QUESTIONS ON FEEDING THE HORSE

A respone I wrote in response to a question about how to feed the horse. Thought there might be some of my readers who would benefit:

BASIC GUIDELINES for feeding light horses:

Feed 2 - 2 1/2# of TOTAL FEED per every 100# of live weight. This is per day. So, for a 1000# horse he/she would need a minimum of 20# of food a day. The BASE of this, if not ALL of it should be FORAGE ... hay, grass, weeds, brush, bark, herbs etc. Simple. 20# of Timothy Grass hay will give that horse approx. 16,000 calories a day minimum. If Alfalfa hay then it will be closer to 20,000 calories a day. A 1000# horse at maintenance will need at least 15,000 calories just to maintain weight. If more calories are needed then either increase the intake of forage, add some fat (vegetable oil) or start adding a little bit of high fat, low sugar/carb grain. To this diet, in order to make sure adequate vitamins and minerals are taken in, add an organic multivitamin and free choice minerals and salts. That plus fresh water at all times *should* be enough for the horse to maintain - GENERALLY SPEAKING for an adult, healthy light horse. A horse in light work will need upwards of 18,000 - 20,000 calories a day; a horse in medium work will need 20,000 - 25,000 or more calories.

That being said - every horse is individual and every horse will have different needs one from another. This is just a base guideline from which to formulate. The BEST way is to feed as much organic as possible so you know that the horse is getting the nutrients needed. Processed, chemicalized, etc. feeds lose their viability of nutrients the more they are processed (even tho they may be "enhanced" with added vits. and minerals).