Basic horse care - Horse feed and nutrition

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Horse care is always at the forefront of horse lovers' minds. It is true that you will get back from your horse what you put in so our equestrian experts have put together some useful advice for feeding your horse in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle for your horse and a healthy relationship between horse and owner.

Despite being one of the largest land animals in the UK, the horse has a fairly small stomach and it is not physically designed to cope with large feeds.

As horses in the wild would spend most of the day grazing in the fields, taking in small amounts of food at regular intervals in between exercise, it is important that horse lovers try to follow this natural feeding pattern as closely as possible.

How much should I feed my horse?

Calculating a suitable feed ration depends on the following factors:

The horse's size
The horse's age
The horse's breed
The nature of work the horse is doing

Below is an approximation of the total food requirement for your horse based solely on height. This is a very rough guide and it is important that you bear in mind the factors listed above when deciding how much horse feed is appropriate:

Horse's height Daily feed requirement

Under 12hh 14 - 16 lb (6.3 - 7.2 kg)

12 - 13hh 16 - 18 lb (7.2 - 8 kg)

13 - 14hh 20 - 22 lb (9 - 10 kg)

14 - 15hh 22 - 24 lb (10 - 11 kg)

15 - 16hh 24 - 26 lb (11 - 12 kg)

Over 16hh 26 - 28 lb (12 - 12.5 kg)

Horse feed tips

Obviously, each horse is different and it may take you some time to become accustomed to your horse's feeding habits. You may find it useful to observe the habits of horses of the same breed or a similar age and size at your riding stables. But, here are some general tips on horse feed and nutrition:

Make sure clean, fresh water is available at all times.
Feed your horse little and often.
Don't leave your horse without feed for longer than eight hours.
Feed a good balance of concentrates or compound feeds (oats, barley, maize, bran, linseed, sugar beet, molasses) and roughage (seed hay, meadow hay, haylage, chaff).
Never give more than 4 lb of concentrates in one feed but feed plenty of roughage to aid digestion.
Feed at approximately the same times each day.
Feed around two hours before exercising your horse to allow time for digestion.
Allow an hour for your horse to recover after work before feeding.
Introduce any changes to your horse's diet gradually over a period of a week.
Don't leave any feed that your horse fails to eat in the manger. This may be an indication that you are overfeeding or there is something wrong with the horse or the feed.
Add succulents such as apples and carrots, sliced lengthways to prevent choking, for a bit of variety or as encouragement if your horse is a shy feeder.

Horse riding apparel and equestrian products at Dogwood

As well as expert advice on horse care, Dogwood has a stunning collection of horse riding apparel including long leather riding boots from the master craftsmen at Brogini, extra comfort jodhpurs from Dublin and exceptional Charles Owen riding hats designed for safety and style.

We also offer beautiful premium leather saddles and horse tack from some of the finest international equestrian manufacturers including Bates, Crosby and Collegiate.

If shooting and field sports is your passion then our selection of wax jackets, Wellington boots and shooting accessories will satisfy your outdoor needs. We have a wide range of shooting and field sports goods and country clothing suitable for men, women and children.

If you require further details about any of the Dogwood collection please do not hesitate to call 0845 30 10 365.

For more horse care advice please see:

Caring for your horse saddle

Fine horse care products from Dogwood

Horse care and your horse's feet