Of course you want to do the right thing for your horse and provide him with the best possible nutrition, but you may know more about riding or grooming than you do about the nuances of hay. Don’t feel overwhelmed—the topic is less confusing than you might think. We reached out to Rachel Mottet, Ph.D., the owner of Legacy Equine Nutrition consulting business, for help in navigating this sea of dried grass.

Grass or Legume Hay?

Horse hay is generally divided into two main categories: grasses and legumes. Grasses often have long, slender stalks and perhaps a seed head on top; legumes are leafier, don’t grow as tall, and the stems are crunchier.

“The most common legumes fed to horses in the U.S. are alfalfa and clover,” says Mottet. “The most common U.S. grass hays are timothy, orchard, fescue, brome, and Bermuda.”

Mottet notes that grasses are then subdivided as cool-season or warm-season grasses, with cool-season grasses tending to be more palatable to horses than warm-season grasses.

“All are, however, acceptable choices for horses,” she says. “The main difference between grasses and legumes is that legumes tend to be higher in protein, energy, and several other micronutrients.”

So if legumes offer more energy, should you choose them over grasses? Not necessarily.

“Horses can do great on many types of forages,” says Mottet. “A good-quality grass hay can be the foundational piece of the diet for really any horse. A legume can be helpful for high-performance horses, those who are considered ‘hard keepers,’ and for mares that are gestating or lactating.”

Many horse owners use a grass hay, but may supplement with alfalfa (or an alfalfa mix) if the extra calories are needed.

“Alfalfa is usually [richer] in protein, energy, and micronutrient density, and is often not ideal as the sole source of forage in the diet,” says Mottet. “There are some situations where a large inclusion of alfalfa is a good choice, but in general, it shouldn’t be the only forage your horse is receiving if you have grass hay also available.”

Ponies, in particular, can be overly sensitive to the calorie content of alfalfa hay.

Choosing a Hay

You’ll find further options within the grass and legume categories. But you probably don’t need to worry too much about the exact hay species, since that is going to vary somewhat by your region. For example, don’t get too focused on whether to feed a cool-season timothy hay over a cool-season orchard grass mix.

“Finding what’s available in your region is a good place to start,” says Mottet. “Start by finding a quality horse hay vendor in your area that you can get a consistent source from. Check in with other local horse farms to see who grows horse hay in the area.”

She also suggests connecting with a local extension agent as a guide.

“Keep in mind that hay that’s appropriate for cattle and other livestock may not be the best match for your horses, so try to find a vendor growing hay specifically for horses,” Mottet advises.

Another major factor—probably more important than the specific type of hay you buy—is the age at which the hay was harvested. As grasses and legumes mature and the stalks become thicker, the nutritional value of the hay begins to diminish.

“There isn’t a certain species I typically avoid, as maturity when cut is the biggest influencer of nutritional quality in any hay,” says Mottet. “You can have good or bad quality in nearly any variety! However, there are a few situations that warrant specificity. In a number of horses, a low non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) hay is most appropriate [for horses with sugar and starch sensitivities or obesity]. The hay most appropriate for these horses is one that is more mature (stemmy), or a variety with known low NSC content.”

She also notes that pregnant mares can be sensitive to the endophyte fungus found in tall fescue grass, so fescue might not be the wisest choice on breeding farms.

Look for Quality

There are some basics you should look for no matter what type of hay you ultimately use. Mottet recommends finding hay that is free of debris, has minimal dust, and does not have discolored areas indicative of mold. She also advises that green hay is not necessarily the truest indicator of quality and nutrient composition.

“Sometimes you can have the most beautiful bright green hay, but your horse prefers the more brown/green option,” she says. “It’s hard to always explain why, but the point is to not get completely lost in finding the greenest hay available thinking this is the determinant of quality.”

Watch Their Weight

Mottet recommends regularly appraising your horse’s body condition, as you can gain clues about the quality of your hay and whether your horse getting too much, too little, or the correct amount.

“I suggest using the Henneke Body Condition Scoring (BCS) system to ensure your horse is getting adequate hay intake,” she says. “A good guide is to make sure your horse is receiving at least 1.5 percent of his body weight in hay per day, all the way up to free choice [about 2.5 percent of body weight in hay intake per day]. You can use your horse’s BCS to determine where to land within that range of hay intake.”

Once you have determined the hay that works best for your horse and have found a reliable supplier in your region, you should have an easier time next year, when you simply need to restock. Then your only question will be how to find enough helpers to unload the hay!

Further Reading

◆ How to Grow Your Own Hay
◆ Hay Buyer’s Guide
◆ Hay Accessories to Make Feeding Your Horse Easier
◆ Soil and Hay Tests for Horse Owners

This article about choosing the right hay type appeared in the January/February 2025 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Choosing the Right Hay Type appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

It’s essential to look closely at the specifics involved during every life stage to determine how proper nutrition helps support a horse’s development.  

A Foal’s Immediate Needs

Feeding for the developing horse needs to start as soon as the mare becomes pregnant, but the nutritional demands accelerate significantly in the final trimester. At that point, the foal is growing rapidly, and the mare’s energy requirements rise sharply. 

“That final third of gestation is a critical point to make sure you’re providing adequate protein, vitamins, minerals and the calorie content to maintain that broodmare in at least a body condition score of five. For a lot of broodmares, you want to see a body condition score of six as they go into foaling,” said Dr. Randel Raub, Sentinel® director of research and nutrition. 

After foaling, the work begins to build a foundation for a healthy, well-developed adult horse. As a foal goes from relying entirely on the mare’s milk to consuming solid feed, consider the type of feed based on the type of hay or forage they also are eating. Typically, feeds for growing foals are higher in protein.  

“You want to target a diet that’s relatively lower in starches and sugars,” Dr. Raub said. “If you’re growing an equine athlete for a long, healthy, lameness-free, productive career, try to avoid any rapid changes in growth rate where you put the foal in a stress condition, usually around weaning.” 

Up through 8 weeks of age, foals will begin to nibble on hay and grain; at this point, you should gradually introduce the foal to high-quality feed to support digestive development.  

• Creep feeding: A specially formulated creep feed helps foals get essential nutrients without competition from the mare. 

• Protein: High-quality sources such as soybean meal or alfalfa support muscle and tissue growth. 

• Calcium and phosphorus: Proper ratios are essential for developing strong bones. 

• Digestive health: Prebiotics and probiotics can aid gut health and development. 

Feeding Goals Grow with the Horse

As a horse matures into adulthood, access to water and forage remains essential, but feed ingredients and specific nutritional needs will change. Start assessing his needs by considering the horse’s activity level.  

A horse that exercises a lot will need more protein, fat and fiber than other horses that have moderate levels of activity. Equine nutritionists such as Dr. Raub and Jeanne Van Der Veen, Sentinel equine and specialty nutritionist, recommend trying a higher-fat horse feed with an active horse. Higher-fat feed sources allow the horse to get extra calories needed for more intensive exercise without increasing grain intake. 

“A balanced diet isn’t just about feeding more or less,” Van Der Veen said. “It’s about ensuring the right nutrients are delivered at the right levels to support optimal growth, performance or recovery.” 

When planning a horse’s diet, no matter what his activity level, it is important to consider body condition score (BCS). Getting the right amounts and ratios of nutrients helps support a horse’s overall health and body condition.  

Some things to consider if a horse is being fed below the suggested rate or struggling to maintain a healthy body condition: 

• Start by getting the horse up to his suggested feeding rate 

• Consider a high-fat supplement or higher-fat feed. 

• Provide a protein, vitamin and mineral supplement 

• Additional protein can be especially helpful if a horse isn’t getting enough from forage to maintain a healthy body condition 

“The path to optimal health is a journey, not a quick fix,” Van Der Veen said. “Regular assessments and small adjustments can make a big difference over time.” 

Balancing the Needs of Breeding Horses

Prior to breeding, a balanced feed with moderate protein and fat levels, along with quality forage, helps support increased nutritional demands. For a mare, adequate vitamins and minerals are essential for reproduction. 

The mare’s nutritional requirements skyrocket during the final trimester because of the rapid growth rate of the foal. In addition to energy and protein, pregnant mares need calcium, phosphorus and other minerals to allow for proper bone and tissue development in the foal.  

“When that foal hits the ground, the energy demands of the lactating mare are as high as the absolute hardest-working horse you can imagine,” Dr. Raub said. “It’s just phenomenal. They mostly double their nutrient requirements during lactation compared to their maintenance requirements.” 

Once again, look to the body condition score for helpful guidance on how to approach feeding a mare. 

“We want to see a score of five or six in the gestating mare,” Dr. Raub said. “You don’t want them in an obese situation because that can hurt rebreeding efficiency, and you don’t want an obese mare going through the foaling process. You compromise that mare’s ability to deliver the tremendous nutrient content that lactation requires.” 

“They’re already in a negative nutrient balance if you have them at a condition score of four or less, and you put them in a compromised position during lactation—and especially if you’re looking at rebreeding opportunities,” Dr. Raub said. 

For example, if a gestating mare has a body condition score of four or lower, then that horse will have a negative nutrient balance. This can put the horse in a compromised position during lactation, Dr. Raub said, especially concerning rebreeding opportunities.  

Addressing a Horse’s Needs in His Later Years

Though there is no set definition, horses aged 15 or older are typically considered in their senior years. While forage is still the foundation of their diet, senior horses may require adjustments for dental and digestive needs. 

Some things to look for in an older horse: 

• Reduced digestive efficiency 

• Dental problems 
  • Trouble chewing 
  • Feed falling out while chewing 

• Weight loss 

• Joint stiffness 

• Weakened immune system 

• Changes in body condition 

If these changes are apparent, equine nutritionists recommend a highly digestible, easily chewed feed, such as extruded, which can help alleviate them. Extruded feed is pressure cooked and combines moisture, heat and pressure to produce a light and airy nugget. This consistency makes it easier for senior horses to chew and is more easily digestible than typical pelleted feed, allowing for better nutrient absorption. Additionally, they can be soaked for a much shorter time than pelleted feeds, which enables a horse to break them down readily. 

“We use extruded feed as a preventative measure, particularly for older horses that have poor dentition or a history of choke,” said Dr. Abby Geick, equine veterinarian at the New England Equine Medical & Surgical Center. “Extruded feed breaks down nicely in a mash, and it also contains adequate vitamins and nutrients, which really is key for older horses.” 

Helping Horses Through a Lifetime of Wellness

Finding the right nutritional balance is essential whether feeding during the intense, high-energy demands of a mare’s final trimester through lactation, preparing a horse for performance or helping a senior horse thrive in his later years. Thoughtful nutrition planning and knowing how to best serve a horse at every age will provide benefits, year after year.   

This article is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Ignoring any part of a horse’s nutrient intake can threaten digestive health, immune system support and overall wellness, but a lack of water for even a short amount of time will quickly lead to significant health risks.  

With water intake, however, it’s not just about drinking. A horse’s hydration needs will vary according to diet, nutrition needs and performance demands. 

“The right nutritional balance starts with high-quality hay and pasture. That essential fiber supports proper digestive function and sustains hydration and electrolytes that a horse needs, especially a performance horse,” said Kristyn Sturken, Sentinel® Product Manager. 

Though using diet to influence hydration starts with hay and forage, it doesn’t end there. The type of feed you provide can also positively impact your performance horse’s water intake. 

Guidance for Keeping a Horse Hydrated 

Simply giving access to water does not guarantee a horse will drink enough. Water taste, smell and temperature all affect a horse’s desire to drink, and diet must also be considered. For example, a horse that is eating a lot of pasture, with a high moisture content, may drink less than if he’s consuming primarily hay, which is drier and could induce thirst. 

With that in mind, here are some tips for making sure a horse stays properly hydrated: 

• Offer water: Encouraging a horse to drink can help stimulate thirst. 

• Monitor sweat loss: High temperatures, humidity and intense exercise make a horse sweat, which might require adjusting electrolyte supplementation to offset what’s been lost. 

• • • A horse that is sweating normally will have a lightly moist, shiny coat, particularly under the saddle. 

• • • Sweat will spread to the neck, chest and legs in a horse that is exercising harder. 

• Supplement with electrolytes: Giving a horse a well-balanced electrolyte supplement can help replenish minerals lost during exercise. 

• Forage: Forage provides a significant source of potassium, which can help horses maintain water balance.  

Additionally, it’s essential to know the signs of dehydration. While fatigue, illness or reduced performance are worrying, if dehydration is not tended to promptly, it could result in grave health issues. 

Look for these signs of dehydration and take action immediately if found:

• Elevated heart rate or pulse exceeding 40 beats per minute  

• Changes in gum color or loss of moisture on the gums 

• Loss of skin elasticity; pinch along the neck in front of the shoulder to test—it should retract without delay 

Helping a Horse by Soaking Extruded Feed 

Extruded feed is different from pelleted feed; it is pressure cooked with moisture, which produces light, airy nuggets that encourage more chewing and, subsequently, more saliva production. Slower chewing and increased saliva production help maintain the precise nutrient balance healthy horses require and can support hydration. 

In addition to easy digestibility making nutrients more accessible to the horse, extruded feeds can be easily soaked and prepared as a mash. This can be done much quicker than it takes to soak pellets and can provide extra hydration in horses who are not drinking enough water, which can also help prevent choke. 

Getting a horse to drink more water may help prevent certain digestive upsets associated with high-stress, high-intensity conditions performance horses might experience. 

High-Quality H2O and Electrolytes 

Performance horses are particularly susceptible to electrolyte imbalances because of significant fluid losses from sweat. Electrolytes are minerals that, when dissolved in water, are vital for a multitude of bodily functions, including nerve transmission, muscle contraction and fluid balance.  

Competitive horses face an increased risk of fatigue, reduced muscle efficiency and worsened nerve function if their electrolytes are not replenished. In severe cases, serious health complications can arise. 

Key electrolytes and their function: 

• Sodium (Na): Regulates fluid balance and is essential for nerve impulse transmission. 

• Chloride (Cl): Works alongside sodium to maintain fluid balance and is a component of stomach acid, aiding digestion. 

• Potassium (K): Crucial for muscle function and helps maintain the body’s acid-base balance. 

• Calcium (Ca²): Necessary for muscle contractions, nerve function and blood clotting. 

• Magnesium (Mg²): Involved in muscle relaxation and energy production. 

Supplementing Electrolyte Intake 

You can buy supplements to help restore your horse’s electrolyte balance. These are available as additives for your horse’s water, or even as an oral gel or paste. When using, always follow the label instructions. 

Providing salt is another way to help maintain electrolyte balance. In addition to acting like an electrolyte, salt can also stimulate thirst and encourage a horse to drink more water. 

Whichever method you choose, your horse needs free access to water. Electrolytes can encourage your horse to drink water. 

Also keep in mind that some horses do not like water with additives in it, so when adding electrolytes to their drinking supply, make sure to have a separate, fresh water source available. 

Keep a Horse Hydrated for His Health and Wellness 

A horse must stay well-hydrated to maintain proper nutrient balance and support his diet, workload and lifestyle needs. It’s important to recognize the signs of dehydration and understand what behaviors and conditions increase the risk. There are many effective strategies to help keep your horse hydrated. By actively managing your horse’s water intake, you can help prevent serious health issues and ensure they stay healthy, comfortable and performing at their best.  

This article is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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“It depends somewhat on the individual horse whether you can influence his temperament with diet, but there is evidence that for many horses, what they are eating can influence whether they are reactive, flighty or calmer,” says Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., an equine nutritionist who works with Kentucky Equine Research (KER).

She explains that calories are just a measure of the amount of energy in feed. Different feed sources can supply the same number of calories from different sources of energy.

“It all comes down to how the energy source is metabolized within the body as to what kind of energy it will supply,” says Crandell.

For example, fat and fiber are considered “cool” energy sources, while starch and sugar tend to be “hot” energy sources.

The Protein Myth

While you may have heard that high-protein feeds make horses more excitable or “hot,”  that’s simply not the case.

“The old belief was that protein dictated the amount of energy in a feed,” says Crandell. “Horse owners would look at only the protein percentage to determine if the feed had enough energy for the horse. We now know that is not the case, and protein percentage is merely an indicator of protein, not energy.”

She explains that the amount of starch and sugar is typically what contributes to the amount of energy the horse can get out of a feed, along with the digestible fiber and fat.

Crandell points out that energy sources in the equine diet are fiber, fat, and non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), which is the combination of starch and sugar.

“Horses get their energy from the feed by the digestion of carbohydrates, both structural carbohydrates (fiber) and non-structural carbohydrates, which are starches and sugars,” she explains.

If a horse needs more energy than he gets from fiber alone to maintain his weight or do his job, you can feed more concentrated energy sources, which are found in non-structural carbohydrates and fat.

This is why work horses in the past were traditionally fed significant amounts of oats or corn. They simply couldn’t eat enough fiber (hay or grass) to supply the caloric energy needed for their workload.

Starch and Sugar

Feed with a high percentage of starch and sugar can make some horses more excitable. That’s why changing feed may help “chill out” a high-energy horse.

Research studies and anecdotal evidence both show that the amount of starch and sugar in the diet influences excitability.

Crandell says the original research compared a high-starch diet to a high-fat diet. Horses were less excitable and reactive when fed the high-fat diet.

“More recently, there was a research study where horses were fed a high fat-and-fiber feed versus a high-starch feed,” she says. “The horses on the high fat-and-fiber feed were, once again, less reactive to stimuli.”

Corn tops the high-starch list at 70 percent, followed by barley at 54 percent. Oats are considered “moderate” starch at around 43 percent—plus they contain more fiber than corn or barley. All three are higher in starch than wheat middlings, soybean or oat hulls, and beet pulp.

In low-starch horse feeds, ingredients like wheat middlings, soybean or oat hulls, and beet pulp are commonly used to substitute fiber calories for the starch calories normally supplied by grains.

You can assume that sweet feed is fairly high in both sugar and starch because of the grain and molasses content.

But what about textured feed?

“Back in the late 1990s, a new generation of textured feed appeared in the horse industry,” says Crandell. “It was made basically with beet pulp, high-fiber ingredients like soy hulls, oil, and vitamin/mineral pellets, with a smaller amount of molasses. These are technically ‘textured feeds,’ but they are high in fiber and fat and low in starch and sugar. This type of feed has become more common than sweet feeds through the years because horse owners are looking for lower-starch options to feed their horses.”

“Cool” Energy

Think about the sugar overload kids get at a birthday party after eating lots of sweet snacks.

Crandell says the same concept applies to horses, as the digestion of both sugars and starches in feed may be responsible for excess energy. It is the digestion of soluble carbohydrates that causes rises in blood glucose and insulin, which are thought to have the effect on temperament.

Energy from fiber and fat is generally described as “cool” energy because during the digestion of those energy sources, there are no significant changes to blood glucose and insulin.

This is why if your horse tends to be anxious or easily excitable, it may help to feed him a diet low in starch and sugar, but high in fiber and fat. 

Crandell saw this firsthand in a research study at KER. Study horses were fed either a high-starch or high-fiber feed for 21 days. All horses eventually were on each of the diets over the course of the study.

“When one of the horses was on the high-starch diet, he became very nervous and hard to handle, yet when he was fed the high-fiber feed, he was as gentle as a lamb,” she says. “It is no guarantee that a horse may be calmer on a low-starch feed, but it’s certainly worth a try.”

Because fat is a concentrated source of calories, it supplies energy without adding bulk to the diet.

“If a horse is not maintaining weight or needs to gain weight, high-fat feeds are ideal for getting the maximum calories into him in the least amount of feed,” notes Crandell.

A high-fat feed or supplement can also help a horse in hard work that needs more calories. 

Adding Energy

While there’s a lot of focus on making horses calmer, some owners may wonder how to make a laid-back horse more energetic.

With the popularity of low-starch feeds today, Crandell says it’s not uncommon that a naturally calm horse eating a feed with less than 12 percent starch may be lacking in energy.

She notes that muscle glycogen is a major energy source when the horse is exercising and performing, but ultra-low starch feeds (less than 12 percent starch) may not provide enough glucose to build that muscle glycogen.

“The ultra-low starch feeds are ideal for horses with muscle diseases, such as PSSM [polysaccharide storage myopathy], because these horses have a problem that causes them to build up too much muscle glycogen,” says Crandell. “The ultra-low starch feeds work by not supplying the substrate [glucose] that encourages muscle glycogen deposition, so they can’t build up too much.”

While ideal for horses with glycogen disorders, ultra-low starch feeds may not supply enough NSCs (ultimately, glucose) for every performance horse.

Key Takeaway: Evaluate and Adjust

There’s no “one-size-fits-all” feeding program. Adjustments must be made based on each horse’s workload, stabling/turnout situation, body condition, and temperament.

Crandell says finding the right feed for each individual horse is often a matter of trial and error.

A healthy horse that lacks “get up and go” may simply need more starch in his diet, while a healthy horse that always seems to have excess energy may be getting fed more calories than needed.

Most horses today don’t work as hard as horses in the past, but they’re often fed as though they are working all day.

“It is important to match caloric intake to the caloric needs of every individual horse,” says Crandell.

A healthy horse in good weight doing little to no work may not even need grain/concentrate. Hay and a ration balancer will ensure he’s getting adequate protein, vitamins and minerals, and this may be all that is needed.

Take an honest look at your horse’s feed program, exercise routine, and temperament, and adjust accordingly. Ultimately, nutrition can play a role in a horse’s temperament, but as with anything in horse care, the “recipe” must be fit for the individual.

Further Reading
◆ Rules to Feed a Horse By
◆ 8 Horse Feeding Mistakes to Avoid
◆ Horse Feeding Dos and Don’ts

This article about horse nutrition for temperament appeared in the March 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Nutrition for Your Horse’s Temperament appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

“There’s a high caloric demand on the horse’s body to stay warm,” says Dr. Abby Geick, an equine veterinarian with New England Equine Medical & Surgical Center in New Hampshire. “Sometimes their previous feeding regime just can’t keep up, and that’s when you start to see some ribs or muscle loss, or they blow their winter coats.”

One of Geick’s go-to solutions is Sentinel Extruded Horse Feed. She says it’s a great option for many horses because of the fat and fiber content, and the extruded nuggets can easily be soaked and made into a mash, if needed. Horses tend to like it, and it takes them longer to eat, which provides additional digestive benefits, she explains.

The Importance of Forage

The foundation of any horse’s diet should always be good-quality forage, which provides the necessary fiber to keep your horse’s digestive system working properly. A typical 1,000-pound horse usually consumes about 20 pounds of hay per day, but in colder weather that amount may rise to 25-30 pounds.

“Fiber digestion is key to keeping a horse warm,” says Dr. Randel Raub, Director of Research and Nutrition for Sentinel Horse Nutrition. “When horses digest fiber, they produce body heat.”

Bran Mash: A Warm Winter Treat

Bran mashes are a good option if you’re trying to increase water intake, especially during the winter. Another great way to increase water intake is to make a mash out of your horse’s regular meal. Sentinel’s extruded formulas can be very easily turned into a mash to ensure a horse gets adequate water without mineral imbalances.

Water and Salt Prevent Dehydration

As temperatures drop, water consumption can decrease, so it’s vital that horses always have access to fresh water that’s not too cold. Offering a trace mineral salt block or supplementing your horse’s feed can encourage water consumption, lowering the risk of health concerns like colic.

“Horses need to drink plenty of water to keep their digestive system running smoothly,” Raub notes. “You should check your horse’s water sources at least twice per day to ensure they’re not frozen, and using an insulated trough and tank heater is a great option to keep water accessible.”

Winter Riding Care

While proper nutrition is the cornerstone of winter horse care, paying attention to other factors, like exercise, shelter, ice and mud management, are also important.

If you ride or work your horse in winter, plan for more care time both before and after rides. Bits should be warmed before you put them in your horse’s mouth. Wait until it’s no longer cold to the touch before asking your horse to accept it.

Horses that sweat during winter rides need to be dried out completely. A thick winter coat can hold moisture for a long time, and drying can take a while. Horses can be dried by rubbing with a towel, feeding hay or keeping the horse under cover and applying a water-wicking cooler. Once the horse is dry, fluff up their hair before turning out, which will aid the insulating effectiveness of their coat.

Shelter Is Integral

Horses also need shelter from the elements. Trees and low places act as a natural wind barrier and can provide some protection from precipitation. A three-sided shelter provides the best protection from winter weather. It’s also important to ensure the shelter offers adequate space for your animals, allowing for their natural behavior and accommodating their hierarchy so that even the lowest horse in the pecking order has access to shelter.

“Mud is inevitable around feeders, waterers and gates, but with enough space, your horse can usually move to drier areas,” Raub says. “To manage this, I recommend using durable rocks that can handle heavy traffic and improve drainage. It’s a simple way to reduce mud and prevent erosion in high-use areas.”

Horses and other livestock can become mired in especially muddy areas. Check your horse’s legs regularly for mud or ice buildup and monitor hooves to ensure they’re free of ice that could cause slipping.

Many horse owners choose to blanket their horses during the winter months. A horse living outside that doesn’t grow a thick winter coat could benefit from this, especially during cold snaps. Also, horses that don’t have access to shelter will appreciate a proper turnout blanket during inclement weather.

Be sure to take your horse’s blankets off regularly during the colder months to monitor body condition. It’s important to physically assess how they’re maintaining their weight.

“Winter care is all about setting your horse up for success,” Geick says. “By adjusting their diet and care to match the season, you’re taking a great first step.”

If you’re unsure if your current feed is meeting your horse’s winter nutritional needs, ask your veterinarian if a Sentinel extruded formula could be right for them.

Further Reading:
◆ Winter Horse Care FAQs
◆ Feeding the Senior Horse in the Winter

This article about feeding horses in the winter is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Expert Tips for Feeding Healthy Horses All Winter Long appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Photo by Shelley Paulson

1. Lack of Forage

“Horses are grazing animals with a digestive track designed for small, frequent feedings,” says Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., an equine nutritionist who works with Kentucky Equine Research. “When forage [grass or hay] is not available, this predisposes horses to gastric ulcers and can affect the microbial balance of the gut.”

Tips

• Whether your horse is turned out on pasture or you use a hay net or slow feeder, forage should be available most of the day and night.
• Horse owners should plan for the upcoming winter feed supply during the summer months to keep costs manageable.

2. Feeding Your Horse Too Much Concentrate

“When you feed more concentrate [grain] than hay, you disrupt the microbial balance because this causes a drop in pH in the hind gut,” says Crandell.

“Hay has a buffering effect on the hind gut. That’s why you want to be sure [to feed] a minimum of 1 percent” of the horse’s body weight in forage. For example, a 1,000-pound horse must eat a minimum of 10 pounds of hay per day.

“Ideally, we want them to get 1.5 percent of their body weight in forage,” she adds. This would be 15 pounds of hay for a 1,000-pound horse.

Tips

• Use a weight tape to keep track of your horse’s weight and feed them a ration of forage vs. concentrate accordingly.

3. Feeding Your Horse Too Much Grain at Once

Don’t feed your horse more than 0.5 pounds of grain per 100 pounds of body weight at once. This means 5 pounds of concentrate is the most that can be given in one feeding to a 1,000-pound horse.

This applies to any type of concentrate, including pellets, grain and beet pulp.

“The horse’s stomach is relatively small and limited in capacity, so when you feed too much, it overloads the system,” says Crandell.

Too much feed won’t get exposed properly to the digestive juices, so it doesn’t get broken down as well.

4. Unevenly Spaced Feedings

Many barns feed early in the morning and again in the afternoon, leaving only six or seven hours between day meals, but a long time overnight without food.

“Physiologically, it’s easier on the digestive tract to evenly space out feedings so the horse won’t have as much time with an empty stomach,” says Crandell. “If you have to feed larger amounts of grain, you want to break it into three meals a day, not just increase the amount given at two meals.”

Tips

• If you have the means, add a third meal time for your horse to break up feedings.

5. Not Following Label Directions

“Every bag has a recommended feeding amount,” says Crandell. “These amounts are suggested because of the way the product was formulated. These recommendations are in pounds or kilos, never ‘scoops.’ The best thing to do is weigh the feed to know how much you’re actually feeding. Many people feed less than the recommended amount and wonder why their horse isn’t maintaining weight, then they try adding a supplement, when they just need to feed according to label directions.”

6. Feeding Your Horse Only a Complete Feed

Complete feeds are popular, and even though senior feeds are designed to be a sole ration, the equine digestive tract still requires some long-stem forage to function properly.

Ask your vet if you’re concerned your horse can’t safely chew hay. For these horses, Crandell recommends soaking hay cubes or hay pellets in water. Bagged forage may also be an alternative.

7. Abrupt Feed Changes

Any changes in concentrate or hay should be made gradually.

“Instead of just ‘cold turkey’ switching from one to another, do this over a week,” Crandell advises. “You can never be too careful when switching feed and hay. Changing hay is a risk factor that increases the chance of gastric upset. It’s really important if you’re changing to a totally different forage, such as from grass hay to legume hay or [to grass hay] mixed with alfalfa or clover, to make the transition slowly. This allows the gut microbes to gradually adjust to the new source.”

Make changes gradually by adding one-quarter of the new feed or hay to three-quarters of the old. Slowly increase the proportion of new feed over a week’s time until you’ve switched over entirely.

8. Too Much Sand/Dirt Consumption

Horses can get a build-up of sand in the gut if hay is fed on the ground or they eat spilled feed.

“When horses eat hay—especially alfalfa with its tiny leaves—off the ground, they tend to ingest dirt, sand and debris, all of which can create inflammation and impaction in the digestive tract,” warns Crandell. Use bigger feeders with rubber mats underneath so spilled hay and feed don’t fall on the ground.

Non-Feed Risk Factors

Several other factors can increase risk of colic, and all are within a horse owner’s control.

1. Limited Exercise:

“Movement outside aids movement within,” says equine nutritionist Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D. “Moving around increases peristalsis [the involuntary constriction and relaxation of the muscles of the intestine, creating wave-like movements that push the contents of the canal forward], causing food to move through the digestive tract. When you don’t have peristalsis, food gets stagnant in the system, and that’s when horses colic.”

2. Reduced Water Consumption:

“Dehydration is one of the reasons for colic,” says Crandell, noting that horses need constant access to cool, fresh water year-round. Warm, algae-tainted water is common during hot weather, but makes horses less likely to drink adequate amounts.

3. Not Keeping up with Dental Care:

“Horses have to physically chew to produce saliva, which is needed to start the digestive process and also aids in the movement of food through the system,” says Crandell.

If the horse’s teeth can’t chew well and break down feed, this puts the horse more at risk of impaction colic as feed matter moves through the digestive tract. All horses should have an annual exam by an equine dental care provider.

Horse Feeding Mistakes: Key Takeaways

As a horse owner, it’s important to be aware of the mistakes you should avoid when it comes to feeding your horse. If needed, consult a veterinarian or equine nutritionist for personalized dietary advice.

Frequently Asked Questions About Feeding Horses and Preventing Colic

What factors can increase the risk of colic in horses?

Several factors can contribute to an increased risk of colic, many of which are within a horse owner’s control. These factors include lack of forage, too much consumption of sand, limited exercise, reduced water consumption, and neglecting dental care.

How does a lack of forage affect a horse’s risk of colic?

Horses are grazing animals, and their digestive systems are designed for small, frequent feedings. When forage (grass or hay) is not readily available, it can predispose horses to gastric ulcers and disrupt the microbial balance of the gut. It’s essential to ensure that forage is accessible to horses throughout the day and night, whether through pasture grazing, hay nets, or slow feeders.

This article about horse feeding mistakes appeared in the August 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Picture this: a lush, green field with a horse peacefully grazing. This image is almost every horse owner’s ideal vision of their horse at his happiest. But danger can lurk for some horses if you look a little deeper.

Certain horses and ponies are prone to grass founder (laminitis), particularly in the spring when grasses are high in sugar. Most horse owners would rather prevent laminitis than deal with it after it happens, so the best course of action is to recognize the red flags—times to be more vigilant—and know what to do next.

High-Risk Horses

Horses most at risk for laminitis are those with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and Cushing’s disease (also called pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, or PPID).

Horses and ponies with EMS often have telltale symptoms, including a tendency toward obesity, insulin resistance and recurrent laminitis. Abnormal fat deposits along the crest of the neck, tailhead and above the eyes are typical, even when the horse is at a normal weight. The condition most often occurs in ponies and other breeds that evolved under harsh conditions and tend to be easy keepers.

Horses with PPID may have symptoms similar to EMS, such as patchy fat deposits and insulin resistance, but PPID usually begins to appear in older horses (over age 15). They may also start to lose topline muscling and develop a thick haircoat that sheds out later than normal, or eventually not at all.

If you suspect your horse has either of these conditions, schedule a vet visit for blood tests that will help confirm a diagnosis. If your horse has a metabolic disease, consider it a huge warning flag that he is at high risk for pasture-associated laminitis.

The Carbohydrate Connection to Founder in Horses

Laminitis can be caused by grazing on pasture that is too high in non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs). These include fructan, sugar and starch. Structural carbohydrates are the fibrous parts of the cell wall that give the plant rigidity; these are digested differently from NSCs.

You may have heard that fructan is the singular evil element in grass that causes horses to founder. However, more recent research has shown that pasture-induced laminitis cannot be attributed solely to fructan. There is no fructan in warm-season grasses, yet horses can still founder on them. Since the same environmental conditions that create high fructan concentrations also increase sugar and starch levels, it’s best to just limit all NSCs.

Conditions that Spell Trouble

In order to prevent laminitis in high-risk horses, you’ll need to start thinking about weather and grass-growing conditions. When the sun is shining brightly but other conditions limit the growth of the plant, NSC concentration in pasture plants will increase.

Here is a list of the danger signs to look for:

Temperature

“If it’s below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the enzymes that help the plant grow don’t function anymore,” says Kathryn Watts, an internationally respected consultant and researcher specializing in pasture grass and horses and ponies prone to laminitis. She is based in Colorado and maintains a website at safergrass.org. “However, photosynthesis [which creates sugar] happens as long as the sun is shining, provided that the plant is not frozen solid.”

Concentrations of NSCs can double or even triple if these conditions (sunny and below 40 degrees) continue for several weeks. Since this commonly happens during spring and fall in many parts of the country, these seasons are often associated with grass founder in horses.

TIP: A useful tool that you can find at any hardware store is a min-max thermometer. Put it on the back porch and check it every morning. If it’s been below 40 degrees that night, start paying careful attention to any high-risk horses. After a few nights below 40, any horse that’s had laminitis in the past or has the body type that says “founder waiting to happen” should probably be removed from pasture entirely and fed hay that’s tested for low sugar content (see “Testing Sugar Content,” below).

Lack of Fertilizer

“Another thing that can limit plant growth is lack of fertilizer—usually nitrogen,” says Watts. “The plant might have enough sugar, but if it doesn’t have enough nitrogen to put that sugar to work and grow, the sugar starts piling up. I use the analogy of an assembly line: If the plant does not have all of the elements it needs to grow, the line shuts down and the other raw materials pile up.”

Since a lack of nitrogen can limit grass growth, it’s important to have the right fertilization schedule for your region. “Approach your extension agent or fertilizer dealer and tell them you’re looking for a moderate fertility level, not maximum production,” Watts advises.

Drought

Drought is another form of stress that will result in sugars piling up within the plant. “For example, in Texas, founder season happens when it’s very sunny and very hot,” says Watts. Drought may also cause fructan in cool-season grasses to turn to sugar, increasing chances of metabolically driven laminitis.

Mature Grass

When managing pastures, it’s important to mow or top the grass before seed heads appear. “Sugars and starch are very concentrated in the developing seed heads,” says Watts. “Many horses selectively graze them off; it’s like horse candy.”

Weeds

Most pastures are filled with weeds that horses are more than happy to consume.

“Some of the weeds in your pasture have the potential to contain more sugar than the grass,” says Watts. “The ones that I have tested personally that are really high in NSCs include dandelion, plantain and thistle.”

You can treat pastures with an herbicide to kill broadleaf weeds such as dandelions, which are particularly palatable to horses. Often this is enough to decrease the incidence of founder.

A thick, healthy stand of grass is the best defense against invasion of weeds and clover. While proper fertilization can decrease sugar concentration per mouthful of grass, there may now be more sugar per acre. When grass is more plentiful in previously overgrazed pastures, you may need to start limiting intake with a muzzle or decreased time at pasture.

It’s important to note that weeds may grow around dry lots where horses and ponies are housed to keep them off pasture. If those weeds are within reach of desperate flapping lips of horses, the risk of founder is still there. You may very well save your horse from foundering just by running a weed-whacker around the dry lot.

“Safe” Grazing

Regardless of what season the calendar says it is, keep an eye out for dangerous grazing conditions all year long.

“The worst places for laminitis are those where the grass stays green all winter long, like in Great Britain and the Pacific Northwest,” says Watts. “Their grass doesn’t ever really die. When the temperature is below 40 degrees, any green grass creates a problem for high-risk horses, regardless of what month it is.

“Here in Colorado, by December the grass is completely brown,” she continues. “If the weather has been dry, the grass can still be high in sugars.” Sugars may be leached out eventually by rain and melting snow, except in the case of grasses with a waxy coating, such as fescue. Fescue is commonly found in Kentucky and the Southern states, so keep in mind that it may be holding on to sugar longer if you are planning to put your horse on it in the winter or during a summer drought.

“People assume that dead grass has no nutritional value if it’s brown,” adds Watts. “But sugar is not green. The chlorophyll and protein may be gone, but the sugar isn’t necessarily gone. Don’t assume that brown grass is safe.”

Testing Sugar Content

If you’re unsure about your grass or hay’s sugar content, the best thing to do is get it tested. “Grab a few handfuls of brown grass and send it to Equi-Analytical Laboratories [the equine division of Dairy One Cooperative Inc.] and have it analyzed,” says Watts. This is only accurate if the grass is completely dead. (If the grass is green, you would have to flash freeze it and send it overnight on dry ice, which is very expensive.) If it’s dead, you can treat it like hay.

Average grass hay is around 12 percent non-structural carbohydrates on a dry matter basis but can range up to 30 percent. For high-risk horses, grass or hay should be less than 11 percent. This varies by individual horse and how much exercise he’s getting. As you test more hay and compare how your horse does on each batch, you will learn what he can handle without gaining weight or getting sore feet. There is no “one size fits all” recipe.

If your high-risk horse has been pulled off pasture, it’s important to test your hay for sugar content. “Any kind of hay can be high or low in sugar,” says Watts. “It’s not about species; it’s about growing conditions.”

For a list of other National Forage Testing Association certified labs, visit www.foragetesting.org.

Managing the High-Risk Horse

If you have a high-risk horse with a cresty neck, one of the best things to keep an eye on is his neck. “When the sugars get high in the grass, you can palpate his neck and feel a difference,” says Watts. “I call it ‘the Neckometer.’ When you put him in the dry lot, within a couple of days you should feel his neck getting softer. If you do something wrong, his neck will get hard very quickly.”

If the weather is conducive to making high-sugar grass, horses with more mild risk factors may still be able to stay on pasture with a grazing muzzle on. “But if you put the grazing muzzle on and his neck is still getting bigger, then it’s time to put him in the dry lot and leave him there,” advises Watts. However, she emphasizes that the only way you can really assess your horse’s risk level is to get his insulin levels tested.

Early Signs of Laminitis

Another tool Watts recommends to carefully monitor high-risk horses is a daily brisk trot on firm footing. Since the metabolic form of laminitis comes on very slowly, it’s possible to look for these subtle signs and get ahead of the problem.

“If you have a horse that normally has a nice, big trot and suddenly he just shuffles along stiff-legged or refuses to trot at all, that’s the horse that you bring back to your dry lot,” says Watts. “Feel his feet to see if there’s excess heat or an obvious pulse. These horses will often respond to being withdrawn from pasture very quickly.”

Keep the horse off of pasture until weather conditions have changed completely in a way that will lower the concentration of sugar in the grass. For any case of acute laminitis, contact your vet immediately.

Since metabolic laminitis is a relatively new area of research, make sure your vet is up to date on the condition and knows how to treat it.

“Endocrinology is a veterinary specialty,” says Watts. “The same goes for farriers. The farrier you loved when your horse was healthy may not have the skills to help him once he’s foundered.”

Exercise is Key

Many of the horses that struggle with grass founder are not exercised at all, or only very lightly.

“Except for a few rare cases of very hard-to-control insulin resistance, if you exercise the horse hard enough (to a sweat) three times a week, you can fudge a lot more on the diet,” says Watts. “It’s about balancing the amount of exercise with the amount of NSCs in the diet.”

Horses that are prone to insulin resistance should not carry excess weight. Watts recommends horses be kept fit, even with a slight hint of ribs showing. But the horse should also carry good overall muscle tone from an active fitness program—whether it’s riding, driving or longeing.

If you have a high-risk metabolic horse and you want to maximize his grazing time, you’ll need to be prepared to carefully evaluate him and the weather conditions every day. At the first sign of foot soreness or the crest thickening/hardening, move him to a dry lot and feed him low-sugar hay, or soak his hay for a couple of hours in plenty of fresh water to remove excess sugars. When your horse and the grass conditions improve, he can go back out again. However, it may not be until the season is over. Be prepared for a time-consuming challenge.

Further Reading
◆ Treatment and Recovery of Founder in Horses
◆ Feed to Prevent Founder
◆ An Overview of Laminitis

This article about grass founder in horses originally appeared in the April 2013 issue of Horse Illustrated. Click here to subscribe!

The post Preventing Grass Founder appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

In this post, we’ll explore the challenges of managing grazing horses in this season and provide practical tips for a smooth and safe transition to spring grass.

Understanding the issue: Winter hay vs. spring grass

As grass matures throughout the growing season, the protein content decreases, while the fiber fraction and dry matter content increase, resulting in an overall decrease in digestibility and digestible energy.

It therefore makes sense for early spring grass to be higher in protein, and higher in easily fermentable carbohydrate content, than the grass used to make hay, which was allowed to grow later into the season before being cut. Of course, hay will be much lower in moisture compared to fresh grass as well.

The combination of these factors sets the stage for potential digestive upset when there is an abrupt switch from hay to spring pasture. That’s a big problem, given the overall importance of gut health for horses.

Why, you ask? Well, let’s do a quick calculation.

Depending on the variety of the grass, early spring grass can be as high as 20% or more in protein. That same grass, cut later for hay, may test around 10% to 14%. We know that the majority of the average horse’s nutrients will be supplied by their forage. So, as an example, let’s say there is a 6% protein difference between our hay and our spring grass. An increase in forage protein content of 6% equates to just over a pound of additional protein consumed by the horse each day. That seemingly small change in protein content alone can almost cover the protein requirements of the average horse. Consider that the horse is now consuming that in addition to what they were getting from the hay alone.

The same goes for other nutrients passing through the digestive tract. When combined with the higher digestibility of spring grass due to its rapidly fermentable fibers, it all represents a large and potentially abrupt change in the influx of nutrients into the hindgut. This change in nutrient influx can disrupt the delicate balance of gut microbial organisms. The highly specialized and sensitive hindgut microbial population requires time to adapt to feeding changes to avoid metabolic issues. And so, as with all nutritional changes in a horse’s diet, a gradual change is ideal when moving from hay to fresh grass.

Strategies for a successful transition

Spring grass often sprouts and grows rapidly, making it difficult to accurately determine how much horses are really consuming when they have full access to pasture — but with good management, you can help to keep the transition gradual. Here are some different approaches to gradual transitions that may suit your management situation and personal preferences:

1. Keep some hay in the pasture: Start by making hay available in the pasture for the first couple of weeks, regardless of access to fresh grass. The fresh grass is lower in fiber, so horses can manage their fiber needs by going back and forth between the two forage sources.

2. Manage turn-out time: If your horse is stalled, consider reducing the amount of time they are turned out on grass and then gradually increasing it as spring progresses. This is an easier option for those who have dry lots or other areas, to make sure horses spend enough time turned out while also restricting access to grass.

3. Consider a grazing muzzle: Horses that are exclusively kept out on pasture can also be managed with a grazing muzzle. Another option, for horses kept out on large pastures, is the use of temporary fencing to restrict access, but be aware that the fencing will need to be moved frequently.

Some horses require careful oversight

Horses diagnosed with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) conditions, a history of pasture-associated laminitis, foundering, and so forth, present a different set of challenges. They require particularly careful management during this time, should some access to a dry lot, or careful restriction practices such as muzzles or time-of-day turnout, not be possible. Depending on the individual horse’s condition, turnout on spring pasture may not be desirable regardless of the restrictions implemented.

Some horses may lose a little weight in the early days of spring, specifically the picky ones that prefer soft new grass over hay. That weight should be gained back rapidly as pasture growth rate accelerates and you can give them free access. Keep in mind, though, that mares in late pregnancy or lactation need to be monitored more closely. They have higher nutrient requirements and benefit from the more nutritious grass.

The magic number is two … or perhaps three?

For the best support of horse health throughout, the hay-to-grass transition is implemented over a two-week period. This allows those hindgut microbial communities to adjust without deleterious effects. If your horse has been fed only hay over the winter, with absolutely no access to pasture, start out more conservatively, extending the adaptation period to three weeks if needed.

Keep in mind that the area you live in will dictate when and how quickly your spring grass arrives, and this will influence your transition plans. Some areas have sparse pastures as compared to more lush areas such as Central Kentucky. Regular evaluation of your horse’s condition and your forage quality and quantity during this period are crucial to making informed adjustments to the transition plan.

Keeping these principles of equine nutrition in mind will empower you to plan for and oversee a healthy transition from winter hay to spring grass. By embracing a gradual approach and tailoring strategies to your horse’s needs, you can ensure a smooth and healthy transition, allowing them to fully enjoy spring pasture.

About the author: 

Originally from South Africa, Dr. Mieke Holder is a senior research scientist at Alltech. Her research focuses on equine nutrition and the use of Alltech technologies to improve feed and nutrient utilization, horse health and environmental sustainability. Prior to joining Alltech, Dr. Holder was a faculty member at the University of Kentucky, focusing on the environmental impact of grazing livestock. She earned her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in animal sciences from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, followed by a Ph.D. in equine nutrition from the University of Kentucky.

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DO: Feed lots of high-quality forage.

Since horses originated in the wild as grazing animals, they do best when eating a diet of mostly forage (hay and/or pasture). Grain is a modern invention—a form of concentrated calories fed to horses that do a lot of exercise, or hard keepers that need help putting weight on.

Horses need to eat a minimum of 1.5 percent of their body weight in forage (dry weight) per day, which equates to 15 pounds for the average 1,000-pound horse. A great investment is a scale to weigh your portions. Put the hay in a hay net and hang it from a fish or luggage scale. Horses that need more hay can be fed free-choice (unlimited), which equates to up to approximately 2.5 percent of their body weight per day.

Lush pasture grass is very high in calories and will often pack the pounds on faster than hay will. Limit grazing time if your horse becomes overweight, and opt for feeding hay instead.

DON’T: Feed poor-quality hay.

Most horses eat more hay than pasture, so be vigilant about hay quality. Hay should be free of weeds, debris, mold or any musty smell. It doesn’t necessarily have to be bright green in color, but hay should smell fresh and be more soft than stemmy.

Hay contaminated with dead mammals can cause botulism, which is more likely to happen when making round bales. Always vaccinate your horse for botulism if you feed round bales, and only buy those that were stored under cover. Round bales made for cattle are usually too poor quality for horses.

Be particularly picky about mold in your hay. Reject the entire load if you examine some bales and find obvious black or brown mold, or smell a musty scent. Mold particles will damage your horse’s airway and cause respiratory disease that can permanently affect his breathing.

If you feed alfalfa hay, check for leaf shatter before buying. If the leaves shatter too easily, you’ll be losing a great deal of the hay’s nutrition before your horse is able to eat it. Also be on the lookout for blister beetles that feed on alfalfa. They release a toxin called cantharadin, and even small particles of these beetles contain enough toxin to make a horse quite sick.

DO: Be prepared for a hay shortage.

Many areas of the country are frequently, but not predictably, hit with drought years. This drives up the cost of hay when it has to be brought in from farther away, or makes it impossible to find altogether.

As long as it is baled and stored properly, hay that was harvested at a later maturity or has sat in storage for up to a year can still be fine to feed, particularly when options are limited. Some horses may find mature hay unpalatable, however, and refuse to eat it. Older bales that are free of excessive dust are usually fine once opened, even though the outside may be bleached in color, indicating vitamin loss.

Be prepared ahead of time by buying as much hay as you can store at a time (up to a year’s worth), and know your alternatives. Ask your feed store about bagged hay cubes or other “hay stretchers,” such as complete feeds, to make your remaining hay go as far as possible. Use feeders or hay nets over rubber mats to prevent waste and trampling.

DON’T: Allow easy keepers too much pasture.

Although horses are naturally grazing animals, farm pasture grasses are usually improved nutritionally to provide extra calories. The starches, sugars and fructan in grass can lead to crippling laminitis, a painful inflammation in the hooves, if eaten in excess.

Horses that gain weight easily — often called easy keepers — are most at risk for pasture-related laminitis. Signs that the pasture may be storing extra starch, sugar and fructan (instead of putting them toward plant growth) include any time it is sunny but the temperatures go below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and when the grass is stressed by drought or overgrazing.

DO: Manage your pastures carefully.

It may be tempting to look at the abundance of spring grass and add more horses to your pasture, but that’s usually not a good idea. Depending on how arid your region is, you may need 1 to 10 acres per horse for adequate full-time grazing.

To minimize bare spots that will get colonized by weeds, pastures need to be rested. Ideally, you should have two or more fields to rotate your horses between. It’s not necessary to spend lots of money on fencing; for interior pasture separation, you can use step-in T-posts and electric tape with a solar charger. Always use a solid perimeter fence for safety.

If your pasture has been overcrowded and grazed down or has suffered from a drought, it’s best to re-seed and wait six to 12 months before returning horses to the field. Weeds should be managed with mowing or an herbicide; follow directions for keeping livestock off the pasture until it’s safe for grazing.

DON’T: Forget the exercise.

A fit horse, like a fit human, will have greater muscle mass and bone density. For a horse with minor arthritis, low-intensity movement can help alleviate aches and pains and keep him feeling better. For overweight horses, an exercise program is absolutely essential for health and shedding pounds.

DO: Feed a balanced diet.

Since hay alone may not provide your horse with enough calories, many horse owners supplement the diet with grain. If your horse needs grain for extra calories, you should use a commercially formulated horse feed. These will be nutritionally balanced to meet the vitamin and mineral requirements of horses, unlike a straight grain (corn, oats, barley, et cetera).

DON’T: Overfeed your horse.

It is helpful to learn about body condition scoring so you can keep your horse from becoming obese and suffering from related health problems. Some ponies and certain horse breeds are very easy keepers and do not need to eat grain. Fortunately, ration balancers are made by most commercial feed companies that contain all the vitamins and minerals a horse needs without all the calories found in grain. Talk to someone knowledgeable at your feed store to help you select a ration balancer.

Additionally, always keep your feed room/grain bin locked up so that your horse can’t break in and gorge on feed. This happens more than you might think, and can lead to a life-threatening bout of laminitis.

DO: Feed concentrated calories if your horse needs them.

On the other end of the scale are hard keepers, often Thoroughbreds or Thoroughbred crosses. This type of horse requires a higher calorie intake to stay at a healthy weight. If your horse is already eating unlimited high-quality hay and a maximum amount of grain (no more than 5 pounds per meal in order to prevent digestive upset), you can add fat to his feed to supplement calories.

Vegetable oil is the most inexpensive form of supplementary fat, and most horses prefer the taste of corn oil above all others. Start off by adding just a couple of tablespoons to each grain meal, working upward over a span of two weeks to a maximum of 1 cup of oil twice a day. It takes time for a horse’s body to learn to metabolize fat and get used to the taste, since it’s not naturally found in large quantities in the equine diet. After acclimating, he may be fine with eating these quantities.

For picky eaters, or if you want to incorporate a fat source with more omega-3 fatty acids (corn oil is mainly omega-6 fatty acids), you can purchase a powdered equine fat supplement at the feed store that may be more palatable. These are formulated to help put weight on and be tasty, and often contain rice bran.

DON’T: Ignore your horse’s specific needs.

If your horse is a senior citizen or has a health condition such as insulin resistance, he will probably need a more specialized diet. Talk to your vet about his individual needs.

If a senior is missing teeth, he may need to eat soaked hay cubes or senior feed in order to ingest enough forage and/or calories in his diet. Beet pulp is another highly digestible source of calories from fiber, although plain beet pulp is not a balanced feed and should not make up more than 25 percent of the diet. Always soak it in plenty of water for at least one hour before feeding to prevent choke. If you have any left over, it should be fed within the day so that it doesn’t begin to ferment.

DO: Be aware of special concerns for youngsters.

Young horses have special nutritional needs. If you have a young horse that’s still growing, he will have slightly higher protein and calcium needs than an adult horse. The calcium/phosphorus and other mineral ratios in the diet are particularly important at this time, so you should talk to your equine veterinarian, a nutritionist at a feed company, or an equine extension agent to see if the diet you’re feeding is appropriate. Feeding concentrates (grain) made specifically for young, growing horses will take into account these particular needs.

You should also avoid raising an overweight/obese youngster, as joint strain at this age can cause permanent damage. Use your body condition scoring chart often to make sure he stays in the middle of the BCS range.

DON’T: Oversupplement.

If you’ve spent any amount of time in a feed store, you’ve probably noticed the numerous equine oral supplements on the market. The variety can be dizzying.

Supplements exist to address specific health issues from digestion to respiratory health. If your vet recommends trying a joint supplement for an arthritic horse, for example, try it out and see if you notice a difference after six weeks. If there are additional issues you want to address with supplements, check with your vet or an equine nutritionist to make sure your horse’s diet stays balanced when you add your supplements.

DO: Provide free-choice salt.

A hay and grain diet usually doesn’t provide sufficient salt, particularly during hotter weather. Always keep a salt source in your horse’s field or stall; several kinds are available. If your horse will lick a regular salt block, you can choose either a white or trace-mineral (brown) type. Newer to the market are Himalayan salt licks, which can be more palatable for horses that don’t like the other solid types. A free-choice feeder for loose salt is also an option if your horse doesn’t like a block.

DON’T: Forget the water.

Many people forget that water is the No. 1 nutrient your horse needs. Horses are often sensitive to dirty water or water that’s too hot. Make sure your horse always has plenty of clean water at a good drinking temperature. When troughs freeze or buckets sit empty, there is the potential for digestive contents to dry out in his gastrointestinal tract and cause impaction colic, a very serious veterinary emergency that is easily avoided with a bit of diligence in this area.

This article about horse feeding dos and don’ts originally appeared in the 2014 edition of Your New Horse.

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Whether you’re waiting for your broodmare to deliver or you’ve purchased a young horse, nutrition plays a vital role in the early years. Growing horses have significantly different nutritional needs than mature horses. Here, we’ll break down the young horse’s needs into a timeline from zero to 2 years old, highlighting what to feed and when.

Nutrition During the Mare’s Third Trimester

Providing foals and young horses good nutrition begins before they’re born. Some of the most critical nutrients are needed during the mare’s third trimester of pregnancy, according to Rhonda Hoffman, Ph.D., professor and director of horse science at Middle Tennessee State University.

“The foal fetus grows to only 20 percent of its birth weight during the first 7 ½ to 8 months of pregnancy, and 80 percent in the last trimester,” says Hoffman. “Those last three months are critical for the foal’s bone development and its storage of trace minerals, which are not supplied in milk.”

Trace minerals include copper, zinc, iron, selenium, iodine, and others. Hoffman points to a 1998 New Zealand study that proved pregnant mares deficient in trace minerals during late pregnancy had foals more likely to develop osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) joint lesions. The study also showed that foals deprived of nutrients in utero could not “catch up” to foals whose dams were fed a balanced diet during late pregnancy, regardless of what they were fed after birth.

Hoffman recommends feeding a “mare and foal” or “growth” feed in the eighth through the final month of pregnancy. Following feed tag instructions for how much to feed is essential; these formulations are guaranteed by law to meet the needs of broodmares and foals.

“In addition to the feed, mares and foals should be allowed to graze pasture, if available, and/or fed a high-quality hay,” she adds.

Nutrition from Foaling to 3 Months

The mare’s milk is the foal’s first food supply. Her colostrum (first milk) is nutrient-dense and shares her antibodies to support the foal’s immunity.

“Look for feeds labeled as ‘mare and foal’ or ‘growth’; they should be highly palatable and range from 16 to 18 percent crude protein,” says Jessica Leatherwood, Ph.D., associate professor and equine nutritionist in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M.

A dam’s milk production peaks about two months post-foaling. By the time her foal is 3 months old, a mare’s milk supply steadily declines. So-called “creep feeding” the foal is recommended to compensate, according to Leatherwood.

Creep feeding provides foals with access to an appropriately formulated feed while restricting the mare’s access to the ration. Feeder height can keep foals from helping themselves to mom’s ration, while feeders with small openings can keep the mare out of her foal’s grain meal.

“Feeding the mare and foal separately through the use of a creep feeder ensures the grain is formulated to meet the foal’s requirement and gives us an idea of the foals daily intake of grain,” Leatherwood explains.

Continuously monitor your foal’s body weight and body condition to ensure a consistent plane of growth. Fat first fills in over the loin, withers and tailhead.

“It’s common and OK to see the slight outline of ribs on the foal at this time,” Hoffman says. “Foals alternate between growth spurts and adding body fat. The ribs are one area where they are slow to accumulate fat.”

If you’re concerned that the foal looks too ribby or is growing too slowly, Hoffman recommends talking with your veterinarian.

Nutrition from Three to 6 Months

Texas A&M University raises about 15 foals per year. At this stage, foals receive a mare and foal or growth feed twice a day, according to Leatherwood. Appropriately formulated grain provides both the calories and nutrients required during mom’s declining milk supply and prepares the young horse for the upcoming weaning process.

“Foals may have unlimited access to a creep feed until they consume 4 to 5 pounds daily,” she says. “At this stage, their hind gut and large intestine are not developed enough to extract nutrients from forage, and therefore their diet consists primarily of grain with little forage.”

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) recommends starting “by feeding 1 percent if a foal’s body weight per day. For example, 1 pound of feed for each 100 pounds of body weight, or 1 pound of feed per month’s age.”

Nutrition from Six to 12 Months

Foals undergo a signification transition period halfway to their first birthday. Most foals are weaned at or by 6 months old. A balanced formulated feed is essential for supporting foals during this stressful transition. The weaning process activates cortisol, a stress hormone that can compromise a foal’s immune response.

By now, all the foal’s nutrition must come from a source other than mom. Most light breed foals are eating 4 to 6 pounds of concentrate feed along with hay and grass. However, Hoffman cautions that weanlings are not reliable in their hay consumption. If you compare pounds of concentrate eaten to the pounds of hay eaten, weanlings might voluntarily eat a dietary proportion of 60 to 70 percent concentrate and 30 to 40 percent forage, she says.

“Most owners rely a lot on forage, but that can be deficient in this age group,” says Leatherwood. “Giving a concentrate that provides enough minerals and other nutrients at their appropriate ratios is critical to support skeletal development.”

Access to fresh pasture may increase a foal’s forage intake, but because most grass is typically dwindling by the fall when most horses are weaned, higher quality hay is necessary. Hoffman recommends a grass-alfalfa mix or high-quality grass hay. Alfalfa is high in calcium, so if fed, the concentrate chosen should be labeled as balanced to accompany alfalfa hay.

“There’s an old horsemen’s practice of feeding oats and alfalfa to growing horses, with the idea that the oats’ high phosphorus balances out the alfalfa’s high calcium,” Hoffman says. “It generally does, but it’s not recommended because this diet lacks the essential amino acid lysine, which is critical for optimal growth, and it’s marginal or deficient in other amino acids, vitamins and minerals.”

Nutrition from Yearling to 2-Year-Old

Yearlings continue to grow, but not as rapidly as during their first year of life. Research suggests that light-horse yearlings are about 64 percent of their mature height at 12 months of age and grow to 86 percent of their mature height by 24 months, according to Hoffman.

“Many yearlings come out of a growth slump [over the] winter and have a compensatory growth spurt when spring pasture appears,” she says. “Keep a keen eye on their joints at this time. Look for epiphysitis—ridges at the top and bottom of knees and fetlocks—that indicate an inflammation of the growth plate. Also watch for extra fluid or swelling in the joints, especially knees, fetlocks and stifles; lameness; or crooked leg conformation from uneven growth.”

To a mild degree, all of the above are normal and temporary in every growing horse, but if the issue seems extreme or persists, talk to your veterinarian. Overfeeding or feeding an unbalanced diet, along with genetics, can increase a growing horse’s chances of developing joint issues, so it is critical for a young horse’s nutrition to feed appropriate rations.

“It may be hard to believe, but the total calorie requirement of a 12-month-old and a 24-month-old horse is quite similar, even considering that the 24-month-old is physically larger,” says Hoffman.

Nutritional needs will change, however, whenever that young horse begins his training. When that happens, an older yearling or 2-year-old needs to meet the demands of exercising and growing.

Adding exercise and learning stress can increase caloric needs by 20 to 30 percent above growth alone, and protein needs by 10 to 15 percent. Horses started in training at 18 to 24 months of age should be transitioned to a performance-based concentrate.

“Twelve to 24-month-old horses are becoming more reliant on forage, but forage alone still does not provide enough to meet their nutritional needs,” Hoffman continues. “Plan on dietary proportions of 50 percent grain concentrate and 50 percent forage.”

This article about young horse nutrition appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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