If your horse has diet related issues, what you feed in the way of hard feed can either reduce the problem or add to it.
So, for the horse’s metabolism to ‘rest’ and ‘reset’ their self-regulating mechanisms, we keep hard feeds as simple and basic as possible.
Over the years we have realised that potassium, crude protein and soluble sugar content are the nutrients we need to be mindful of. When there is an excess presense they place undue and cumulative stress on the horse’s metabolism.
Green feed like lucerne/alfalfa, fresh herbs, willow or poplar leaves and other items such as molasses, protein feeds, kelp and other seaweed tend to add to the problems rather than help them.
Feeding hay
The bulk of the diet should be from low sugar meadow hay. Avoid lucerne, rye and clover which are not recommended for ‘grass affected’ horses.
Depending on your location and what grass hay is available look for Rhodes, Teff, Timothy, Orchard or Meadow hay that ideally hasn’t been fertilised and is low in sugars.
Coarse stemmed hay is less digestible than fine, soft hay. If feeding coarse hay, you will need to feed them more to absorb the same nutrient levels of a finer hay.
If you get your hay tested, ideally look for the following:
Hay analysis recommendations
- Protein 10 -12% (lucerne is usually around 20 -25%)
- Non-Structural Carbohydrates (NSC) ideally between 10-12% for EMS or sedentary horses or up to 15-18% for horses with moderate workloads.
How much protein does my horse need?
The diet should contain adequate levels of protein which can be obtained from hay, as long as the protein content of your hay is around 10%.
If you are feeding more protein than your horse requires, this can lead to digestive toxicity, and may trigger laminitis in horses that are insulin resistant (IR).
Very low protein levels, if less than 8% may exacerbate blood sugar conditions.
The importance of fibre
Fibre is very important and is essential for regulating blood sugar & insulin levels. Fibre is digested in the hindgut and produces over 75% of your horse’s energy. The best source of fibre is from safe grass hay which should form the bulk of their diet.
How much to feed
The amount of hard feed will vary greatly depending on the breed of horse, size and amount of exercise, so adjust accordingly to maintain ideal weight.
For overweight horses or ponies (‘good doers’), a very basic, small feed can be given just to add nutrients into.
When horses lose weight, they lose muscle and will need protein. Add ShipShape which contains a blend of amino acids rather than trying to bulk up their diet with excess fats and carbohydrates.
Hard feed options
Chaff – Oaten or Timothy: Best to avoid lucerne chaff for ‘grass affected’ horses. Oaten chaff should be limited for EMS prone horses.
Oats: Oats are best avoided for horses with insulin dysregulation – who are recovering from, or in danger of laminitis or EMS. For other horses, whole oats or oaten chaff are totally fine and you can add oats for energy if desired.
Barley: As above, but only feed crushed or boiled – not extruded because the word ‘extruded’ means ground and cooked which makes it very readily digestible. This translates to instant excess energy in horses who we are usually trying to calm down. Higher in phosphorus than calcium.
Linseed Meal or Ground Flaxseed: Ground flaxseed is the whole seeds ground and flaxseed meal is the pulp left over after the flax oil has been extracted. Either can be added for taste as most horses love it. Flaxseed should be ground or cooked prior to feeding.
Boiled linseed/Flaxseed: Great for fattening and coat bloom. Cook it in a slow cooker with barley – great winter feed!
Copra: Good to add to feed to hide the taste of minerals or for weight gain. Blends well with beet pulp to balance calcium/phosphorus ratio.
Unsweetened Beet Pulp (SpeediBeet): Beet pulp is the fibrous portion of the sugar beet below ground root which remains after it has been soaked in hot water to remove the sugar. It has a calorie yield similar to oats but because it is fermented like hay it does not produce a blood sugar spike like grains do. Combines well with copra, barley, oats or bran to balance calcium/phosphorus ratio. Rinse before soaking to reduce iron and sugar content further for EMS horses. Higher in calcium than phosphorus. 1 – 4 cups daily.
Wheatgerm: Good source of B vitamins and selenium and a good nutritional supplement when fed in small amounts. Feed 1 – 2 tablespoons daily for 500kg horse.
Rice Bran: Some horses do okay on rice bran, whereas some can’t tolerate it at all. A handful for taste is usually not a problem. Higher in phosphorus than calcium.
Wheat Bran: High in fibre and good source of minerals. Bran may be added to feed to increase palatability when fed in small amounts as a supplement rather than as a feed. Blends well with Beet pulp to balance calcium/phosphorus ratio. 1/2 to 1 cup daily for 500kg horse. Higher in phosphorus than calcium.
Pollard: This is a processed feed that is fattening, but we don’t recommend using it for health reasons.
Supreme MVA Horse Vitamins & Minerals should be added to feed daily as an overall nutritional formula.
Add extra calcium if feeding large amounts of above feeds with high phosphorus / calcium ratio. (If using XtraCal or SOS, these will cover this).
ShipShape can be added to help improve topline or for horses that struggle to keep weight on.
Omega oils
It is important to understand that the ratio of Omega 3’s to Omega 6’s in their diet is critical for your horse’s long-term health. There should always be more Omega 3’s because Omega 6’s are known to be inflammatory, whilst Omega 3’s are anti-inflammatory.
Omega oils need to be added to feed when horses are completely off the grass (for whatever reason) as hay has virtually no Omega 3 content.
ALL vegetable oils are higher in Omega 6’s than Omega 3’s – including rice bran oil, and need to be balanced with omega 3, especially if your horse is prone to any inflammatory conditions: Laminitis, Arthritis, Uveitis, Myositis (inflammation of the muscles – very common in Grass Affected horses), Dermatitis, Colitis (inflammation of the digestive tract) and more.
Commercial feeds often contain soybean or corn oils, which are very high in inflammatory omega 6s. Not all Omega 6 oils are ‘bad’, they are just as necessary as Omega 3’s, you just need to ensure the ratio between the two is correct.
Flaxseed/Linseed (Linseed & Flaxseed are the same) is one of the best sources of Omega 3’s.
Whole flax (linseed) can be ground using a coffee grinder or Nutri-bullet and added to feed as a good source of protein, fibre and Omega 3.
or Linseed meal comes in a ground form and contains residual amounts of the oil. “Linseed meal” is what is left after the oil has been extracted and is rich in fibre.
or Flaxseed oil may be used in moderate amounts if preferred.
Black Sunflower Seeds are a rich source of Omega 6, protein, magnesium and fats.
Because they are high in Omega 6 it is best to combine with Flaxseed to balance the omega 3 & 6 ratio.
Feeding fats or oils to horses has been controversial because horses don’t have a gall bladder, to produce bile to emulsify (break down) fats in the digestive tract. Instead, the horse’s liver takes over the role and produces plenty of bile when necessary to break down and metabolise fats as they pass through the small intestine. Personally, I prefer to feed whole foods rather than extracted oils wherever possible.
Energy-wise one cup of oil is the same as over a kilo of oats so don’t get too carried away unless your horse is doing at least moderate work most days.
What about fish oil?
Even though horses would never normally eat fish, fish oils, such as Cod Liver Oil for instance, is rich in what are known as long-chain, omega-3 fatty acids called EPA and DHA. These acids form beneficial hormones called eicosanoids that may reduce inflammation.
Many people feed fish oil to horses without problems, however fish oil does not contain the essential fatty acid Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA) which the horse cannot manufacture on his own and therefore needs to be supplied in the diet. ALA is found in Flaxseed and Chia Seeds.
Fatty acids in grass
The concentration of fatty acids in grass varies throughout the season, being higher in young grass than older, long grass.
When feeding more mature grass or hay we recommend you add EFA omega rich foods or oil to our horse’s daily feed to make up for this shortfall.
What do fatty acids do?
- Help with cellular development and the formation of healthy cell membranes.
- Assist in the development and function of the brain and nervous system.
- Help regulate proper thyroid and adrenal activity.
- Play a role in thinning the blood.
- Have anti-inflammatory qualities that can relieve symptoms of both arthritis and other autoimmune system diseases.
- Regulate blood pressure, immune response and liver function.
A diet low in Omega fatty acids can also result in skin problems, including eczema, dandruff, and poor hair-coat condition.
For more advice, complete our complimentary Horse Questionnaire.
