We’ve all heard the idiom that someone eats like a horse before, and the underlying connotation is entirely correct because horses eat so much. In part one of this series we discussed housing horses, and here we will look broadly into nutrition. Once you have figured out and set up your pasture or boarding situation you will need to learn as much as you can about equine nutrition because as nice as it would be to just turn out our horses to let them graze on whatever they can find like they would in the wild, it is a different ballgame when it comes to horses we are raising that do not have 1,000s of acres to forage. In the most basic sense, horses need six nutrients: carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water.
First of all, horses need carbohydrates and proteins, and both of these nutrients can come from roughage (hay, grass). Horses will need 2% of their body weight in roughage per day. For a 1,000 pound horse that is 20 pounds of grass or hay per day. Depending on your situation, you may have enough grass to not supplement with hay or you may need to supplement with hay, but as a horse owner it is your responsibility to ensure your horse(s) have enough roughage to eat. That doesn’t mean that you need to physically evaluate that they are consuming 20 pounds of grass per day, but it does mean that you need to ensure they have enough to eat. On the other hand, hay and grass are good sources of protein for horses as well. Legumes tend to be higher in protein than grasses, but both will provide protein to the horse. Additionally, horse feed will provide protein, fat, and some vitamins and minerals necessary for proper health. Therefore, roughage and horse feed should both be fed daily in order to provide the right amount of nutrients for your horse.
Just as a disclaimer, not all horse feeds are created equally, and not all horse feeds are the right choice for every horse. For example, smaller breeds of horses typically need less feed, but they also need less sugar in a feed because they are more susceptible to metabolic issues than the larger breeds. If you have concerns over which feed will be best for your horse please consult your veterinarian. Furthermore, horse feeds are rationed by the weight of the horse. Usually the feed tag or bag will indicate how much to feed daily according to your horse’s weight. It is never a good idea to take a 50 pound bag of feed and put it out for free grazing if you do not have enough horses for that amount of feed because horses will eat the entire bag if allowed to at once. Obviously that is not best case scenario because the nutrients and micronutrients are specifically formulated and not meant for mass consumption.
Mineral supplements can be fed out and electrolytes can be provided when necessary, but much like every other animal species clean water is essential. We are getting into the time of year that can be very hot and dry, and horses will need access to water. When determining where to place your water tanks, keep in mind that during the summer direct sun exposure will make the water excessively hot, but during the winter it is a good idea to have direct sun exposure due to the cold temperatures.
For more information about horses or other agriculture related questions, please contact the Jones County Extension office by phone at 478-986-3958 or email brennan4@uga.edu.