Feeding Horses

Nutrient Requirements All horses require certain nutrients to

maintain body weight and to support digestive and metabolic functions Energy (DE) Protein for AA (CP) Minerals (Ca and P) Vitamins

Daily requirement for a 1100 lb working horse

Type of Work Example DE

(MCal)CP

(grams)Ca

(grams)P

(grams)Maintenance Little to no

riding 16.4 656 20 11

Light Pleasure Riding 20.5 820 25 18

Moderate Ranch Work 24.6 984 30 21

Intense Race Training 32.8 1312 40 29

Most horses receive their daily ration in two parts• Roughage• Concentrates

Feed & Feed Composition Divided into 5 groups

Roughages Concentrates Protein Supplements Minerals Vitamins

Math of Feeding Steps

Horse Requirements Type of Feed Palatable Feed Amount of Feed Calculate Nutrients

To find nutrient content…. Multiply the pounds of each feed in the mixture (corn, oats, soybean,

etc) by the level of nutrient (DE, CP, Ca, P, etc) Total amounts obtained in the mixture and divide by the total pounds

to get an average level of each nutrient in each pound of feed Example:

To find average protein in a mixture that is 200 pounds of oats and 100 pounds of soybean meal 200 lbs oats x 54 g protein/lb = 10800 g of protein 100 lbs SBM x 202 g protein/lb = 20200 g of protein 31000 g of protein / 300 lbs = 103 g of protein

For Alfalfa (easier): 10 lbs x 82 g protein/lb = 820 g protein

For DE: 10 lbs x 1.02 Mcal/lb = 10.2 Mcal of DE

Using the previous table, you can that if a 1100 lb horse doing light work was being fed 10 lbs of alfalfa/day, the amount fed would fall way short of nutritional needs

Daily requirement for a 1100 lb working horse

Type of Work Example DE

(MCal)CP

(grams)Ca

(grams)P

(grams)Maintenance Little to no

riding 16.4 656 20 11

Light Pleasure Riding 20.5 820 25 18

Moderate Ranch Work 24.6 984 30 21

Intense Race Training 32.8 1312 40 29

Roughages Include:

Alfalfa Grass Hays Clovers Timothy Fescue Bromegrass Prairie Hay Pastures

Adequate amounts of roughages in rations decrease the risk of colic and laminitis

Helps maintain the correct Ca:P ratio Because grain is low in Ca and roughages are high in Ca

Rule of thumb: Horse eats at least 1 lb for every 100 lbs of BW

EX – 1000 lb horse fed about 10 lbs of hay per day

Selecting Good Hay Needs to be free of dust and mold Early-cut, properly cured hays are preferred Identified by:

Color Head development on grass hays Leaf-to-Stem ratio Size of Stems (in legumes)

Bales should be broken to check for dust and mold Legume hays are higher in protein and minerals

Also, more palatable than grass hays

Alfalfa Best of the legumes High protein, Ca and vitamins Great for brood mares and growing

horses

Timothy Can be grown in a wide range of climates Cures easily Bright color Free from dust and mold Low in protein

Good for mature horses Should be supplemented with protein or

grain Mature, late-cut is a poor feed

Pastures Natural feed for horses No one feedstuff is as complete in nutrients as green pasture

grown on fertile soil Reduces cost of feeding Furnishes minerals and vitamins Hardworking horses will need supplemental energy feeds

because of the high water content of grass Dry grass is low in protein and vitamins Heavy stocking rates pose a parasite problem Can reduce stable vices Pasture rotation reduces the problem of parasites Rotational grazing will also reduce patch grazing Require 2-5 acres for maintenance

Concentrates High energy feeds Grains are used with hay to regulate

energy intake Medium-sized, hardworking horses may

need as much as 12lbs+ of grain and an equal amount of hay to maintain BW

Oats Bulky nature of oats permits liberal use

with a minimum danger of digestive disorders

Higher protein than any other grains Useful with low-protein hay

Variability depends on the Federal grade Grade 1 and 2 are the best to buy

Most ratios can be formulated without them

Corn Corn is higher in energy than oats Useful for improving body condition

score Good buy on a per unit energy basis High energy and low fiber content, corn

must be fed with more care than oats to avoid colic

Corn and Oats in equal parts make an excellent grain ration

Barley Satisfactory feed when ground and fed

as described as corn 15% wheat bran or 25% oats fed with

barley eliminates the risk of colic

Wheat Seldom fed 1/3 of grain ration when fed with bulky

feed Should be rolled or coarsely ground

Wheat Bran Highly palatable Slightly laxative Bulky feed Preferred for animals stressed by

extreme fatigue, foaling, or sickness Higher protein content than oats, wheat,

barley, or corn

Protein Supplements Average horses need ¾ to 1 lb (455g) of DP

daily Supplementing rations of young horses is

insurance against an AA deficiency Common supplements:

Linseed meal SBM

Most common, higher in protein, better balance of AA, often cheaper than rest

CSM

Minerals Rations should contain more Ca than P

1:1 – 2:1 Trace mineralized salt contains no Ca P and CaHPO4 are not a source of selenium,

manganese or other trace minerals Mix trace mineralized salt with limestone or

CaHPO4 Limestone and CaHPO4 are rich but

unpalatable sources

Guidelines for Feeding Horses Quality feeds Balanced rations Higher protein and mineral rations to growing

and lactating mares Non-legume hays for adult horses Salt separately, free-choice Horses will eat better, digest better, and be

less likely to colic if exercised frequently Feed to horse Weight, not volume

Guidelines for Feeding Horses Minimize fine, small particles Good, clean water, free-choice Change feed gradually Do not feed grain until tired or hot horses

have cooled and rested Feed before work Minimum of 2x daily Give half the hay allowance at night, while

horses have more time to eat and digest it

Final Word Commercial feeds provide nutrients such as trace minerals,

vitamins, and protein supplements in less expensive form than the individual horse owner can provide.

Aside from adequate nutrition, no nutrient or supplement will do any of the following: Make hoof grow faster Cure a curb, spavin, ringbone, or other problem Increase conception in mares, or libido Increase intelligence Prevent colic

Horse owners should not be fooled into buying magic from, bag or can.