What to Feed Your Horse to Improve Their Coat?

It doesn't matter how much you brush your horse, what shampoo or conditioner you use or even which brand of blanket you've bought, if a horse isn't fed well, it isn't going to look well. Feeding a horse to promote a healthy coat is as easy as establishing and adhering to good horse-keeping rules.

  1. Hay and Feed

    • Good horse care requires dedication, commitment and a willingness to tweak a routine that isn̵7;t proving beneficial to your horse. Finding the perfect feeding plan takes patient trial and error. Horses that are given grain should be fed a high-quality feed with appropriate levels of vitamins and minerals. The vitamins and minerals should match an individual horse̵7;s health needs and work requirements. Make sure you only give the amount of feed directed. Grass contains the majority of nutrients a horse needs for a shiny coat. When fresh pasture isn̵7;t available for grazing, only the best-quality hay should be fed to your horse. This means you need to find forage free of feathers, weeds, bugs, mold and excess moisture.

    Supplements

    • Some horse owners who want to promote a healthy coat swear by supplements that contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, says Janet Han, DVM. The trouble with supplements, Han says, is they̵7;re not regulated like drugs, making the claims not scientifically proven.

    Flax

    • Flax oil is a popular addition to many equine diets. Flax oil contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. An average 1,000-pound horse can receive three to four ounces of flax oil daily. This can be poured right over the feed. If it doesn̵7;t help the coat, at least it will help with digestion.

    Fresh Water

    • Never underestimate the health benefits of fresh water. Every horse should have round-the-clock access to fresh, clean water. Horses normally drink a gallon of water per 100 pounds of body weight each day. That fluid is vital to the process of moving nutrients throughout the body. That means that a horse should never be forced to break through ice to gain access to water. Horses in the wild do this. Your horse is confined and dependent on you to provide necessities like fresh water.

    Proper Worming

    • Following a proper worming schedule is one way to optimize your horse̵7;s health and its coat. Parasites can cause irreparable internal damage. Uncontrolled pin worms can cause a horse to itch and result in scratching and rubbing off affected areas of the coat. Horses restricted to feeding in the same small pasture can take in an enormous amount of worms.