Specialist advises: how to feed a horse and what to feed it with?

What is the basic horse diet?

The basic horse diet is based on grass. This means fresh grass in summer, and hay in winter. The whole problem with feeding horses is that free-living or wild horses had their digestive tracts filled almost all the time. On the other hand, people have taken them from these wild steppes, put them in stables and feed them two or three times a day. Because of that, their digestive tract is not filled evenly all the time, which can result in serious problems of the digestive tract, called horse colic. This is why ideally the horse should have continuous access to roughage, but as we know in practice: this is quite impossible. Therefore, a horse’s diet should contain an adequate amount of fiber, which can be found in grass, hay, as well as in dried feed.

Can nutrition affect the quality of a horse’s coat?

Of course it does. This is very evident in horses that are properly nourished. First, their coat shines, and second, the so-called “dappling” appears on the horse’s body. They are shaped like circles, which are characterized by a slightly different shade. This can be seen well on a gray coat, while noticeable in sunlight on other coats (for example, bay, auburn). This indicates that the coat is healthy, strong, thick and shiny. This is also affected by the correct fatty acids, and this is why horses are given sunflower seeds or flax seeds.

What are the feeding systems for horses depending on how they are used?

In principle, horse nutrition depends on numerous factors. This includes the physiological state, because, for example, foals and horses that are young are fed differently than adult or hard-working horses. For example, lactating mares must have their diets supplemented with protein ingredients (including wheat bran). Nevertheless, when it comes to working horses, the division is quite restrictive. Racehorses need a lot of energy at a time, as they use huge amounts of energy during a short race. Because of that, they should be fed high-energy feeds. Furthermore, they should be administered in small volumes, so as not to increase abdominal volume in horses. Racehorse feeds are more concentrated and contain only small amounts of hay or grass. The situation is different for work horses. For example, draft horses that work at a slow pace can be fed roughage. The diet of draft horses consists mainly of grass, hay or haylage. The diet is different for show horses, which are required to have well-developed muscles and a beautiful, shiny coat. A healthy and well-groomed appearance of the skin and hooves is also important to the judges.

What could be the benefit of adding fruits or vegetables to horse feed?

Any variety is good for a horse’s diet. Certainly, the composition should be properly selected, so as not to exceed the amount of certain ingredients in the feed. Fruits contain a lot of sugars and simple carbohydrates, and therefore should not dominate a horse’s diet. In contrast, dried feeds based on squeezed fruits (fruit pomace) or vegetables (vegetable pomace) contain minimal amounts of simple carbohydrates and large amounts of the most beneficial fiber.  At the same time, they are tasty and appetizing. That is why they are a great feed supplement for horses, especially for picky or sick horses that for some reason will not or cannot eat. Any such additive improving the taste and flavor of the feed is excellent, as it improves the attractiveness of the feed. It should be added, of course, that dried fruits also have a number of other nutritional benefits, as they contain vitamins, minerals, as well as ingredients that benefit digestion.

Horse treats have become increasingly popular over the last years.

What should the ingredients of treats (rewards) include to be attractive to the horse, while not being harmful?

Horse treats must certainly not contain any toxic substances. In particular, you need to watch out for additives that can easily become moldy or mildewed. Horses are very sensitive to fungal toxins. On the other hand, supplements or treats with attractive taste and smell can be composed based on dried apple, for example. However, it is worth noting that treats or supplements for horses should not contain excessive amounts of sugars. Simple sugars are not necessarily good for the digestive tract and can be harmful to horses’ teeth. Therefore, treats based on natural ingredients containing the right amount of fiber will be the most beneficial for horses.

What nutritional problems do horse breeders or users face?

First of all, it is important to remember that a horse’s stomach is relatively small. When giving a horse too much feed that swells easily, it will feel bad. It may send us signals indicating pain in the gastrointestinal area in the form of biting, kicking on its own belly, suddenly rolling around or adopting a posture known as a “sitting dog”. In fact, only a veterinary examination can show which digestive tract section contains the problem. Therefore, it is not advisable to give a large amount of feed to a horse at a single time, especially feed that swells easily. Sudden change in feed can create another problem. If you run out of oats and would like to give the horse barley instead, you cannot do it abruptly, because of the microorganisms in the digestive tract responsible for producing fiber-digesting enzymes. Digestive tract problems are likely to arise when not giving these bacteria or protozoa time to adapt to a new type of feed. It is also worth noting that horse owners often choose to use pre-conditioned feeds. For example, they feed their horses with crushed oats or kibbled grain. This is one of the reasons behind teeth problems in horses which do not have the opportunity to grind them on the pre-conditioned feed. In summary, in terms of nutrition, horse is a delicate animal that requires a lot of attention when it comes to the selection of feed and feed additives, as well as when it comes to the way and frequency of feeding.

date: 06.12.2023