So what to feed to a horse. There are so much things that we can feed horses. Another thing is mostly horses are self feeders. That means they eat what they need to eat. So what you can feed to horses when they are in barns. Lets see what we can give them. I will explain what i give to my horses. More information on the nutritional needs of horses. Provide your horse with plenty of fresh, clean water. Horses need 5 to 15 gallons of water per day. If possible, make sure your horse has access to water at all times. Otherwise, be sure to water your horse at least twice a day and let it drink for a few minutes. Make sure the water in the feeder is clean and not frozen. Keep your sink clean by hosing down the sink every day. Two Give your horse plenty of structured carbohydrates. Structural carbohydrates such as hay and grass are essential to the horse’s diet. Horses eat large amounts of hay and grass as their main source of food. In fact, horses should eat about 15 to 20 pounds or 1 to 2% of their weight of hay per day, so make sure your horse always has enough hay to chew on. Make sure the hay you feed your horse is free of mold and dust.Â
What to feed to a horse – Supplements and carbohydrate
Provide your horse with the proper amount of unstructured carbohydrates. Nonstructural carbohydrates such as oats, corn, and barley are also essential for horse nutrition. Feed your horse a small amount of grain throughout the day. Horses can also consume ½ pound of grain per 100 pounds of body weight each day. Feed your horse two to three grain meals at regular intervals throughout the day. Remember to measure the portion you feed your horse to ensure you are giving the correct amount. If it’s hot, feed your horse grain during the cooler times of the day, such as early morning and early evening.
Supplement your horse’s diet with feed to provide protein fat and vitamins and minerals. Although your horse gets most of its calories from hay and grass, you should feed it fortified feed every day to make up for any nutritional deficiencies. Proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals are important components of a horse’s nutrition, but they don’t have to be in abundance.Â
Fill in as needed
This is something that i do when im feeding to my barn horses. If you think your horse is not getting all the vitamins and minerals it needs from its diet, you can supplement it with special vitamins. Be careful not to overdose your horse with vitamins. An overdose of vitamins can cause problems, as can vitamin deficiencies.Â
Offer snacks in moderation
If you want to reward your horse, giving him gifts is also a great way to bond with him. Just make sure you don’t go overboard with the treats or your horse may learn to expect you and even try to look for treats in your clothes. Fresh apples, carrots, green beans, watermelon rinds, and celery are great foods for your horse.
Determine Your Horse’s Dietary Needs
Weigh the horse with a weight belt or weight bridge (horse scale). Load bridges are much more accurate and should be used instead of tape if available. State estimates are the best way to track weight changes. Weigh the horse every 2 weeks and make adjustments to the schedule.
Calculate the total daily requirements
Requirements vary from 1.5% to 3% of body weight, with an average of 2.5%.Use the following equation to determine how much feed to feed your horse per day: body weight / 100 x 2.5 = total daily amount of feed.
Determine the weight you want for your horse
Do you want your horse to stay on size Do you want your horse to lose weight due to health problems. Or do you want your horse to gain weight due to past illness or because your horse is underweight. The best strategy to use when developing a feeding plan for your horse is to feed it based on its desired weight, not its current weight. For example, a horse is underweight and weighs 300 kg. If the ideal weight of the horse is 400 kg, do not give 2.5% of 300 kg. Food 2.5% from 400kg. Use the same strategy with overweight horses. Feeding based on desired weight instead of current weight means you’ll actually be feeding less overweight, which means a smaller horse waist.
Control the energy level of the food by feeding different types or a mix of them
Different foods have different amounts of DE digestible energy depending on the type of food grass, hay, hay, oat straw and the type of grass. Grazing time also affects DE. Spring grass is tall and winter grass is poor. For logged grass, the Mow parameter affects DE. The early cutoff was higher in DE than the late cutoff. The DE content in oat straw is very low. The best way to know the nutrients in food is to analyze them.
Choose the type of power that suits your horse
Some horses are prone to excitement they become hyper-excited and strange. Feeding these horses slow release energy can help, which is the safest form of energy and causes fewer health problems. Other horses are lazy and lack flash. Feeding quick-release energy (the starch found in grains like oats and barley) can help. Starch has been linked to many health problems and its use should be limited in some horses. If you are not sure how much to give your horse, consult a professional. Check with your horse’s veterinarian if you are unsure how much to feed. Some feed manufacturers also have helplines where you can get advice on feeding your horse.
So this is all you can feed to your horse and things that you need to consider. Basically i explained my personal routine to you guys and i hope that you guys liked it. And we are at the end of the what to feed to a horse. I will see you guys soon with a new article see you guys.