High Protein Diet for Horses

Feeding horses is a huge part of their care. High performance horses often need a higher level of protein in their diet to meet the demands of their bodies, but doing this without causing adverse affects can be tricky. Knowing how to feed a high protein diet to a horse can help avoid problems like colic and founder.

  1. Forage

    • This is the key to the horse's diet. The horse is a grazing animal and evolved to eat nearly constantly, and by depriving them of this ability, we have created all kinds of physical and mental issues. A pleasure horse can survive off a diet of pure hay. In the case of a high-performance animal who needs more protein for muscles and energy, alfalfa is a great choice. Feeding two flakes of high quality alfalfa, twice a day, mixed with one or two flakes of regular coastal, is an excellent way to get a high level of protein safely into you horse.

    Concentrates

    • Concentrates are any kind of feed that contain a grain mix. They are sold at feed stores in sacks and can also be mixed to order at feed mills. They consist of oats, corn, barley, molasses and other ingredients that the horse finds palatable as well as providing nutrients. High protein feeds run at 16 percent protein. This is usually the high end of the safety wheel, and when you feed 18 percent or higher, you are risking founder. Some alfalfa runs as high as 22 percent protein, but that is a forage, and is eaten and digested more slowly than a concentrate. Look for a feed that is 16 percent protein and feed small amounts two to three times a day.

    Supplements

    • There are dozens of supplements on the market for performance horses. They range in everything from powders, to pellets, to liquids and can go all the way up to 38 percent protein. It is very important to read the label directions on these additives, as adding too much of them can cause serious health issues. In most of the products, a small amount is added to an already high protein concentrate, and this is to add additional health benefits, such as hoof and coat health. Feeding these can provide some bloom to your horse, and perhaps boost his immune system, but they should not be relied upon for the main source of protein in the diet.