Horse boarding and facility rental
02/18/2025
Exactly what and when you should be feeding your horse.
Just kidding. But if anyone has that all figured out, please provide the blue print š
Here is, however, a few things to consider when feeding and trying to keep a healthy horse without doing too much.
Horses are designed to be grazing almost constantly. They are a flight animal so in the wild, they need to be able to run from predators a moments notice and not be weighed down by a big meal.
So, because their bodies are designed to eat constantly, their stomachs are constantly producing acid.
We also previously learned that a horseās stomach is only 2-4 gallons. It takes roughly 4 hours for the stomach to empty. Once the stomach is empty of food, the acid continues to be produced. This is where ulcers can start.
For horses not on free feed, it is pretty common practice to feed twice a day. Not all horses can tolerate being on free feed. And thatās ok! When we have horses here that canāt be on free feed, we like to feed in hay nets that slow down eating and extend the time it takes to eat. Equus magazine suggests feeding multiple small meals a day but for the average person, thatās not an option.
So why is it that some horses can be on free feed and not be overweight and others seems to never take their head out of the feeder? Itās my opinion, itās usually one of two thingsā¦.
1. boredom. Itās that simple. Horses with nothing better to do, will eat constantly
2. They are not receiving something in their diets that they need. It could be calcium, it could be vitamin d, or e, it could be potassium or magnesiumā¦ either way they are looking to fulfill a need within their bodies. So even though they are getting what seems to be plenty to eat and have full bellies, they arenāt actually satiated. Providing a supplement may seem counter intuitive here butā¦. Hear me outā¦ if they are getting all the nutrients they need they should feel more satisfied in less hay. Supplement does not have to mean grain! It does not have to mean excess starch or sugars! Nor does it have to overly expensive. Think more like a vitamin and less like added calories.
For horses who eat out of boredomā¦.Horses are social animals and need interaction as well as exercise. For horses that do not get ridden regularly, adequate turn out time provides both social activities as well as exercise.
Turn out is important to your horses mental and physical well being and is why we try to make sure that all horses get turned out daily or every other day.
Turn out also helps with the weight of horses who eat out of boredom. While they are playing, they are getting exercise. They are also not taking in more calories. Horses are built to run and enjoy it! Now as previously stated, we donāt want them to completely empty their stomachs so if turn out is going to be more than 4 hours, we like to leave a gate open so they can come in and grab a snack. Often times tho, we kick them off completely for a few hours. (This also gives us time to clean their pen without interruption!)
We have also found that by providing mineral tubs to our horses, they are getting all the vitamins and minerals they need. The horses are less heavy (tho admittedly, they are still overweight) shiny and active. Our hay consumption has also dropped by about 10lbs/day/horse. Going from 30+lbs/day to 20-22lbs/day per horse.
Feeding horses can be as easy or as complex as you make it. So hereās the take away.
1. provide good quality hay in such a way that they donāt have an empty stomach for too long.
2. Provide mineral. Preferably one that is not sugar/molasses based
3. Provide good salt
4. Provide clean, not icey water.
Sure, if our horses were Olympic athletes we might do different. But I donāt know many that are physically stressed to that level.
