What Type of Food Do You Feed Your Horse?

Horses are herbivores who benefit from time spent grazing on food such as pasture grass or hay, however, most horse owners choose to supplement their horse's diet with additional foods, such as grain products to ensure a healthy horse. In addition, many horses are fed a selection of other food items, such as minerals and treats. Before selecting a diet for your horse, consult your veterinarian to determine what is best for it.

  1. Grass

    • The primary food for most horses should be pasture grass. A good quality pasture has enough nutrients to provide for horses during the warm spring and summer months, so long as there is enough space for the horse to graze. Use a rotating pasture system, moving your horse between pastures after a set period of time, to give the grass time to rest and grow before the horse is placed back in the field.

    Hay

    • Hay, or dried grass, is fed to horses when pasture grass is in short supply or unavailable and allows the horse to graze throughout the day as it would in the wild. Offer your horse only green or fresh-smelling hay, avoiding any that appears dusty or moldy. Common types of hay include alfalfa hay or an alfalfa blend as well as local hay varieties. Alfalfa hay is often available in cubes or pellets that should be softened in water before being fed to your horse.

    Grain

    • Grain products offer a wide array of options from which to choose when feeding your horse and are used to supplement the hay and grass that a horse receives. When grains are fed to a horse, they are typically offered at least twice a day. Grains typically come as a pelleted mixture or sweet feed mix to meet many of the horse's nutritional needs and are available for horses of all ages and competition levels. Oats, corn and barley are occasionally fed to horses to meet specific needs, while a wet bran mash is usually offered to sick horses or to serve as a laxative.

    Other Foods

    • Horses are often given treats, such as a carrot or an apple, to reward a job well done. Give your horse continual access to fresh and clean water. A mineral salt block should be available to your horse at all times to meet your horse's dietary requirements. Some horses receive supplements in their grain for specific conditions, such as a dewormer, hoof strengthener or electrolyte mix.