How much hay and grain should you feed your horse? The basic rule is to feed a horse about 1.5% to 3% of its body weight in total feed daily, with the majority (at least 50%) coming from forage like hay or pasture.
Feeding a horse correctly is key to its health. Good feeding keeps your horse energetic and happy. Getting the amounts right stops health problems like obesity or colic. This guide will help you figure out the right amount for your horse. We will look at equine nutrition requirements in detail. This will form the basis of a solid horse feeding guide.
Determining Your Horse’s Daily Feed Amounts for Horses
The first step in knowing how much to feed is knowing how much your horse weighs. Weight is the biggest factor in setting daily feed amounts for horses. You cannot guess this number.
Weighing Your Horse Accurately
You have a few ways to find your horse’s weight.
- Use a Scale: The best way is a dedicated livestock scale. This gives the most accurate number.
- Use a Weight Tape: These tapes wrap around your horse’s barrel, just behind the elbow. They give an estimate. They are usually quite close, but not perfect.
- Use a Formula (Body Weight Estimation): If you have a heart girth measurement (Girth) and a body length measurement (Length), you can use math.
Body Weight Formula (Pounds):
$$
\text{Weight} = \frac{(\text{Girth}^2 \times \text{Length})}{330}
$$
- Girth: Measure around the widest part of the chest, right behind the front legs.
- Length: Measure from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock (the hip bone).
Once you have the weight, you can start setting the total daily feed.
The 2% Rule: A Starting Point
Most horses need feed equal to 1.5% to 3% of their body weight each day. This total amount includes all food: hay, pasture, grain, and treats.
- Maintenance Horse (Light Work/Resting): Aim for 2% of body weight.
- Light Work: Aim for 2% to 2.5% of body weight.
- Moderate to Hard Work: Aim for 2.5% to 3% or more of body weight.
Example Calculation:
Suppose you have a 1,000-pound horse needing maintenance (2% of body weight):
$$
1000 \text{ lbs} \times 0.02 (2\%) = 20 \text{ lbs} \text{ of total feed per day}
$$
This 20 lbs is the total intake needed, not just the grain.
Essential Components of Equine Nutrition Requirements
To know how much to feed a horse, you must look at what the feed provides. Equine nutrition requirements focus on energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Forage First: The Foundation of the Diet
Forage (hay or grass) is the most vital part of a horse’s diet. A horse’s digestive system is built to process fiber constantly.
Minimum Forage Intake
A horse must eat a minimum of 1% of its body weight in dry matter forage every day. This is non-negotiable for gut health.
- For a 1,000 lb horse, that is at least 10 lbs of hay daily.
Most experts recommend closer to 1.5% to 2% of body weight in forage alone. This means the 1,000 lb horse should get 15 to 20 lbs of hay daily.
Types of Horse Feed (Forage)
The type of forage matters greatly for nutrient content.
| Hay Type | Common Protein (%) | Energy Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Hay | 8% – 10% | Medium | Good for most horses; low sugar risk. |
| Alfalfa (Lucerne) | 16% – 20% | High | Great protein and calcium; use carefully in easy keepers. |
| Orchard Grass | 9% – 12% | Medium | Good alternative to Timothy; softer texture. |
| Bermuda Grass | 8% – 10% | Medium | Common in warmer climates; check for mold. |
Concentrates: Grain and Commercial Feeds
Concentrates provide concentrated energy and nutrients that might be missing from forage alone. These include grains (oats, corn) or commercial pelleted/sweet feeds.
When deciding best horse feed amounts, concentrates should only make up the remaining portion of the total diet after you hit the minimum forage requirement.
The Hay to Grain Ratio for Horses
This ratio is crucial for preventing digestive upsets like ulcers or colic. Horses need a high fiber diet. Too much grain too fast causes problems.
A general hay to grain ratio for horses should favor hay heavily:
- Ideal Ratio: At least 2 parts forage to 1 part concentrate by weight. For many horses, this is closer to 4:1 or even 6:1.
- Maximum Concentrate: Never feed more than 50% of the total diet as concentrates. Most healthy horses should get less than 25% from concentrates.
Example Revisited (1,000 lb horse needing 20 lbs total):
If we aim for an 80% forage diet:
- Forage (80%): 20 lbs total $\times$ 0.80 = 16 lbs of hay.
- Concentrate (20%): 20 lbs total $\times$ 0.20 = 4 lbs of grain/pellets.
This 16 lbs of hay meets the minimum 10 lbs requirement easily. The 4 lbs of concentrate is a manageable amount.
Calculating Horse Feed Based on Activity Level
The required intake changes based on the work your horse does. This helps in calculating horse feed needs precisely.
Maintenance Diets (No or Very Light Work)
These horses are resting, breeding, or getting back from injury. Their primary need is fiber and baseline vitamins/minerals.
- Total Intake Target: 1.5% to 2.0% of body weight.
- Feed Composition: Mostly high-quality grass hay. Concentrates are usually unnecessary unless the hay is poor quality or the horse is a very picky eater needing a ration balancer (a concentrated vitamin/mineral mix).
Light Work Diets (Riding 1-3 days a week, low intensity)
This includes trail riding, light arena work, or driving casually.
- Total Intake Target: 2.0% to 2.5% of body weight.
- Feed Composition: High-quality hay plus a small amount of balanced commercial feed or plain oats to boost energy slightly.
Moderate Work Diets (Riding 3-5 days a week, schooling)
This covers schooling, local shows, or ranch work that requires sustained effort.
- Total Intake Target: 2.5% to 3.0% of body weight.
- Feed Composition: Good hay, and concentrates become more important for energy. This is where you might see a 50/50 split between hay and grain by weight, though fiber should still dominate.
Heavy/Intense Work Diets (Race training, FEI competition)
These horses use a lot of calories quickly. They need energy-dense feeds.
- Total Intake Target: 3.0% to 3.5% of body weight (or more, depending on the horse).
- Feed Composition: High-quality forage, plus substantial grain (like performance mixes, oats, or corn) to meet the high energy demand. Monitoring body condition is vital here to prevent rapid weight loss.
Table: Sample Daily Feed Amounts for a 1,100 lb Horse
This table shows how the total daily ration changes based on the work level. (Assumes 2% to 3.3% total intake).
| Activity Level | Total Daily Feed Target (% BW) | Total Daily Feed (lbs) | Estimated Hay (lbs) | Estimated Concentrate (lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | 2.0% | 22 lbs | 18 – 20 lbs | 2 – 4 lbs (Balancer only) |
| Light Work | 2.3% | 25 lbs | 18 – 20 lbs | 5 – 7 lbs |
| Moderate Work | 2.7% | 30 lbs | 18 lbs | 12 lbs |
| Heavy Work | 3.3% | 36 lbs | 18 lbs | 18 lbs |
Note: These are estimates. Always adjust based on the actual calorie density of your specific hay and concentrate.
Deciphering Types of Horse Feed
Choosing the right feed is as important as choosing the right amount. Types of horse feed fall into three main groups.
1. Forages (Hay and Pasture)
As discussed, this is the base. Look for hay that is clean, green, and smells sweet. Avoid dusty or moldy hay—it can cause respiratory issues. If pasture is plentiful, it replaces hay weight for weight, though pasture moisture content means you still need to provide hay in the winter or during dry spells.
2. Simple Grains
These are whole grains used primarily for energy.
- Oats: A traditional favorite. They are easily digestible and provide quick energy. They have a relatively balanced mineral profile compared to corn.
- Corn: Very high in energy but low in protein and calcium. It must be fed in small amounts and usually needs supplementation with minerals or high-quality hay.
- Barley: Similar energy to corn but often less palatable. Needs processing (rolling or crushing) for better digestion.
3. Commercial Feeds
These are formulated to provide balanced nutrition in a convenient package.
- Sweet Feeds: Contain molasses to bind the feed and improve taste. They often contain grains, supplements, and sometimes added fats. They are highly palatable but can be easy to overfeed.
- Pelleted Feeds: Forage and grains are mixed, ground, and pressed into pellets. They ensure every bite has the same nutrient level, which is great for consistency.
- Textured Feeds: Look similar to sweet feeds but are less sticky. They often contain whole grains mixed with molasses and supplements.
- Ration Balancers: These are highly concentrated pellets designed to provide necessary vitamins and minerals when the horse is eating mostly forage. They are fed in very small amounts (e.g., 1 to 2 lbs daily). If your horse is an “easy keeper” (maintains weight easily), this is often the best concentrate choice.
Creating Effective Feeding Schedules for Horses
Once you know what and how much to feed, you must decide when. Feeding schedules for horses should mimic their natural grazing behavior.
Horses are designed to eat small amounts frequently throughout the day. Large, infrequent meals stress the digestive system.
Frequency is Key
- Minimum: Horses should be fed at least twice a day (morning and evening).
- Ideal: Three or four small meals daily are better, especially if feeding concentrates. This spreads the load on the stomach acid production.
Managing Concentrate Meals
Never give a horse more than 5 lbs of grain or sweet feed in one meal. For high-energy horses, it is safer to stick to 2.5 lbs per meal, spread over four feedings. Large meals of starch overload the small intestine, leading to undigested starch reaching the hindgut, which can cause severe gas or colic.
Free Choice Forage
Whenever possible, provide hay free choice, especially for horses who are not overweight. Using slow feeders or small-holed hay nets helps mimic continuous grazing, which is best for gut health and mental well-being.
Sample Feeding Schedule (Moderate Work, 1,100 lb Horse):
| Time | Feed Type | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 AM | Hay | 6 lbs | First fiber intake of the day. |
| 7:00 AM | Concentrate | 6 lbs (Split into two 3 lb portions) | Energy boost for the day’s work. |
| 12:00 PM | Hay | 4 lbs | Midday forage supply. |
| 5:00 PM | Concentrate | 6 lbs (Split into two 3 lb portions) | Energy stabilization. |
| 8:00 PM | Hay | 6 lbs | Overnight forage supply. |
| Total | 22 lbs Hay + 12 lbs Concentrate | Total 34 lbs (Slightly over 3% BW) |
If you cannot feed 3-4 times a day, ensure the evening meal contains a large portion of hay to keep the stomach full overnight.
Special Considerations in Horse Feeding
Equine nutrition requirements shift drastically based on age, health, and environment.
Feeding Senior Horses (Geriatric)
Older horses often have dental issues (missing or worn teeth), making chewing tough. They also have reduced ability to digest nutrients efficiently.
- Solution: Switch hard grains and coarse hay to soaked hay pellets or senior feeds. These are soft and easy to eat, maximizing nutrient absorption. They need highly digestible protein and increased fat/fiber for energy, as they cannot process as much starch.
Feeding Working vs. Pregnant Mares
- Pregnant Mares (Last Trimester): Nutrient needs increase significantly in the last three months. You may need to increase concentrate intake slightly to provide extra protein and calories for the foal growth. Always use a balanced feed formulated for gestation.
- Lactating Mares: Their energy demand spikes massively while nursing. They might need 50% to 100% more feed than when pregnant. This usually means significantly increasing the concentrate portion of the diet.
Feeding Easy Keepers vs. Hard Keepers
- Easy Keepers (Lay-ups, Ponies): These horses gain weight easily. They should be fed closer to 1.5% of their body weight, primarily using low-energy hay (like mature Timothy). Avoid sugary feeds. They often only need a ration balancer.
- Hard Keepers (Thoroughbreds, Metabolism Issues): These horses need 3% or more of their body weight in feed. They require higher-energy, more digestible feeds, often including added fat sources (like rice bran or oil) for calorie density without excess starch.
Using Feeding Charts for Horses and Rations
While personalized consultation is best, feeding charts for horses offer excellent starting points. These charts usually correlate a horse’s weight and workload with a specific volume or weight of a particular feed brand.
Always check the manufacturer’s instructions on commercial feed bags. They provide specific feeding rates based on body weight and activity.
How to Use a Feeding Chart
- Find Your Horse’s Weight: Use the methods discussed earlier.
- Determine Work Level: Is the horse resting, lightly worked, or training hard?
- Consult the Chart: Look at the row for your horse’s weight and the column for their work level.
- Adjust for Hay: The chart usually tells you how much concentrate to feed in addition to hay. Ensure your hay intake still meets the 1% minimum (1.5% recommended).
If a chart suggests feeding 10 lbs of sweet feed to a 1,200 lb horse in moderate work, you must still ensure that horse is eating at least 14.4 lbs of hay (1.2% BW). The total diet would then be 24.4 lbs, which fits the 2% target.
The Cost of Feeding a Horse
The cost of feeding a horse varies widely based on location, feed quality, and type. High-quality alfalfa is often more expensive than basic grass hay. Specialty performance feeds cost more than plain oats.
Factors Affecting Cost
- Hay Prices: Hay prices fluctuate dramatically with local weather and availability. Good quality, grass hay might cost $\$150-\$300$ per ton, while premium alfalfa can be higher.
- Concentrate Selection: Ration balancers are often economical because you feed so little. Sweet feeds can be mid-range, while specialized performance meals are the most expensive per pound.
- Waste: Poor feeding habits increase costs. If you throw hay on the ground, a horse can waste 10% to 30% of it. Using slow feeders or racks reduces waste significantly.
Tip for Cost Savings: Maximize good pasture time when available. Pasture is often the cheapest feed source. When buying hay, purchase large quantities (a truckload) directly from a farmer if possible, rather than buying small bales from a retail store.
Monitoring and Adjusting Feed Amounts
Feeding is not a set-it-and-forget-it task. You must constantly monitor your horse to see if the daily feed amounts for horses are correct.
Body Condition Scoring (BCS)
The Henneke Body Condition Scoring system uses a 1 to 9 scale (1 being emaciated, 9 being obese).
- Target BCS: 4.5 to 5.5 (Ideal weight).
- How to Check: Feel your horse’s ribs. You should be able to easily feel them without pressing hard, but you should not see them sticking out sharply. Check the neck, along the topline, and behind the shoulder for fat pads.
If your horse is losing weight (dropping BCS), increase the total feed amount by 0.25% of body weight daily and reassess in a week. If the horse is gaining weight (rising BCS), decrease the feed by 0.25% of body weight daily. Always prioritize reducing concentrates first unless the horse is significantly underweight due to illness.
Fecal Consistency
Healthy manure should be well-formed, soft, and easily picked up. If manure is very dry or hard, the horse might not be getting enough water or fiber. If it is very loose or watery, the hay to grain ratio for horses may be too high in concentrates, or the horse might be eating too much rich hay/pasture too quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many pounds of feed should I feed my 1,200 lb horse?
A 1,200 lb horse generally needs between 24 lbs (2% of body weight for maintenance) and 36 lbs (3% of body weight for heavy work) of total feed daily. Remember, most of this should be high-quality hay.
What is the minimum amount of hay a horse must eat daily?
A horse must eat a minimum of 1% of its body weight in dry matter forage daily. For a 1,000 lb horse, this is 10 lbs of hay minimum.
Can I feed my horse only grain and no hay?
No, you should never feed a horse only grain. Horses must have forage for proper gut motility and acid neutralization. Feeding only grain drastically increases the risk of colic, ulcers, and laminitis.
How often should I feed my horse concentrates?
Concentrates should be fed in small portions, ideally two to four times per day. Never feed more than 5 lbs of grain/sweet feed in a single meal.
What is a ration balancer and when should I use one?
A ration balancer is a highly concentrated supplement providing vitamins and minerals. You use it when your horse is an easy keeper and gets enough calories from forage alone but needs guaranteed nutrient intake. They are fed in small amounts (e.g., 1 lb per day).
Does feeding charts for horses account for water intake?
Feeding charts focus on dry matter intake (the food itself). Water intake is separate but vital. A horse needs 5 to 10 gallons of fresh water daily, more when working hard or in hot weather.