How to Feed Rice Bran to an Underweight Horse

Rice bran is a byproduct of milling rice. Often, parts of the endosperm and germ protein of the rice kernel are retained in the rice bran. It is a popular supplemental feed for underweight horses because it contains 20 percent fat and plenty of iron and vitamin E. Starch composes 65 percent of rice bran. Horse owners who have used rice bran say that the high calories per weight of rice bran over other types of feed make it ideal for restoring healthy body weight to a horse. Added benefits of rice bran's vitamin E are improved coat condition and stress reduction, both emotionally and physically, for active horses. Experts recommend that any time you increase fat in a horse's diet, you balance it with vitamin E--and rice bran carries both together.

Things You'll Need

  • Stabilized rice bran in pelleted rice bran feed or powder
  • Scale
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Instructions

    • 1

      Rule out health problems such as intestinal worms or teeth that need floating. Look at the pasture your horse utilizes, the quality of the hay he eats and amounts of any other grains you feed him. Consult with a veterinarian.

    • 2

      Purchase stabilized rice bran; do not confuse this with wheat bran. Stabilized rice bran has been processed to increase shelf life. You can purchase pelleted rice bran products made for horse supplementation. Rice bran also comes in powder form. These products will often add calcium carbonate to balance the phosphorus in the stabilized rice bran.

    • 3

      Check with your local feed store. Areas that feed alfalfa hay tend to have unfortified rice bran products, as alfalfa is high in calcium. Horse owners who have compared powder with pellets claim that powder is less expensive and easier to manage as long as you keep it dry.

    • 4

      Using a scale, measure one to two pounds of rice bran per day to feed your horse along with the usual feed of hay, pasture and other supplements you may already feed. Sixty percent of a horse's diet should be roughage. If you are feeding rice bran to improve the horse's coat and hoof condition rather than to increase weight, you would feed smaller amounts; ½ pound per day is adequate. Follow the package directions.

    • 5

      Expect to see results in four to five weeks.