A horse needs to eat about 1.5% to 3% of its body weight in dry matter every day. This means a 1,000-pound horse eats between 15 and 30 pounds of feed daily.
Feeding horses correctly is key to their health. Getting the amount and type of food right affects their energy, weight, and well-being. This guide will help you figure out what to feed a horse per day, how much it costs, and how to plan meals well.
Deciphering Daily Feed Requirement Horse Needs
A horse’s daily feed requirement horse needs change based on several things. These factors include its weight, age, workload, and health status. Always aim to meet the basic need for forage first.
Body Weight: The Starting Point
The most important factor is the horse’s weight. You must know how much your horse weighs to calculate the right amount of food.
Estimating Horse Weight
You can weigh your horse using a specialized scale. If that’s not possible, use a weight tape. Place the tape around the horse’s girth, right behind the front legs.
| Horse Weight (Pounds) | Minimum Daily Dry Matter Intake (1.5% of BW) | Maximum Daily Dry Matter Intake (3.0% of BW) |
|---|---|---|
| 800 lbs | 12 lbs | 24 lbs |
| 1,000 lbs | 15 lbs | 30 lbs |
| 1,200 lbs | 18 lbs | 36 lbs |
| 1,500 lbs | 22.5 lbs | 45 lbs |
Dry matter means the food with all the water taken out. Hay and pasture grass are mostly dry matter. Grain and commercial feeds also have this listed on the label.
Workload and Life Stage Adjustments
Horses are not all the same. A pregnant mare eats differently than a retired pony.
Light Work
Horses doing light work, like gentle trail riding or just standing in a field, need less extra food. Their diet should focus mostly on good quality hay or pasture. They typically eat closer to the 1.5% to 2% body weight mark.
Moderate to Heavy Work
Horses training hard or competing need more calories. They may require 2.5% or even up to 3% of their body weight in dry matter. They often need more concentrated feed (grain or pellets) added to their forage base.
Special Needs Groups
- Growing Foals: They need controlled growth. Too much rich food can cause bone problems. They need balanced protein and minerals.
- Lactating Mares: These mothers need extra calories and protein to make milk. Their intake can go up significantly.
- Senior Horses: Older horses often have trouble chewing or absorbing nutrients. They might need softer feeds, like soaked hay pellets, and specialized diets. Senior horse feeding needs often focus on digestibility.
The Foundation: Forage in the Horse Diet
Forage, which is hay and grass, must make up the biggest part of any horse’s diet. This keeps their digestive system working right.
Average Hay Consumption Horse
Hay is the backbone of most horse diets, especially when fresh pasture is not available year-round. The average hay consumption horse should be 1% to 2% of its body weight daily, minimum, in hay alone.
If a 1,000-pound horse eats 2% of its weight in dry matter (20 pounds total), and you feed no grain, it needs 20 pounds of hay. If you feed 5 pounds of grain, it needs 15 pounds of hay.
Types of Hay
The quality of hay matters a lot. Different types of horse feed found in hay affect nutrition.
- Grass Hay (Timothy, Orchard, Bermuda): These are good for most healthy adult horses. They are usually lower in sugar and protein compared to legume hays.
- Legume Hay (Alfalfa, Clover): These hays are higher in protein and calcium. They are great for growing horses, pregnant mares, or hard-working horses that need extra calories. They must be fed carefully to horses in light work to prevent weight gain.
Pasture Management
Fresh grass is the most natural feed. However, pasture quality varies widely. A lush spring pasture can provide much more nutrition than dry, sparse summer grass. Be mindful of sugar content in spring grass (risk of laminitis).
Exploring Different Types of Horse Feed
While forage is vital, many horses need more energy or specific nutrients. This is where concentrated feeds come in.
Concentrates and Grains
Concentrates provide more calories in a smaller package than hay.
- Oats: A traditional, easily digestible grain.
- Corn: Very high in energy but needs careful feeding due to starch levels.
- Barley: Lower in starch than corn, often used in performance mixes.
Commercial Feeds
Most horse owners choose commercial feeds because they are balanced with vitamins and minerals.
- Pelleted Feeds: Uniform in size, reducing waste. They often contain a mix of grains, proteins, and added vitamins.
- Textured (Sweet) Feeds: Look like a mix of oats and molasses coating. They are highly palatable (horses like the taste).
When choosing, look at the guaranteed analysis on the bag. This tells you the protein, fat, and fiber levels. This is essential for building a balanced horse feeding guide.
Horse Feed Supplements
Horse feed supplements are used to fill gaps in the diet or address specific needs.
- Vitamins and Minerals: If forage quality is poor, a ration balancer (a concentrated source of vitamins and minerals without excess calories) might be needed.
- Joint Support: Glucosamine and chondroitin are common for older or athletic horses.
- Digestive Aids: Probiotics and prebiotics help keep the hindgut flora healthy, especially when feeding lots of grain or after antibiotics.
Calculating Daily Intake: Using a Horse Diet Calculator
To get the feeding amounts just right, using a horse diet calculator is highly recommended. These tools take into account weight, body condition score, and workload.
Steps for Accurate Feeding Calculation
- Determine Body Weight: Know the horse’s weight in pounds or kilograms.
- Assess Body Condition Score (BCS): Use the Henneke scale (1 to 9). A score of 5 is ideal. Adjust feed if the horse is too thin (needs more) or too fat (needs less).
- Calculate Dry Matter Intake (DMI): Multiply the body weight by 1.5% to 2.5% (adjust for workload). This gives you the total dry feed amount needed.
- Account for Forage: Determine how much hay or pasture the horse actually consumes.
- Calculate Concentrates: Subtract the dry weight of the hay/pasture from the total DMI. The remaining amount must come from grains or commercial feeds.
Example Calculation (1,000 lb Horse, Light Work):
- Target DMI: 1,000 lbs * 2.0% = 20 lbs total dry matter.
- Hay Offered: 15 lbs of hay (dry matter).
- Concentrate Needed: 20 lbs (Total) – 15 lbs (Hay) = 5 lbs of commercial feed.
Always re-evaluate these numbers if the horse’s weight changes.
Establishing a Consistent Feeding Schedule for Horses
Consistency is as important as quantity when it comes to equine digestion. Horses are trickle feeders. Their stomachs are small, and they thrive on near-constant grazing.
A proper feeding schedule for horses minimizes digestive upset like colic.
Meal Frequency
- Grazing: Ideal, as it mimics natural behavior.
- Hay: If you cannot graze all day, divide the total hay ration into small meals fed 3 to 4 times a day. If feeding twice daily, ensure the meals are spaced out well (e.g., 12 hours apart).
- Concentrates: Limit grain meals to no more than 5 pounds at a time for an average adult horse. Large grain meals overwhelm the small intestine’s ability to digest starch, leading to hindgut issues. If a horse needs more than 5-6 pounds of grain, split it into three or four small feedings.
Feeding Location and Environment
Feed horses in a clean area, away from manure. If feeding on the ground, ensure the area is free of parasites. Using slow-feed hay nets can extend eating time, which is beneficial for both digestion and mental health.
Financial Planning: The Cost of Feeding a Horse
The cost of feeding a horse is the largest expense in horse ownership. This cost fluctuates based on location, feed type, and market prices.
Breakdown of Major Feed Costs
The price of hay is the biggest variable cost.
| Feed Type | Typical Cost Range (Per Ton, Varies Widely) | Notes on Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Grass Hay (Bales) | \$200 – \$500 | Good bulk feed. Price spikes with drought. |
| Alfalfa Hay (Bales) | \$350 – \$700 | Higher protein/calories, more expensive. |
| Commercial Pellets/Grains | \$400 – \$900 | Price depends on added ingredients and brand. |
| Supplements | Varies greatly | Usually a small monthly recurring cost. |
Calculating Monthly Hay Costs
Let’s revisit the 1,000 lb horse needing 15 lbs of hay daily (in our example where 5 lbs of grain is fed).
- Daily Hay Need: 15 lbs
- Monthly Hay Need (30 days): 15 lbs * 30 days = 450 lbs of hay per month.
If quality grass hay costs \$400 per ton (2,000 lbs):
- Cost per pound: \$400 / 2,000 lbs = \$0.20 per pound.
- Monthly Hay Cost: 450 lbs * \$0.20/lb = \$90.00 per month.
If you switch to alfalfa at \$600 per ton:
- Cost per pound: \$600 / 2,000 lbs = \$0.30 per pound.
- Monthly Hay Cost: 450 lbs * \$0.30/lb = \$135.00 per month.
Hidden Costs
Don’t forget to budget for:
- Delivery Fees: Getting hay delivered can be costly but saves labor.
- Storage: Dry, protected storage prevents spoilage and mold, saving you money in the long run.
- Waste: Horses waste hay. Using slow feeders reduces this waste, effectively lowering your daily cost.
Specialized Diets for Different Life Stages
A general horse feeding guide is helpful, but specific life stages require tailored attention.
Feeding the Working Athlete
Horses in intense training need energy that comes primarily from fat and highly digestible fiber, rather than massive amounts of starch (grain).
- Focus: High-quality forage plus calories from fat sources (oil, beet pulp) or specialized performance feeds.
- Water and Electrolytes: Essential for replacing losses during heavy sweating.
Feeding the Broodmare and Young Stock
Growth requires specific mineral balances.
- For Broodmares: They need protein and calcium to support fetal development and milk production. Alfalfa is often beneficial here.
- For Foals: Avoid overfeeding energy. Use feeds designed for growth that ensure correct calcium to phosphorus ratios.
Geriatric Nutrition: Senior Horse Feeding Needs
As horses age, dental health declines. They might not chew hay well.
- Soft Feeds: Switch hay to soaked hay pellets or complete senior feeds. These are easy to eat and digest.
- Digestibility: Older horses need highly digestible protein and energy sources because their digestive systems are less efficient.
Interpreting Feed Labels and Nutritional Balance
Knowing what is on the bag is crucial for making informed choices about types of horse feed.
Key Terms on Feed Tags
- Crude Protein: Total protein content. More isn’t always better; amino acid quality matters.
- Crude Fat: Indicates energy density. Higher fat means more calories without high starch.
- Crude Fiber: Shows the amount of indigestible material. A minimum of 16% total fiber (from forage and feed) is usually needed for gut health.
- Non-Structural Carbohydrates (NSC): This includes sugars and starches. For many horses, especially those prone to metabolic issues, keeping NSC below 12% is a goal.
The Role of Water
Water is often overlooked but is the most essential nutrient. A horse needs 5 to 10 gallons of clean, fresh water daily, more if working hard or in hot weather. Water intake directly affects digestion and helps prevent colic.
Finalizing Your Horse Feeding Guide
Creating a personalized horse feeding guide requires observation and periodic adjustments. Look at your horse’s condition regularly.
Signs of Incorrect Feeding:
- Too Thin: Increase forage first. If still losing weight, increase concentrates slowly.
- Too Fat: Reduce concentrates and assess forage quality. Can you cut back on hay without dropping below the 1.5% DMI minimum? Use a horse diet calculator to recalculate needs based on a lower target weight.
- Dull Coat/Poor Hooves: May signal a mineral or fat deficiency. Consider a vitamin/mineral supplement or adding oil.
- Behavior Changes: Lethargy or hyperactivity can signal energy imbalances from feed.
Consistency in the feeding schedule for horses provides stability for their sensitive digestive tracts. Talk to your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist if you have long-term concerns about meeting your horse’s daily feed requirement horse needs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many pounds of hay does a 1,200 lb horse eat per day?
A 1,200 lb horse should eat between 18 pounds (1.5% of body weight) and 36 pounds (3.0% of body weight) of total dry matter daily. If you are feeding only hay, aim for at least 24 pounds (2%) of hay per day to support proper gut function.
Can I feed my horse only grain instead of hay?
No, you absolutely cannot feed a horse only grain. Horses are designed to eat high-fiber forage almost constantly. Feeding only grain will quickly lead to severe health issues, including colic, gastric ulcers, and metabolic disorders. Hay must always be the foundation of the diet.
How often should I change my horse’s feed?
Changes should be made slowly. If you must switch types of horse feed, do it over 7 to 14 days. Gradually decrease the old feed while increasing the new feed. Quick changes disrupt the gut bacteria essential for digestion.
What is the difference between dry matter and as-fed weight?
Dry matter is the weight of the feed after all the moisture has been removed. As-fed weight is the actual weight of the feed you handle (hay, pellets, grain, etc.). Because hay is often 10% to 15% water, the as-fed weight will be higher than the dry matter weight required for calculations.
Do miniature horses eat less hay?
Yes, miniature horses eat less in total pounds, but their percentage requirement remains similar, often around 2% to 2.5% of their body weight in dry matter. Because they are prone to obesity and laminitis, their forage intake is often carefully restricted to high-fiber, low-sugar sources.