Feeding Horses - How Much Feed Should I Give My Horse?

Feeding horses correctly can be an art in itself, but by following a few simple rules it needn't actually be all that difficult.

Many people worry if they're giving they're horse enough feed, or too much feed, but there's one simple way to answer this question. If the horse is fat (has a body score condition of 8 or 9), then you really need to cut back on their feed to avoid the increased risk of colic and laminitis. If the horse is thin - the spine & ribs are prominent - with a body condition score of 3 or less, then you definitely need to increase their food intake.

So how much feed should your horse need to maintain a healthy weight?

Some horses seem to live off the smell of an oily rag, while others seem to need to eat everything you put in front of them...even if it's twice what other horses their size seem to consume. In spite of these differences as a rule of thumb, a horse that is spelling, or not doing much, needs to consume 1.5% to 2.0% of it's body weight in dry matter each day. All other horses will need to consume 2.0% to 3.5% of their body weight in dry matter each day.

What is dry matter?

Dry matter means the weight of the food without any water present. All horse feed will contain some water, even if the food has been artificially dried or appears dry like many hays do.

For example, an 1100lb (500kg) horse at rest would need to consume approximately 22lbs (10kg) of dry matter a day to maintain condition. But giving them 22lbs of hay, or a combination of 22lbs of hay and grain would not be enough as some of what you're feeding them contains water.

Fortunately it's not too difficult to calculate the dry matter content of many feeds. Most horse feeds have a dry matter content of 12% or less. As a rule of thumb, you can obtain an approximate dry matter weight of food by dividing it by 1.15.

For example, our 1100lb horse being fed 22lbs of hay each day is actually only getting approximately 19lbs of dry matter a day, well under the 22lbs it actually needs. To obtain the 22lbs of dry matter, the horse would need to consume just over 25lbs of hay or hay & grain each day.

If you're not sure where to start with your horse, try by feeding it about 2% of it's body weight each day and adjust it as needed. Some horses will need more, but if you're lucky your horse may need a lot less.

By Rachel Incoll

Rachel Incoll is the author of EquestrianHub.com - the number one place for everything equine online. Visit her site to discover more great tips on feeding horses, plus all the latest equestrian news, event results, horse riding tips & fun competitions.

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