Feeding horses
File feedhorse.jpg
Horses need to be fed at least 2–4 times daily, especially if they are stabled
all the time. They also need to be fed a balanced ration and that they have
the correct amounts of roughage, concentrate, protein and additives.
The amounts need to be appropriate for each individual horse. The
following are a number of other important requirements for feeding horses
correctly. You need to:

feed according to each horse’s individual requirements

feed at regular times, and at the same place, especially if feeding in
the paddock

if feeding in the paddock, space individual feeders to avoid fighting
and bullying

mix all feeds well, to stop sifting of ingredients

mix a fresh feed every time you feed; throw left-overs out

dampen most feeds a bit before feeding so as to reduce dust

rejuvenate dry, brittle hay with some moisture. You can do this by
wrapping it in a damp bag or towel for up to 8 hours prior to using

water horses before feeding them

feed by weight not quantity; work out how much feed in weight your
feed measures hold, so you know exactly how much of what each
horse is receiving by weight.
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What to avoid when feeding horses
When you are feeding horses you should avoid:

over feeding; being too kind and generous is not good for any horse

making sudden changes in feed quantities

making sudden changes in the type of feed in the ration. Make
changes from one type of feed to another slowly. Allow at least 7–10
days

using poor quality or dusty feeds

feeding concentrates or ‘hard feeds’, directly off the ground; supply
a bin

placing feed bin or hay nets, etc, up too high. Do not go above chest
height of the horse

using dirty or unsafe feeders of any sort

feeding lawn clippings or garden clippings.
An example of a typical feeding routine
Here is a typical feeding routine for stabled horses in race training. The
daily diet usually consists of ‘hard feeds’, (consisting of chaff, grains,
proteins supplements, vitamin/mineral supplements, and whatever else each
individual horse requires), and some hay.
Below shows an example of a routine for a horse which allows it to have at
least four meals a day. This is much better for the horse’s digestive system.
Also it is less likely to develop boredom-induced habits from having
nothing to do, and it will reduce the risk of gastric ulceration in stabled
horses.
At 4am (this is early!)

Each horse has a small hard feed, designed for the individual.

The meal is quite small, and is given to the horses about one hour
before leaving for the track for their morning workout.

The amount of work they perform at the track will depend on what
stage they are at in their career, and will probably be influenced by
when their next race or start is.

Do not work horses after large hard feeds, and do not hard work any
horse after a feed of dry roughage, like hay.

Some racing stables start earlier than this, and some do not feed at all
before the morning workout.
At 8 am – 9 am: Breakfast

This is the approximate time; it all depends on how many horses to
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work, availability of riders, problems, accidents, weather, etc.

The horses are completely cooled down after their morning work,
offered water first and then fed.

Stable hands usually clean the stables while the horses are at the
track, so they come back to clean stables, fresh bedding, clean water
and a feed.
At 2 am – 3pm: Feeding hay
Usually a good sized biscuit of lucerne hay, or some very good quality
cereal hay is a good choice for feeding at this time. This may depend on the
trainer’s choice or could be influenced by seasonal availability.
The hay will be be very low in dust. Horses in race training cannot tolerate,
or risk inhaling fungal spores from dusty feed, as it would cause some
airway problems that would interfere with training.
At 5 pm – 6pm: Bulky hard feed and hay
This would be the horse’s main meal and have to be enough to satisfy them
until the next morning.
At some stables they leave the hay until last thing at night. Perhaps a person
who does not need to be at the stables around 4 am could tend to this.
This late hay feed shortens the period of time between feeds over the long
night. This is a lot better for the horse physically and mentally.
The horse should have a good eight hours with no lights turned on or
disturbance so they can rest.
Stable waterers and feeders
Stable waterers need to be in a position where the horse’s feed does not end
up in it, where it can’t be easily knocked over, or in a spot where the horse
could defecate in it. They should be cleaned and changed regularly, to avoid
bacterial problems like salmonella.
This photo shows a water container sitting inside a tyre which helps make it
safer and tip proof.
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Yard and small paddock waterers
What we use here will depend on what is available and how much you value
your horses.
Once again, they need to be tamper proof, injury proof, and easy to empty,
clean and refill as they can become contaminated with feed, dirt and dust
fairly quickly.
A large hay holder
A paddock trough made from cement showing the float valve (called a ball
cock) safely under cover and horse proof.
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Horse feeders need to be:

injury proof—plastic buckets, tubs, and containers used for horse
feed are dangerous, as they break, leaving sharp edges, or a horse
can put its foot through it causing injury

spill proof—by attaching them to walls or doors, the horse cannot
spill its feed

at chest height—if they are attached to walls or doors, they should be
no higher than the horse’s chest, to allow natural drainage of the
horse’s airways while eating.
The advantages of feeding above the ground, but no higher than the horse’s
chest are:

drainage of airways, as mentioned before

reduced spillage, waste, or soiling of feed into bedding, faeces and
urine

stabled horses, especially show horses, have a tendency to become
heavy in the neck. Feeding the horse at a lower level helps to stretch
helping it to slim and shape the neck

less chance of ingesting sand, dirt, foreign objects, and parasites
from spread faeces.
Record information
Once you have fed and watered the horse it is very important to record the
details of the feeding and watering process. Record details such as;

Feed type and amount given

Bowl or container used

Amount of water given

Whether the horse had eaten its food from the last meal

How much water the horse had consumed since you last filled the
water container

Any abnormalities such as diarrhoea (this could indicate the feed has
caused a stomach upset), if the horse has not eaten or if the horse has
eaten less then usual
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