The Basics on Equine Nutrition

With so many feed and supplement choices available out there, many people find themselves wondering exactly what their horses need for adequate nutrition. It is easiest to start by understanding that when feeding an equine, there are six basic categories that need to be met: carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, minerals and water. A normal, healthy horse will consume 10-15 gallons of water per day depending on temperature, humidity and activity level, so clean water should be available to them at all times. The rest of the nutrients will be acquired from what is consumed in their feed. The average horse should be consuming approximately 2% of their body weight daily in good quality forage, with concentrates added in if needed/desired to meet specific nutrient requirements. These requirements differ between individuals and are influenced by the horse’s body mass, age, workload and metabolic efficiency.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates make up the largest part of a horse’s diet and are typically divided into two groups: structural (fiber) and non-structural (sugars and starches). Structural carbohydrates are found largely in the forage that the horse eats (ex: hay, grass, hay cubes) and are first digested in the stomach and small intestine (foregut), and then further broken down and absorbed as an energy source in the cecum and colon (hindgut). This is why horses get so much nutritional value from their forage, and why we recommend you feed additional hay or other forage in winter if you’re trying to help your horse stay warm. It is important for horses to be provided quality forage that is free of mold and dust and is cut at an appropriate length and stage of maturity. Hay that is too coarse, too fine or even overly mature can cause digestive problems that lead to complications like impaction colic. Having your hay tested is the best way to know the percentages of nutrients, vitamins and minerals present so you can supplement with non-structural carbohydrates as needed.

Non-structural carbohydrates are mostly found in grains, provide a more concentrated source of energy and are primarily digested in the small intestine. It is important to remember that a horse’s digestive system is designed to process a forage-based diet and therefore, concentrates should only be used to supplement the forage program and meet nutritional requirements that cannot be met by forage alone. The safest concentrates to feed your horse are those which are manufactured with ingredients that are high in digestible fibre and low in sugars and starches, especially when feeding your horses that would be most effected by such, including those with conditions like cushings, metabolic syndrome or chronic laminitis.

Protein

Proteins, which are an essential macronutrient for body growth and maintenance, are broken down in the small intestine into amino acids that are then recombined to make up muscle, hair and hoof. It is a common misconception in the horse industry that higher protein is associated with higher energy. In reality, proteins are the most difficult energy source for the horse to digest and convert to usable energy. Protein requirements for growth and maintenance vary depending on age and workload. In general, growing horses need a higher percentage of protein than mature horses. Performance horses doing strenuous activity might also need additional protein supplementation when looking to improve general muscle condition. It is important to remember that roughage is a source of protein, and often can be of ample supply from the horse’s hay source alone. Since a hay sample to detect protein levels is recommended, however not always available, we often rely on visual and palpable cues for when the horse requires more protein in their diet. For example, a bony or poor topline is a common indication that more protein is required.

Fats

It has been studied that horses can tolerate a fairly high level of fat in their diet. Like protein, it is often visually obvious when a horse requires extra fats in and can then be supplemented accordingly. The typical rule of thumb is that ribs should not be visible but can be easily palpable. If your horse falls far on one side of this or the other, fat adjustment may be helpful in bringing them back to an appropriate body condition score. Most commercial feeds that are not supplemented with additional fats contain approximately 2 to 4 percent fat, but there are specific high fat supplements and feeds on the market for when more fat coverage is desired. It is important to be careful with fats when your horse is already considered a little fleshy or is an easy keeper. Fats are easily digestible and a great source of energy for horses.

Vitamins

Vitamins must be present in the body to enable important reactions to take place that allow the animal to live. Vitamin requirements can differ based on environmental causes of where the horse grazes or even where their roughage source was grown. It is important to recognize that a horse synthesizes many of the vitamins it requires and therefore does not typically need dietary supplementation of all vitamins. This would include things like vitamin C, B-vitamins (like thiamine) and vitamin K. This is the reason you will often not see these vitamins included on commercial feed tags. It is important to check your feed and be sure that all your horse’s vitamin requirements are being met since vitamin deficiencies can lead to various health problems. However, it is also important to realize that extreme excesses in these vitamins is not desirable either, particularly when overfeeding fat-soluble vitamins. In most cases, a good forage program combined with a well-formulated concentrate (we typically recommend an equine formulated ration-balancer) will provide adequate vitamins to meet your horse’s requirements. Ration balancers are manufactured by many feed companies and are designed to be fed at a low level (usually around 1 pound per day) and contain the animals daily required vitamins, minerals and protein in each serving. You would treat ration balancers as any other concentrate when working into the daily feeding rate, so knowing that a horse requires approximately 2% of its body weight in forage a day, a 1000lb horse in appropriate body condition could get 1lb of a ration balancer to meet their daily vitamin and mineral nutrient requirements plus 19lbs of good quality, tested forage to meet their total 20lb feed goal. In some cases, additional supplementation of specific vitamins or minerals may provide desirable results based on particular issues. For example, biotin is often included in supplements aimed at improving hoof strength.

Minerals

Minerals are another item that are required for proper bodily function and requirements can differ based on environment, age or status (working, gestation, lactating, etc.). They also can be found and fed in forage, concentrates or supplements. Most commercial feed companies balance their feed to meet the vitamin and mineral requirements of different classifications of horses. A stated above, a ration balancer is an excellent option to add to forage to ensure the appropriate levels are being met. It is also possible to meet vitamin and mineral requirements by providing a free-choice loose salt-vitamin-mineral mix or block. Care should always be taken when supplementing because excessive amounts of minerals may also cause toxicities, lead to serious health conditions or interfere with absorption of other minerals.

Nutritional requirements vary from horse to horse and it is important to have a basic understanding of your horse’s nutritional needs in terms of requirements and quantities. A hay analysis is a great option for understanding what makes up your horse’s daily forage. Feeding hay cubes is another great option when the make-up of hay is unknown as nutritional information is posted right on the bag. Manufacturers typically put feeding instructions on the tag to help buyers determine if the feed is appropriate for their horses and how much of it should be fed to each individual. However, it is beneficial to be able to look at a particular feed and understand why it is or is not a good choice for your horse. When unsure of where to start with appropriate grain supplementation for your horse, an equine formulated ration balancer is a great place to start on top of thier daily, good quality forage.