Guidance on feeding

The ILPH is often asked questions such as "How do I feed my horse or pony, and what feed should I provide?" Before answering these questions, let us consider why an animal requires food, how it feeds in its natural state, and what are the basic rules of feeding. All animals require food to maintain bodily condition, provide the raw materials for growth, repair damaged tissues and provide energy for work or exercise. In the natural state, the horse is a grazing animal, constantly eating throughout the day. It will eat for 18 out of the 24 hours. The natural feed is grass, the nutritional value and availability of which will vary throughout the year. This results in marked seasonal variation in the animal's bodily condition. In the case of the domesticated horse, in order to maintain good bodily condition it is necessary to provide supplementary feed, such as cereals, to compensate for this seasonal variation in availability and feed value of the grass.

Rules of Feeding

Feed little and often. This imitates the horse's natural way of feeding, and achieves satisfactory digestion by ensuring a constant passage of food through the digestive system.

Feed plenty of bulk and roughage. This ensures that the digestive system is always adequately filled, as would be the case in the wild.

Feed according to size of horse and workload. More work will require more energy, and therefore more feed. Too much or too little food will result in the animal being over or under weight. 4. Do not make sudden changes to the diet. Bacteria in the large intestine break down the feed, and they have to adapt to any changes in the diet. Sudden changes can cause some of the bacteria to die, produce poisons and cause metabolic disorders in the horse.

Keep to the same times of feeding each day. Horses are creatures of habit and thrive better on a regular routine.

Ensure that both feed and feeding utensils are clean. The horse is a fastidious feeder and is easily deterred from eating unpalatable feed.

Feed something succulent each day. This helps to maintain the horse's interest and adds to the moisture content of the feed.

Do not do fast work immediately after feeding. A full stomach will cause pressure on the lungs and affect the horse's breathing. Fast work results in redistribution of the blood in the body, resulting in impaired digestion.

Always provide a constant supply of fresh water. If this is not possible, ensure that the horse is watered before feeding so that undigested food is not wasted through the digestive system too rapidly.
Finally, you need to know what to feed in addition to grass or grass products such as hay.

In the past, considerable knowledge and skill were required to provide the horse with the necessary balanced diet by mixing the raw ingredients oneself. Today, this is made easy by the ready availability of balanced mixed feeds produced by the many reputable horse feed manufacturers. They provide a variety of feeds that are suitable for animals of varying ages and states of health as well as being balanced for the type of work or exercise being undertaken.

For advice on the most suitable feed for your particular horse or pony, you can either consult your own veterinary surgeon or one of the helplines provided by the feed manufacturers.