You have probably heard the saying that “you are what you eat” and the fact is that this doesn’t just apply to humans. The saying applies to all beings and that means horses as well. If you want to keep your horse in its best possible health and shape you must know what you can and can not feed it, when the right time for feed is and what the right amount of food would be. There are some rules to follow to make sure you meet the horse’s nutritional needs and they are simple. But even so they will need to be followed consistently to have the optimal effect.
First Rule:
Find out how much your horse weigh because this must be reflected in the amount of food it will need for a optimal nutritional balance. But do try to make your horse stand on your bathroom weight because it won’t work. An easy way to measure the weight of a horse is to measure the hearth girth with a horse tape. An alternative option will be to take it to a weight for live animals. Some of the larger farms have them for their cattle.
Second Rule:
Hay is a very important ingredient for your horse but you will know how much you will need to feed it. The best possible mix will consist of a high percentage of bulk and a low percentage of grain. An often used measurement is to feed your horse with 1.5 pounds of hay per 100 pounds of the horse’s body weight. Depending on how many times a day you feed your horse you will have to divide the grain into equal portions. It is extremely important that you do not give your horse to much grain. Make sure to weigh the horse flakes as they can vary much in weight.
Third Rule:
Next step is to determine your horse’s need for grain and for the most part young and growing horses will need it in their diets. Horses that work heavily will also need grain to keep up the ability to work hard. When feeding grain you need to weigh it because every type of grain weighs differently. Corn as an example is much lighter than bran and if you in doubt then ask your veterinarian.
Fourth Rule:
Overfeeding your horse will need to more pain than pleasure for both of you and even though it is said that the way to a horses heart is through food the results of overeating can be founder and colic. Remember to have any additional food locked away because as horse that starts eating grain will not stop until is has finished or becomes sick.
Fifth Rule:
On the other hand underfeeding a horse can be just a much dangerous as overfeeding because it will leave your horse vulnerable to illnesses. A horse that lacks energy and has a weak immune system might be suffering from lack of food so pay attention.
Sixth Rule:
Fresh water is just as important to a horse as it is to humans. Without good clean water in fair amounts it is hard for anyone to maintain a good health. Colic is one of the many things that can be caused by the lack of water. If you live in an area of the world where winters are very cold you need to remember to give your horse easy access to sufficient water.
If you follow these six basic rules you will be able to have a healthy and powerful horse for many years to come.
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