AS-429
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE PURDUE UNIVERSITY, WEST LAFAYETTE INDIANA 47907
Management ol Feeding Programs lor Horses
R. A. Battaglia, Horse Extension Specialist
All types of horses — whether for pleasure, work, sport or show — must be properly fed if they are to grow, reproduce, perform or simply look their best. "Proper feeding" means supplying the horse with the correct amounts of high quality feedstuffs to meet his daily need for energy, protein, vitamins, minerals and water.
This mimeo is intended to help you understand the basics of a good horse feeding program so that you will be able to decide which management regime will best suit your situation.
The following are a set of suggestions, guidelines and discussions to be used in establishing your feeding management program.
Water. Provide all the clean, fresh water that your horses will drink.
This is best done by having water available on a free-choice basis. Winter conditions create a problem in that water will freeze and be unavailable unless heated waterers or a tank heater is used. Under these conditions, supply water to the horse at least twice daily — better, three times daily. A horse will drink 12-15 gallons of water per day. Never allow water, free-choice, to any horse until he has been thoroughly cooled-out after exercise. A horse will consume approximately 8 oz. of water with each swallow.
Salt. Most horses have a need of 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of salt per day, under non-stressed conditions. Exercise and heavy sweating can increase this demand to 3 oz. The best management procedure for coping with this need is to mix salt into the grain mix at the 1 percent level and then also make it available on a free-choice basis. Both the mixed salt and the free-choice salt should be the granular form (table salt form) and should be the trace mineralized variety. Arrange a cover for or locate the free-choice feeder so that the salt does not become wet.
Minerals. The horse does require a large number of minerals for its wellbeing. Fortunately, the horseman needs only to concern himself with salt, iodine, calcium and phosphorus. The others will be supplied by any ration that adequately meets the animal’s energy and protein requirements. Salt and iodine, as well as insurance levels of the trace minerals, can all be supplied via the trace mineralized salt discussed above. Calcium to phosphorus ratio, not the absolute amounts, is the prime consideration for these two minerals. Practica y speaking, if the manager is feeding a corn-oats-soybean meal grain mix along with
animal sciences horses