Many horse owners notice changes in their horse’s energy, behaviour and temperament depending on what they are fed. Some horses may become more excitable, reactive or “fizzy” after certain feeds.
Understanding how horses digest different types of feed can help when creating a diet that provides steady energy without supplying more concentrated energy than the horse needs.
How Horses Digest Their Food
Horses are designed to spend much of their day grazing and processing forage.
After food is chewed and mixed with saliva, it passes through the stomach and into the small intestine, where sugars, starches, protein and other readily digestible nutrients are broken down and absorbed.
Fibre follows a different pathway. Much of it reaches the hindgut, including the caecum and large intestine, where microorganisms ferment the fibre and produce volatile fatty acids that the horse can use as an important source of energy.
This fermentation process allows horses to obtain considerable nutrition from forage.
Why Fibre Matters
A horse’s digestive system is designed around a forage-based diet. In natural conditions, horses spend many hours each day grazing and browsing, consuming relatively small amounts at frequent intervals.
For most domestic horses, good-quality forage should form the foundation of the diet.
Grass, hay, chaff and beet products can all provide useful sources of fibre. However, the nutritional value of grass and hay can vary considerably depending on the type of plant, maturity and growing conditions.
What About High-Energy Feeds?
Grains, molasses and other feeds containing higher levels of readily digestible carbohydrates provide a concentrated source of energy.
These feeds may have a place in the diet of horses with higher energy requirements, but they are not necessary for every horse.
Some horses appear to be more sensitive to concentrated feeds and may become more excitable, reactive or difficult to settle, while others tolerate them well.
If your horse needs additional energy, it is better to consider the whole diet and make changes according to their individual requirements rather than simply adding more concentrated feed.
Avoid Sudden Dietary Changes
The hindgut relies on a healthy balance of microorganisms to ferment fibre. Large or sudden changes in diet, particularly significant increases in starch and other rapidly digestible carbohydrates, can disrupt this balance.
For this reason, dietary changes should always be introduced gradually.
Every horse is different, so age, workload, body condition, forage quality and individual temperament should all be considered when planning a diet.
Creating a Calm, Balanced Diet
If your horse tends to become “hot” or excitable, take a look at the whole diet before simply reaching for a supplement.
A good starting point is to:
-
Make good-quality forage the foundation of the diet.
-
Avoid unnecessary amounts of grain, molasses and highly processed feeds.
-
Choose additional feeds according to the horse’s individual energy requirements.
-
Introduce all dietary changes gradually.
-
Ensure adequate vitamins and minerals are provided.
-
Consider the quality and maturity of the available pasture and hay.
-
Adjust feeding according to workload and body condition.
A horse doing light work may require a very different diet from one in regular competition or heavy work.
There Is No One “Cool Feed”
There is no single “cool feed” that suits every horse.
A diet that works beautifully for one horse may not be appropriate for another. Some horses simply need less concentrated energy than others.
For horses requiring a steady source of energy, a forage-based diet with appropriate nutritional support can be a good starting point. Where additional energy is needed, other feeds can be incorporated according to the horse’s individual requirements.
The aim is to provide sufficient energy and nutrition without feeding more concentrated energy than the horse needs.
Need Help With Your Horse’s Diet?
If you are unsure whether your horse’s current diet could be contributing to excess energy, changes in behaviour or difficulty maintaining condition, it can be helpful to look at the diet as a whole.
Our qualified animal naturopath can assess your horse’s individual diet, lifestyle and circumstances and help you consider suitable nutritional support.
Contact Greenpet for personalised nutritional advice for your horse.