Best Rules To Follow for Feeding Your Horses

Feeding your pets can range from difficulty based on the animal. For example, some are self-sufficient, and all you must do is throw a bowl out, while others are more demanding. Horses are in the latter category, but you can prevent any complications by following the best rules to follow for feeding your horses.

Don’t Change Things Too Fast

Changing a horse’s food and meal plan requires at least two weeks of planning. When switching feeds, start with a modest quantity of the new feed in place of the current option. Increase the amount of fresh feed progressively until it is the sole option available.

To control the amount of feed supplied, alter their food by raising or lowering their supply, leaving one or two days between increments. When bringing horses to pasture, keep grazing time to a maximum of two hours per day before increasing it. Changes that are too fast or abundant may end up affecting the horse’s behavior, making them challenging to handle.

Use Quality Forage

Using high-quality forage is a must for any horse’s diet. Sufficient forage nutrition is critical for optimal gut functionality. Each day, recreational horses can consume upwards to two percent of their body weight in food. When horses consume a high proportion of concentrate, they should receive at least one percent of their body weight of forage every day.

Generally, excellent hay has a refreshing green hue scent and is free of weeds and other waste. Pastures should be devoid of poisonous plants and trees and include nutritious forages.

Follow a Timely Diet With Smaller Portions

Providing smaller portions enables a horse to digest and absorb food more efficiently. For the average horse, anything approaching ten pounds of food needs to be divided into two meals. If a horse’s daily concentrate consumption reaches three-quarters of a percent of its body weight, you’re better off preparing two separate meals.

There’s no magical number of meals they need to eat a day, so you can use multiple short meals a day if that’s your prerogative. Consistent feedings over 12 hours optimize nutritional diet and reduce the chances of colic.

Rehydrate With Clean Water

Ideally, a horse drinks between 8 and 12 liters of water each day. Pure freshwater must be accessible at all times, primarily before and after eating. You should give water to horses soon after you finish riding, but make sure to regulate the quantity of water consumed until they cool down. 

Knowing the best rules to follow for feeding your horses keeps them healthy and happy. A well-fed horse is a well-adjusted one, so be thorough with the process, although it may take some time for you and the horse to adjust.