Methods of Feed
All horse owners are tasked with the difficult decision to choose which feed method works
for both them and their horse. There are many different feeds to consider that can
determine a horse’s health during specific seasons, factoring in a horse’s current health
and exercise routine is mandatory for finding the right feed and schedule for the horse.
Some different types of feed include:
● Hay Pellets
● Grain Pellets
● Alfalfa (mix)
● Pasture Grazing
Different factors play into how much a horse should eat and what type of food they eat. These factors are: how intensely the horse is exercised, if they are pregnant or nursing, overweight or underweight, and the weather in the region they are living in. The number one consideration when finding the right food for a horse is the concern for protein.
While humans often stock up on protein without any worry of bad things coming from it, horses do not have that same luxury. Protein can be deadly to horses if it is given at the wrong time of year or to a horse that has a lack of exercise routines. Protein, as found in alfalfa, can cause a horse to colic, which can turn deadly in the blink of an eye.
It can be tedious to find a good feed for horses, depending on their specific needs. However, it is important to mention that the horses’ needs will hange many times throughout their life and throughout even the four seasons of an area. Some horses that would benefit from a high protein diet are:
● Horses in cold environments
● Horses with intense exercise schedules
If you are worried about the balance between proteins while searching for the perfect feed for your horse, it is best to contact a professional in your rea to see what they would recommend, given the factors of weather and feed availability in the area. Alfalfa, as mentioned before, has a high oncentration of protein, which is why it is almost always mixed with a different type of hay as well. This mix makes it more safe for the horses to have without the risk of colic and with the benefit of the protein to keep them warm through the winter.
Grain pellets are another great option for a protein, usually only given in cold winter or as supplement protein to hard working horses. Horse pellets are good options for senior horses who can’t chew the same as other horses. Senior horses can eat the hay pellets that have been soaked, to prevent ver chewing or dust inhalation. These soaked pellets also add an easy access method to put supplements in the horses feed such as oils or vitamins.
What is a Natural Diet for a Horse?
A natural diet for horses is simple grazing and tender plants, also known as forage. Grazing for a horse is the most natural method of feeding, due to the nutritions offered in the grass as well as the primitive nature of the horse to feed on it. Pasture grass contains all the nutrients a horse needs in order to stay fit and healthy throughout their lifetime. Pasture grass also contains what is called silica, which is very important to maintaining dental
health in the horse.
Pasture grazing can look different for horses depending on what region they are in. Whatgrasses are grown largely depend on the weather of the area and the cost/affordability of the grass in that region. Grasses used for pasture grazing are the same grasses that are harvested and mixed with alfalfa to add extra amounts of protein, so it is important to consider their nutritional facts before mixing them with anything or feeding them to your horse.
In the colder region, the North region of the United States, perennial ryegrass is a commonly grown grass for pasture grazing horses because of its affordability and ability to be mixed with alfalfa. Ryegrass is high in water-soluble carbohydrates, which can be beneficial for horses struggling to hold weight on them, but it can be dangerous for horses prone to being overweight.
In the warmer regions of the United States, the bermuda grass is common for pasture growing. It is a grass that is high in fiber as well as all the essential vitamins that are necessary for a horse’s diet. This grass can be used as an everyday feed for horses, however it does lack the necessary proteins for high energy output horses. Easy keeper horses do well on this feed as they do not need the supplemental protein, others that may
be in a medium climate or do a decent amount of energy output through the day may require supplemental grain pellets in order to keep protein in their system.
How Natural Diets Benefit Horses
Horses are triumphant beasts that have scoured the North American lands for 55 million years. Their diets have evolved with them in order to sustain a healthy living through the millions of years of plant and horse evolutions. While their natural diets are extremely simple, consistent with wild horses and their needs, the continuous breeding and domestication of horses has created more complicated feed routines that can be linked to severe cases of laminitis and obesity.
Natural diets for horses takes them back to their wild horse roots and lets their bodily functions return to how they originally function through the input of the natural feed. A horse’s diet is naturally high in fiber, and low in energy grass (protein rich grass), leaving little room for any need for additional supplements in their diets. In colder regions, natural forage contains more energy producing nutrients, such as the previously mentioned
water-soluble carbohydrates. These carbs are quickly turned to glucose and used as an instant source of energy for the horse’s system. These energy forages are necessary for cold region horses because it keeps their body temperatures high during the colder season, by keeping their metabolism high.
There are many different types of feed to consider for a horse; all dependent on the horse’s needs and climate where the horse is at. Some may require additional vitamins or supplements concerning their personal lack of certain items in their diet, and others may suffice with simple pasture grazing. While pasture grazing is recommended by most equestrians, as it is the best way to ensure the horse has all the required nutrients they need, some horses are in need of that extra support offered by vitamins and supplements.
