List of Horse Feed

Horses require a variety of feed to maintain good health. The feed needs to meet the animal̵7;s nutritional requirements for fats, minerals, vitamins, protein and carbohydrates. These nutrients are delivered to the horse in a number of different feeds ranging from natural grasses to processed feeds. The best feed choice varies by individual horse and situation.

  1. Mechanically Processed Grain

    • Mechanically processing grain--done by cracking, rolling or crimping the grain--improves the horse̵7;s ability to digest the feed. Cracking the exterior shell or hull of the grain allows digestive juices in the horse̵7;s stomach and intestines to reach the carbohydrates more readily. This is particularly important for horses with problems with their teeth. Wheat, corn and barley are commonly mechanically processed, while oats, which have softer hulls, are sometimes fed as a whole grain or can be rolled to improve digestibility by about 2 percent, according to TheHorse.com. Mechanically processed grains are available as bagged feeds or in bulk. Because the seed hull is intentionally cracked, it is more susceptible to mold and the quality of the feed should be monitored during storage.

    Pelleted Feeds

    • Pelleted feeds are processed with heat. This partially digests the grains, allowing the energy in the feed to be more readily absorbed by the digestive tract of the horse, according to TheHorse.com. The formula for pelleted feeds varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Food and Drug Administration regulations require the ingredients to be listed on the label. Pelleted feeds can include corn, barley, oats or other grains as well as ground alfalfa. The feed is processed with steam or microwave energy and available as a bagged feed or in bulk.

    Sweet Feeds

    • Feeds that are low in protein--less than 20 percent--but high in energy are referred to as energy feeds, sweet feeds or textured feeds. These feeds are usually mechanically processed grains, sometimes mixed with alfalfa-based pelleted feeds. Molasses is added to increase the energy level and the palatability of the feed. This is a preferred feed for animals that are under stress or used heavily.

    Extruded Feeds

    • Ground grains are mixed with steam and forced through metal dies in the extrusion process to create extruded feeds. When the nugget of feed exits the extruder it expands and is allowed to cool and dry. The nugget is dried to the point at which it is not susceptible to mold or other forms of spoilage. The lack of moisture in extruded feed also reduces the weight of the feed that must be fed to meet the nutritional requirements of the horse.