| Feeding the boarded horse is slightly different than | | | | ratio of 1:2. While this may not cause noticeable |
| feeding the horse that lives on pasture. The | | | | effects in a horse now, it my cause him to lose |
| boarded horse may spend more amount of time | | | | calcium as he ages due to the phosphate tying up |
| in a stall and therefore requires a different feeding | | | | the calcium in the bones. This may cause the |
| regime. The boarded horse does not usually have | | | | horse to be more susceptible to broken bones. |
| an ample supply of roughage and it is your job to | | | | Another common scenario found is people who |
| provide him with as much as he needs. The | | | | feed their horse a mix of both oats and sweet |
| boarded horse may also eat grain but not always | | | | feed. There is a common misconception that |
| have a place to release any energy acquired from | | | | sweet feed causes horses to be hyper, when in |
| it. This makes it important that you feed him only | | | | actuality the horse should have his grain ration cut |
| what he requires and not what he desires. | | | | back or removed completely. Many people believe |
| The horse's exercise regimen should be | | | | that the molasses in the sweet feed is what |
| considered when developing a feeding strategy. | | | | causes horses to be hyper and will "cut" the feed |
| Age, gender and size all play key roles in deciding | | | | with oats. This actually hurts the horse more than |
| how much the horse should be fed. A four or five | | | | it helps as the feed is balanced on it's own but |
| year old horse that is ridden for an hour a day will | | | | when you add the oats then the balance of the |
| do well if he is kept on a maintenance diet. He is | | | | feed is changed. It is best to pick one type of |
| not working extremely hard and would be | | | | feed and stick to it rather than change it. If you |
| considered lightly worked. It does not matter if | | | | must change the type of feed, then you should |
| the horse is a gelding, mare or stallion. The horse | | | | do it gradually as not to disturb the microbacterial |
| should receive approximately one percent of his | | | | population that resides in the hind gut of the |
| weight in hay per day and will work well on a ten | | | | horse. Many racehorse trainers and show horse |
| percent protein feed ration. If the horse is a | | | | trainers choose oats because they can find them |
| pregnant mare, however, her feed intake will | | | | anywhere they travel. They supplement the oats |
| need to be increased throughout the year so that | | | | with a well-balanced hay and insure that their |
| she will have enough energy to sustain her | | | | calcium to phosphate ratio is okay. |
| pregnancy. She may also need to be fed a higher | | | | The boarded horse may require a hay bag or |
| protein ration later in her pregnancy. | | | | interval feedings of hay depending on the quality |
| Horses that are used for a sport such as jumping, | | | | of the hay. It is best if the horse is able to munch |
| roping or cutting will have different feed | | | | on grass hay all day and receive alfalfa with his |
| requirements from the lightly worked horse. The | | | | grain. This will keep is digestive system working |
| horse will need about one percent of his body | | | | properly as if he were grazing in the pasture. This |
| weight in hay, however, he should be fed a higher | | | | is not always capable of happening and splitting |
| protein ration. He may also require a larger | | | | the hay ration in half and feeding it to him twice a |
| amount of feed depending on how well he gains | | | | day will suffice. Some farms offer multiple |
| weight and keeps his weight. A general rule of | | | | feedings per day. If you find a facility that offers |
| thumb is that if the horse requires more energy | | | | this, this great for your horse's health. Horses |
| then you should gradually increase the amount of | | | | have small stomachs and benefit from receiving |
| feed he intakes. High performance horses will also | | | | five or six small meals a day versus two large |
| do well on fat-added diets as their bodies will use | | | | meals per day. This immitates their natural grazing |
| the excess fat in performance situations and it will | | | | behavior and allows their digestive system to |
| help sustain their glucose levels. This holds true for | | | | work properly. Multiple small meals per day also |
| heavily worked cutting horses, roping horses, | | | | eliminates many of the causes of colic as well. |
| racehorses and cross-country eventers. These | | | | The system is not being shocked by large |
| horses are doing an extreme amount of physical | | | | amounts of carbohydrates and sugars all at once. |
| work. | | | | While making the decision what and how to feed |
| The nutrition requirements for feeding horses is | | | | your horse there are a couple of thoughts to |
| generally that a mature adult horse requires eight | | | | consider. First, look at how much work your |
| percent protein for daily maintenance. If the horse | | | | horse is doing now and how much work your |
| is on a very good grass hay or alfalfa hay, he will | | | | horse will do in the future. Secondly, look at what |
| not need supplementation from grain. This horse is | | | | he is being fed by his current owner. The owner |
| lightly worked and more of a weekend rider. | | | | or breeder should have the horse on a good diet, |
| Younger horses require ten to twelve percent | | | | however, you may decide that the diet needs |
| daily protein depending whether or not they are | | | | tweaking. You should also look at the horse's |
| being rapidly grown or not. A horse that is being | | | | body condition and decide whether or not he |
| rapidly grown must receive a constant supply of | | | | needs to gain or lose weight. The individual needs |
| energy. Switching a rapidly growing horse to a diet | | | | of the horse must be assessed before |
| for a horse that is not being rapidly grown will | | | | committing to a feeding regimen and even then |
| result in devastating health effects. Owners can | | | | he may require some adjustments along the way. |
| buy a well balanced sweet feed from the feed | | | | If you do feel that your horse should receive |
| store with a good alfalfa hay and will meet their | | | | extra grain for extra hard work on a particular |
| horse's feed requirements. If the horse begins | | | | day, it is best to feed it as another meal and not |
| losing weight, gradualy increase his feed until he | | | | include it in his nightly ration. This will help him |
| appears to be gaining weight again. | | | | digest properly without causing him to overeat at |
| A classic feed ration for horses is oats and grass | | | | one meal. As a rule of thumb, you can expect an |
| hay. As this is hard to mess up and your horse | | | | average horse to stay in shape on one pound of |
| should not founder on this feeding regime, it is | | | | concentrate and and one and a half pounds of |
| actually not the healthiest regime for a horse. | | | | hay for every hundred pounds that he weighs. |
| There is a calcium to phosphate ration figured into | | | | This may and most likely will need to be adjusted |
| all feed rations. This ration should be 2:1. The ratio | | | | as your horse ages or begins to receive more |
| in oats and grass hay actually has an upside down | | | | exercise. |