6. Feed according to the horse’s workload, age and body condition
The amount of food (ration weight) and the balance of bulk foods and hard foods should vary according to the horse’s individual requirements. Over-feeding can be as detrimental to a horse’s health and wellbeing as under-feeding. Overfed and underworked horses can be full of energy and bored, which can lead to dangerous behaviour, the development of vices or serious medical conditions. The higher the horse’s energy expenditure, the higher the concentrate level required in the ration. For example, a racehorse in training requires high levels of concentrates, while a horse used only for bush rides on weekends needs very little. Whether a horse is old or young, or lactating, will also impact feed requirements.
7. Do not work the horse immediately before or after feeding
Try to allow one hour of rest either side of feeding. A heavy gut during exercise is uncomfortable for the horse and may cause digestive problems.
8. Ensure a stabled horse receives green feed in its diet
This can be in the form of pasture, clover/meadow hay and lucerne hay or chaff. Green food contains carotene and vitamin A, which are required by horses for normal body cell function and production, disease resistance, preventing nerve degeneration and for satisfactory reproduction and lactation. Carrots and maize also contain these nutrients. Something that must never be fed to a horse is lawn clippings. They generate heat, which may upset the gut, and can contain mould, pesticides, fertilisers, foreign objects or noxious plants. These are all potentially hazardous to horses.
9. Keep to a feeding routine
Horses are creatures of habit and come to expect to be fed at the same time each day. As a result, its digestion patterns will coincide accordingly. Where horses are hand-fed in the stable, paddock or yard, they should be provided with a safe feed bin, tub, trough or bucket for their rations. Placing the feed in a container rather than on the ground reduces wastage, spoilage and trampling of feed and minimises ingestion of sand, bedding and parasites.
10. Ensure an adequate supply of fresh, clean water is available to the horse at all times
Water is essential for horses. It prevents dehydration and aids digestion. Water enables food to be moved along the digestive tract and facilitates the uptake of water-soluble nutrients into the body. Water also helps with the horse’s ability to sweat, and therefore maintain body temperature, as well as milk production in mares. Water will be available to horses through their feed; however, they must always have a fresh supply of drinking water to top up as desired. Keep water buckets clean at all times.
11. Treat the horse as an individual
Horses differ in appetite, likes and dislikes and ability to maintain condition – so their diet should be as individual as they are. Keep a note of any changes in the horse’s appetite. Uneaten feed is often the first sign that a horse is feeling unwell. Be sure to monitor uneaten feed or hay. Some snacks that your horse may like include sugar beet and molasses, fruit, vegetables and herbs.
12. Incorporate good feeding with proper dental care and internal parasite control
Proper dental care is important to enable the horse to eat properly. No matter what the quality and balance of the horse’s feed, if the horse has poor teeth or is infected by worms, an adequate diet will be of little or no benefit. Make sure your horse is on parasite prevention and is routinely assessed by an equine dental expert (ideally once or twice a year). The most important point to remember when feeding a horse is to treat them as an individual – there are many different factors to consider, so there is no ‘one size fits all’ formula to determine the correct diet for every horse.
