With the development of agricultural land maintenance, natural pasture lands are less available. For this reason, a variety of balanced horse feeds have also been created as an alternative to fresh grasses. A well-balanced diet will consist of healthy pasture or prepared feeds as well as probiotics and in some cases, supplemental vitamins and minerals.
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Pasture
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Well-managed grassland is an important, basic source of a horse's diet. Grass can grow sparsely or can be overwhelmed with weeds that the horse does not eat or that are toxic such as ragwort. A field with an abundance of healthy grass will provide many of the nutrients needed for good health and will cut down on the costs of relying too much on manufactured horse feeds.
Different grass species have varying nutritional value. The soil type and climate can have significant impact on the quality of grazing pasture and health of the grass.
Horses need to graze in order to obtain roughage and for psychological well-being. Since it is not easy to monitor the nutritional availability of pasture from season to season, it is advisable to include a "feed block" vitamin and mineral supplement.
Hay
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Hay is grass without the water content. It contains the nutrients present in fresh grass. It should be sweet smelling and a yellowish green color. It should be clean and free from mold, dirt and chemicals. Meadow hay contains a mixture of grass varieties such as rye and whatever other grasses grow in the region. Much of meadow hay contains leaf so it is easier for the horse to eat. Seed hay is grass that is cut before going to seed and contains a higher protein level. It is composed mostly of stalk and less leaf so it is harder to eat. Haylage is semi-wilted grass, so it still contains some moisture and therefore more nutritional benefits. It can be used instead of hay. Horses fed on hay should be given a vitamin and mineral supplement.
Commercial Feeds
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When good, nutritional pasture is not available, it is often necessary to purchase commercial feeds. These formulas are designed to be a balanced substitute and will contain ingredients normally a part of a horse's diet in the wild such as legumes, grass and grains such as oats and rye. These feeds will usually contain added minerals and vitamins, so it may not be necessary to use further supplements. Combining these feeds with hay should provide the horse with a balanced diet. Some commercial feeds are specially formulated for very active horses such as race horses and will contain scientifically balanced nutrients for these specific needs.
Probiotics
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Horses today do not forage as much as they used to and do not always receive enough beneficial bacteria in their diet. For this reason, probiotic supplements are often added to a horse's food to support healthy, intestinal flora and function.
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