good
for a horse or pony in poor condition or during winter.
- Linseed - Is poisonous raw and must be
cooked first making a Linseed
Jelly. It is a food high in protein and only a handful
should be fed with a feed. It is useful for horses or ponies
over the winter as it helps maintain condition and can aid
fattening. It also promotes a shiny coat.
- Flaked Maize - should be flaked and cooked
to make it easier to digest. It is useful for fattening
a horse or pony but should not be fed to horses doing strenuous
exercise as it stays in the stomach for a long time. It
is also a high energy food.
- Root Vegetables -
carrots, turnips, swedes, beetroot and parsnips
can be fed in small quantities. These should be cut into
strips, rather than round pieces as these can become lodged
in the throat.
A swede can be hung in the stable to keep the horse amused.
- Apples - Most horses love apples. These
should be fresh and cut into strips to avoid choking
-
Garlic
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Horse and Pony
Nuts, Cubes or Mixes
These are specially prepared mixes comprising many of the
basic feeds and there are different types designed to meet
the nutritional needs of a varied selection of horses and
ponies with differing exercising routines.
They are extremely useful as they are convenient, ensure
a good balanceof all foods and
nutrients are provided and avoid the need to store several
different types of feed. |
Feed Supplements
for Horses
Many specialised equine feed supplements
are available to enhance the regular feeding regime, and it
is common practice to add 'extras' in the form of minerals
and vitamins to the diet.
Under normal circumstances, if your horse is fed recommended
levels of a concentrate applicable to his current work level,
he will not require any supplements.
Most modern mixes contain a balanced level of minerals and
supplements.
There are, however, certain times when a supplement is recommended:
- When the horse is on a diet and fed only small amounts.
- When the horse is grazing on poor quality grass and receives
no concentrates.
- When a horse is working hard yet due to excitablilty is
receiving a lower energy concentrate than recommended.
- When the horse is on box rest and recuperating from an
illness.
- For problems such as poor hoof quality.
- For
joint problems.
- As an anti-inflammatory - eg
Devil's Claw.
- As a calming agent for excitable
horses or moody mares!
- Where there are low levels of (for instance) selenium
or copper in the soil,
- When electrolytes
are required due to high level of work.
All minerals and vitamins are inter-linked in the way they
work and the addition of one mineral may well affect the absorption
rate of another.
An example would be high levels of phosphorus will adversely
affect calcium absorption, even if the rate of calcium intake
is at the recommended level.
So care must be taken when deciding to introduce a feed supplement |
More
Horse Nutrition articles
Seaweed supplements
Equine Joint
Supplements
Feeding
Probiotics to horses |
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Article: Equine nutrition - advice on feeding horse and ponies.
Horse nutrition and feeding of horses and ponies - choosing horse feed and
when to add oats, bran, barley, linseed, flaked maize, chaff, apples, turnips
carrots bananas and equine supplements to the horse's diet.
