Things You'll Need
- Feed scoop
- Quality hay
- Pasture
- Horse feed
- Grazing muzzle
Instructions
Think about the kind of work your horse is asked to do. A horse that is on pasture rest will have much different nutritional requirements than a horse that does endurance rides or participates in racing events. The more strenuous the equine activity, the more protein your horse will need to build strong healthy muscle tissue.
Provide at-will access to quality pasture forage whenever possible. Horses are designed to eat grass, so providing your horse with access to fresh pasture will help keep it healthy. Just be careful when introducing pasture to a horse that has been kept on a dry lot--your horse may overeat when first turned out, and that could cause it to colic. Either limit pasture turnout to a few hours a day at first or use a grazing muzzle to limit its eating.
Weigh the grain you are giving your horse instead of relying on volume alone. Horse feeds that are rich on corn and molasses will be heavier than drier feeds, so be sure to use weight as your guide. This is particularly important when switching to a new brand of feed.
Match the type of horse feed you purchase to your horse's nutritional needs and stage of life. There are horse feeds specifically formulated for nursing mares, weaning foals, senior horses and working horses. Be sure that the feed you choose is appropriate for your horse's lifestyle and the type of work it does.