We seem to automatically assume that all horses have to eat grain. Let’s look at what your horse really needs to stay healthy!
Many people believe that horses and grain go hand-in-hand. Most barns feed grain meals to their horses two to three times a day. But does your horse actually need it?
Whether he truly needs grain depends quite a bit on what function he serves, as well as your personal philosophy. There are many reasons people give their horses grain: it could be as a treat, added to feed supplements, just in case they ever have to give medication, or because they think horses need grain for nutrition. Other reasons to feed grain, especially for high performance horses, are to avoid “hay belly”, and for calories.
There are three things to consider when analyzing a horse’s ration: caloric needs, calcium/phosphorus ratio, and protein content of the diet.
1. Caloric needs
If the average horse weighs 1,000 pounds (455 kg), he needs to eat 15,000 Kcal a day to maintain his body weight. This average horse eats 2% of his body weight daily in hay, which amounts to about 20 pounds (9 kg). One pound of grass hay provides 800 to 1000 Kcal of energy. A horse in high levels of work will eat twice that – that’s 40 pounds of hay a day! Depending on where you live, a flake of hay can range from three to eight pounds – east coast hay being lighter than west coast hay. This means the high performance horse would need to eat over 10 flakes of average hay daily for enough calories to maintain body weight at high levels of work.
For this reason, owners of high performance horses look to other diets for energy-rich compact feeds. Grain is the usual choice as it provides 1.5 times more energy per pound than hay; a pound of grain is much smaller than a pound of hay. Diets high in grains can lead to digestive issues — to prevent stomach ulcers and colic, a horse’s ration should be less than 25% grain. For the average horse, this means 15 pounds of hay and five pounds of grain spread throughout the day; double that for the high performance horse.
Pasture horses have very little need for extra calories from grain. The pasture horse needs 20 pounds of hay only when grass isn’t available. Remember the rule of thumb – one horse per acre of grass. One acre of rich, well-growing grass will produce 28 acres of grass in a year. Given sufficient acreage, a pasture horse doesn’t need grain, only pampering. When grass is not available and hay is fed, it can be a good idea to supplement with a ration balancer, as hay does not have the same nutrition as grass.
2. The calcium/phosphorous ratio
Thus far, our discussion has only looked at caloric needs. Different grains are better balanced nutritionally than others. Some horse owners feed whole oats because that is what their families have done for generations. Other owners feed corn-based sweet feed, while still others seek out whole grain concentrates.
Calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) are important nutrients to consider in the equine diet. (Other nutrients are also important, but calcium and phosphorus are critical.) A good Ca:P ratio should range from 1:1 to 2:1. The entire diet (grass, hay, grain and supplements) should favor more calcium than phosphorus. Different hays do a decent job of staying close to the healthy range. Grass hay tends to be quite close to the ideal ratio of 1:1 (everyone’s hay/grass is different and will vary by year, season, weather and soil). Alfalfa will have higher calcium levels (4.7:1) than grass hay, which is why experts do not recommend feeding strictly alfalfa to horses.
However, as shown above, hay does not provide enough calories for high-level athletes. Grains are a great source of calories, but pure grains can unbalance the diet. For example, oats and barley have an inverted Ca:P ratio of 1:5, while corn runs 1:15! Owners could argue that a handful of grain won’t make a large impact on an otherwise balanced diet. However, thanks to portion size creep or increasing portion frequency, grain meals often turn into a large portion of the horse’s ration.
3. Protein needs
Protein is the third factor to consider in a hay-based diet. Mature horses need to eat a minimum of 8% protein; the active horse can do well with a 12% protein diet. Too much dietary protein may lead to respiratory illness in stabled horses as a result of excess protein excreted through the urine. Average hay can range from 7% to 10% protein concentration. Thus, whether or not your horse needs protein supplementation depends on the protein content of the hay. For this reason, many horse owners have their hay tested.
Unless your horse is a high performance athlete, grass and/or hay and an appropriate serving of a whole food supplement is plenty of nutrition for good health. The hardworking horse’s diet should be less than 25% grain to prevent colic. Careful selection of supplemental feeds must meet caloric needs as well as keep the Ca:P ratio balanced, and provide the right amount of protein. For most horses, grain is best as a treat, a little snack that creates a bonding experience with the owner. By keeping the above pointers in mind, this little snack does not need to disrupt the diet.
AUTHOR PROFILE
Cathy Alinovi, DVM
Cathy Alinovi, DVM, is a retired holistic veterinarian and now serves pet owners all over the world as a natural pet wellness advisor. She is the owner of Healthy PAWsibilities in Clearwater, Florida. healthypawsibilities.com
FAQs
Many pleasure and trail horses don't need grain: good-quality hay or pasture is sufficient. If hay isn't enough, grain can be added, but the bulk of a horse's calories should always come from roughage. Horses are meant to eat roughage, and their digestive system is designed to use the nutrition in grassy stalks.
Do horses really need grain? ›
Many horse owners recognize the importance of providing their equine companions with a diet that consists primarily of forage, whether it be from pasture, hay bales, or a combination of both. Horses don't necessarily need grain, as their nutrient requirements can often be met through forage alone.
Can horses live on hay alone? ›
Most classes of horse can meet all or most of their energy needs from quality hay alone. However, hay alone may not be enough for growing, reproducing or exercising horses. For more information on determining your horse's nutritional needs, refer to the National Research Council's Nutrient Requirements of the Horse.
Can horses just eat grass? ›
In simple terms, horses eat grass and hay or haylage, but salt, concentrates and fruits or vegetables can also enhance their diets, depending on the required work regime and available feed. Here's our Horse Feeding Guide, containing a handy list of everything your average adult horse should eat to remain healthy.
How much grain should a horse get a day? ›
DON'T feed more than 11 pounds of grain per day, or 4-5 pounds of grain per feeding, or the horse's colic risk increases sixfold. DON'T worry about too much protein making a horse hot. Only 10% of the horse's energy comes from protein, so it is a very insignificant source. DON'T feed supplements unless they are needed.
What is the healthiest grain for horses? ›
Oats, one of the most popular grains to feed horses, are higher in fiber than corn and barley. Again, processing these grains will improve digestibility; in other words, processing grains will increase the amount of nutrients that the horse can get from the grain.
Why would a horse refuse grain? ›
A horse might reject hay or grain if it has a smell or texture he doesn't like. “Horses are very adept at sensing when something is 'off' or different.
Can a horse go 8 hours without hay? ›
For the majority of horses, the system works, as long as you do not let them go without food for longer than 8 hours a day. But this might not be the case for horses prone to colic. The best option for you as the owner will be to let your horses decide when they should eat.
Should horses have access to hay all day? ›
Horses need a regular supply of food and water. In most cases, they need to have hay or pasture throughout the day, with additional grain feedings twice a day. An average-size horse will eat about 20 lbs. of food a day and drink at least eight gallons of water.
Do horses prefer hay or fresh grass? ›
While most horses do well and thrive on a grass hay diet, other horses with different needs and medical conditions are better suited to being fed a diet of grass/alfalfa mix, or an exclusively all alfalfa.
Apples and carrots are traditional favorites of horses. Full of healthy nutrients, these treats are good for your horse and delicious! Chop up the apples and carrots into smaller pieces when giving them to your horse. Slicing up the apples and carrots will help avoid any potential choking problems.
Why can't horses eat mowed grass? ›
This is bad news for horses, as in normal circ*mstances, grass and hay won't start to ferment until it reaches much further along their gut as their stomach is not able to cope. In the stomach, the grass cuttings release gas, causing it to expand and even rupture in some cases.
How many acres are needed for a horse? ›
In general, you need 2–4 acres per horse if you want them to be out all the time and not overgraze a pasture. Most farm owners don't have this much space, but with more intensive grazing management, you can maintain horses on fewer acres and still have great pastures.
How long does a 50lb bag of grain last a horse? ›
Feed 2 Scoops/day. For maintenance or continuing a stressed horse after it has shown marked progress. A 50 lb bag will last 40 days.
Is 2 flakes of hay enough for a horse? ›
Measuring Hay for your Horses
A single flake of hay usually weighs between 1.7 – 2.7 kg (4 – 6 lb) and horses are usually fed 4 – 8 flakes of hay per day.
How to take care of a horse for beginners? ›
Daily Stable Management and Horse Care Routine
- Feed horses hay and/or grain morning and night.
- Clean and refill water buckets morning and night.
- Muck out stalls morning and night. ...
- Replace fresh bedding.
- Check and pick out hooves daily.
- Remove blankets in the morning and replace in the evening during winter months.
More than four hours without feed is fasting for a horse and can lead to issues. The solution for evening feeding? Slow feeders extended nighttime “grazing” time by 95-105%, researchers observed.
Should horses eat grain off the ground? ›
Feeding at ground level mimics the horse's natural body position while grazing. It allows horses to eat with their head and neck at a lower, more comfortable position which prevents particles from being inhaled into the nostril and respiratory system.
Do horses need grain in the summer? ›
For an equestrian, summer means longer days in the saddle, competitions, horse camps, and lots of green grass! Many people who choose to let their horses graze on green, nutrient-rich pasture all day opt to limit a horse's hay and grain intake, sometimes eliminating the food altogether.
What is the best feed for horses? ›
Alfalfa hay is usually highest in nutrients. Alfalfa is useful in the diets of horses with high nutrient requirements like broodmares and growing horses. Alfalfa is very palatable so horses usually waste less. Timothy and orchardgrass hays are usually lower in most nutrients than alfalfa hay.
