How to Avoid Common Horse Feeding Mistakes

There are many well meaning horse owners who have ill or unhappy horses because of simple and common mistakes made with their feed. It may seem like your horse can eat anything, but that isn't the case. Read on to learn how to avoid the most common feeding mistakes owners make.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Look at the hay, also called forage, that the horse is feeding on. It's a mistake to assume the forage has little nutritional value to horses; it is, in fact, a major source of their caloric intake. Make sure the forage is leafy and green and of good quality. The hay should smell fresh and sweet not sour or stale. Make sure it's got a very low weed content.
2. Review the amount of grain you're feeding the horse. The typical horse will require very little in the way of grain-subsidized feed unless the animal is spending an hour or more a day in training or riding. Feeding too much grain can lead to obesity and colic, a very painful and potentially deadly illness for horses.
3. Feed by weight rather than container. This will cut back on the common mistake of feeding too much grain or sweet feed. Horse pellets can vary in nutritional value as well as weight, so weigh the feed rather than scooping into a container.
4. Know your animal and feed the animal accordingly. Young horses feed needs are different from a brood mare. Inspect your feeding regime to make sure you're not making the mistake of feeding all the animals the same way.
5. Remember salt. All animals require salt added to their diets and horses are no exception. Not offering salt is a common but often deadly mistake.
6. Discuss your horse feed with your vet. The vet is your expert source of information and can help you avoid or correct common feed mistakes, which will save you money in feed as well as vet bills.