Q: What are the best feeding practices to ensure a smooth weaning transition for the foal?

A: Suckling foals grow rapidly, with most reaching 30-40% of their mature weight by weaning. Development at this rate requires a steady supply of good nutrition. Mare’s milk primarily supplies a foal’s nutrition until weaning, after which the diet transitions to some combination of feed, supplements, and hay or pasture. You can make this transition easier by introducing appropriate feeding practices prior to weaning. What and how you feed the suckling foal will impact not only his overall growth and well-being but also how well he handles weaning.

Feeding Suckling Foals

Suckling foals show interest in eating within the first weeks of life. A foal feed should be formulated with high-quality protein to supply essential amino acids and be adequately fortified with the proper balance of vitamins and minerals. The goal of supplemental feeding for suckling foals is to bridge the gap between what the mare’s milk provides and what the foal needs to grow and develop to his full genetic potential. Feeding 1 pound of a well-formulated foal feed per month of age daily will help accomplish this. For example, a 2-month-old foal should eat 2 pounds of feed per day, or roughly 1 pound of feed per 100 pounds of body weight.

Feeding mares and foals individually—not in a group—offers the most precise method to feed the foal. However, many farms don’t have the staff or the facilities to do this. Creep feeders are an option but must be monitored to make sure mares cannot get the feed and to prevent injuries around the equipment. Creep-fed foals should be grouped and fed amounts appropriate for their age. If allowed free-choice feed, foals often overeat and gain weight too fast, putting undue stress on immature bones and joints.

Mares and foals are often fed together, which can work well. As the foal gets older and needs more supplemental feed, the mare’s nutritional demands for lactation begin to decline. When feeding mares and foals together, place feeders at a height the foal can comfortably access and be sure to allow plenty of space.

Feeding Foals After Weaning

Following weaning, feed foals the same concentrate they were eating prior to weaning, but increase the feeding rate to 1.25–1.75 pounds per 100 pounds of body weight to replace the mare’s milk. If possible, divide the daily ration into smaller, more frequent meals to help with the transition from having free-choice access to the mare’s milk and nursing over 70 times a day. Weanlings have small digestive tract capacity and benefit from smaller meals.

Forage quality is also important for weanlings because they have less capacity and ability to digest hay and pasture than an adult horse. If weanlings have free-choice access to excellent pasture or hay and would become overweight eating the recommended amount of the foal feed, you might need to transition them to a ration balancer.

A ration balancer is designed to be fed to foals as well as adult horses and will provide appropriate nutrition to support lean tissue development without unnecessary calories. Routinely assess your weanling’s body condition and adjust the amount of feed offered or transition to a ration balancer if needed to support moderate body condition. This will help ensure the nutritional requirements for growth and development are met without the youngster becoming overly fat.

Take-Home Message

Suckling foals grow rapidly and need a carefully managed feed program to support healthy development and ease the transition to weaning. While the mare’s milk is the primary nutrient source early in life, introducing high-quality foal feed helps fill nutritional gaps and prepares foals for weaning. After weaning, increase feed amounts as appropriate and offer frequent meals to ease the transition from nursing, support continued growth, and improve digestive health. Monitor your weanling’s body condition and adjust his diet as needed to help him grow correctly without becoming overweight.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: I have a 20-year-old Arabian/Paint gelding that I’ve had since he was 3 months old. He was always an easy keeper and I realized when he was around age 4 or 5 that he had equine metabolic syndrome (EMS).

From that day on, he’s consumed low-nonstructural-carbohydrate (NSC) hay and grain. Because he is an air fern, I’m always careful about what he eats and severely limit his grazing time; I keep him on a dry lot most of the time. At age 14 he developed pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, formerly called equine Cushing’s disease). My veterinarian put him on 1.5 Prascend (pergolide) pills per day, which I administer in addition to Thyro-L (levothyroxine sodium).

Somewhere during all of this, my gelding started losing weight. He had a mild gastric ulcer attack a few years ago, so my veterinarian prescribed ranitidine, which she later replaced with cimetidine. Recently, he had another ulcer attack and currently has omeprazole added to his diet. My question is, how do you feed PPID, EMS, and ulcer-prone horses that need to gain weight? I already feed every four to five hours. Consuming oils never helped him, but soaked beet pulp has helped some.

A: Hello, I am sorry you’re having to handle these difficult issues. The first thing I recommend is having a good discussion with your veterinarian about your horse’s conditions to determine whether the current medications should stay the same or be adjusted. Veterinarians often prescribe Thyro-L to help horses regulate glucose and insulin and treat EMS. They also commonly prescribe Prascend, which you also mentioned, for horses with PPID. Both medications can cause weight loss—a side effect that usually benefits horses with EMS and PPID. However, your veterinarian might want to monitor the dosage and make adjustments if needed.

I am glad to hear your horse receives omeprazole for his ulcers. Currently it is the only FDA-approved medication for treatment and prevention of gastric ulcers in horses. I recommend talking with your veterinarian about whether you can discontinue this medication or reduce the dosage once management strategies help get the condition under control.

I would like to address feeding management of the three distinct disorders you mention—EMS, PPID, and gastric ulcers. Fortunately, some of the recommendations for managing these conditions overlap, which can make caring for your horse easier.

EMS

Horses with EMS tend to be easy keepers and carry extra weight, but you need to make sure you aren’t “starving” them to get them to an ideal weight. Forages low in NSCs should be the base of their diet. Typically, they should have only hay with little to no access to pasture, especially in fall and spring when pasture NSC levels tend to be higher. On a per-pound basis you’ll want to avoid feeding less than 1.5% of a horse’s body weight in hay. A low-calorie/low-sugar ration balancer can help you make sure you meet all his nutritional requirements. To help keep glucose and insulin levels steady, provide small, frequent meals and/or use a grazing muzzle to slow down feed intake.

PPID

Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction cannot be managed with diet alone (hence, giving pergolide), but it can help. Overweight horses should receive a lower-calorie diet to promote weight loss, and horses with insulin resistance or insulin dysregulation (often referred to together as EMS), need a diet low in NSCs. If a horse with PPID has not been diagnosed with EMS, you can generally feed a balanced diet of forage and concentrates or a ration balancer, while monitoring weight to prevent excessive gain.

Gastric Ulcers

For horses prone to gastric ulcers, feeding recommendations try to decrease acidity (low pH) in the stomach. Horses are designed to be continuous feeders; some type of feed is in the stomach almost constantly. We can mimic this by providing horses with multiple small meals throughout the day and allowing free-choice access to forages. Nutritionists also recommend reducing the amount of concentrate a horse receives to address gastric pH. Higher-fat feeds tend to slow gastric emptying rate and are not as acidic as more traditional concentrates. Experts also suggest offering some feeds on the market that contain more complex carbohydrates. Adding a forage higher in calcium might also be beneficial, because it works as a natural antacid.

With both PPID and EMS the goal is to keep insulin levels regulated and maintain a horse’s body weight at a level that won’t predispose him to bouts of laminitis. I recommend you feed a good-quality mostly grass hay with an NSC level of less than 10%. If you can’t find hay with NSC levels below 10%, soak the lowest-NSC hay you can find for about 30 minutes prior to feeding to help reduce the sugar and starch content. Remember that you should not give your horses access to the soaking water because it will have all those undesirable carbohydrates in it. You should feed your horse about 2% of his body weight in forage daily—so about 20 pounds of hay for the average 1,000-pound horse.

I would also recommend a ration balancer if your horse maintains his weight on forage alone. Essentially, manufacturers design balancers to work as a vitamin and mineral supplement to ensure your horse gets the correct levels he needs. Make sure it is low in soluble carbohydrates. If he cannot maintain his weight on forage alone, then I recommend one of the higher-fiber feeds available. You mentioned your horse has consumed beet pulp, and it helped, whereas fats did not. Fortunately, many of these feeds have a beet-pulp base. These recommendations also work for the ulcer-prone horse, so they might help there as well.

It sounds like you are already taking many of the right steps for managing a horse with these three issues. Keep feeding meals more frequently and make sure you’re using low-NSC forages and feeds to maintain an appropriate body weight for your horse. I would be interested to hear what your veterinarian recommends related to the medications, and I wish you the best of luck.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: How can I prevent nutritional deficiencies without causing developmental issues in a growing foal?

A: Developmental orthopedic disease (DOD) is a common concern in young horses, referring to a group of conditions where skeletal growth occurs abnormally. While nutritional mismanagement can be a factor, proper nutrition can help manage the risk of developmental issues.

Feeding young horses requires careful planning, starting before birth. Ensuring the mare’s optimal nutrition during pregnancy and lactation is essential for fetal development and milk quality. Once born, foals should begin consuming concentrates at around 28 days old; a good rule of thumb is 1 pound of feed per month of age per day. Feeding with progressive and consistent increases will encourage steady growth curves associated with optimal skeletal development. Erratic changes, feeding an improper concentrate, offering it free-choice, or making sudden changes to the amount of concentrate, can result in the unpredictable growth curves that are the hallmarks of DOD development. You can design your feeding program to support rapid versus moderate versus slow growth rates depending on the goals for that foal, but make these decisions with few changes occurring during the early growth period.

It’s a misconception that excess calories or protein alone causes DOD. Instead, imbalances in these and other nutrients have been linked to abnormal growth. Think of calories as the fuel for growth and nutrients (amino acids, vitamins, and minerals) as the structural building blocks. Too much fuel and too few building blocks will create rapid, incorrect growth. Too little fuel and you will be missing out on some genetic potential for growth, which could hinder muscle development. In addition to energy and protein, other nutrients need to be maintained in certain ratios to ensure optimal utilization. Calcium and phosphorus are classic examples of nutrients that should remain balanced to a ratio of no less than 1:1 (2:1 being optimal). Similarly, zinc and copper must be balanced in a ratio of around 4:1 in a complete diet. 

A simple way to stay on track is to:

1. Feed to suitable body condition, which is when ribs are not or just barely seen and easily felt, and
2. Use only feeds appropriate for growth. Look for items designated for mare and foal, growth, or all life stages. This means the nutrients are balanced for young horses, and the balance between calories and nutrients is appropriate. 

The key difference between growth and performance feed is that a performance feed for an adult horse has a higher ratio of calories to nutrients, meant to support working horses but not adding structural growth. Growth feeds are available at all calorie levels, so the exact choice of concentrate will be dictated by the individual’s metabolism and forage intake and quality. Ration-balancing feeds are a good option to provide nutrients if your horse receives sufficient calories from forage alone. A young horse should generally stay on a growth-appropriate program until 2 years old, sometimes longer for particularly late-maturing breeds such as some warmblood or draft breeds.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: My horse has recently been diagnosed with EOTRH and needs some teeth removed. What can I do to support him nutritionally through this process?

A: Dental health problems in horses can be stressful to manage, but working closely with your veterinarian for medical care and considering how to support your horse nutritionally is a great start. Equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH) is a progressive and painful dental condition that primarily affects the tooth roots and surrounding gingiva (gums) in older horses. While the exact cause of this condition remains unknown, multiple factors likely contribute to its development.  

The treatment for EOTRH depends on the stage of disease. For mild cases your veterinarian might recommend more frequent dental examinations, pain management medications, or dietary modifications. As the disease progresses, surgical removal of teeth (typically incisors) and affected tissues might be necessary.  

When a horse has dental issues, evaluate his diet to ensure he can comfortably consume his feed and water. Make sure his roughage requirements are met and that he doesn’t have extended fasting periods.  

Adequate Roughage Intake for EOTRH Horses 

Horses have evolved to consume a fibrous diet with small frequent meals throughout the day. The severity of EOTRH and the number of teeth removed will determine what the horse can comfortably consume.  

A horse’s diet should contain a minimum of 1.5% of his body weight in forage daily. Whenever possible keep a portion of the horse’s diet as long-stem fiber to promote gastrointestinal health.  

Even after the removal of some teeth, horses often return to eating hay. Most can use their lips to eat grass and can grind forages with the molars. When they horse is not able to comfortably consume and chew the long-stem fiber, you need to introduce processed fiber sources . This could be chopped hay, hay cubes, beet pulp, or a complete feed. 

Nutritional Management Before and After Equine Dental Surgery  

When you schedule your horse’s dental surgery, it can be beneficial to add a fiber source that will be easy for your horse to chew. Make feed changes slowly. If your horse currently consumes hay but will be on mashes during his surgical recovery period, add some of those mashes into his program before surgery. This ensures the mash choice is palatable for your horse and his gastrointestinal tract has time to adapt to the changes.  

For example, if a 500 kilogram (1,100 pound) horse consumes 2% of his body weight in hay daily (10 kg or 22 lb), gradually introducing 1-2 kg (2-4 lb) of soaked hay cube mashes before dental surgery can help him adjust. Your dental surgeon can provide more detailed recovery instructions.  

Managing Severe Cases of EOTRH 

In severe cases where the horse can no longer consume hay and pasture is unavailable, designing a safe nutrition program can be challenging. In these cases use a combination of chopped fiber sources and complete feeds, which should be soaked and fed at a rate of 1.5-2% of the horse’s body weight per day (e.g., 16-22 lb for a 1,100 lb horse). 

To maintain digestive health and prevent long fasting periods, divide the daily feed amount into four to six small meals spaced no more than four to five hours apart. Soaking the feed reduces the risk of choke and encourages water intake. Prepare soaked feeds just before feeding to prevent them sitting for long periods of time and potentially going bad or becoming less palatable.  

Other Key Considerations for Horses With EOTRH 

Beyond feed amount and frequency, consider water temperature for soaked feeds and your horse’s feed preferences. Very cold water can cause discomfort to animals with dental issues and, because most of these horses are seniors, keep in mind their nutritional needs and feed preferences could change as they age.   

Outside of nutritional management, know your horse’s normal body condition score and recheck it to make sure he isn’t losing condition. Recognize when something is wrong so you can promptly contact your veterinarian. 

Long-term management decisions for horses that have had EOTRH will depend on whether the horse can go back to eating long-stem fiber. When the disease progresses to a point in which the horse can’t consume hay or even chew chopped forages, you might need to switch him to a complete feed that can be fed in many small meals daily. Consult a qualified equine nutritionist if you have questions about optimizing your horse’s nutritional management through dental health challenges.  

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: My mare is due in April. Right now my veterinarian says she’s at a healthy weight, but I’m worried she might lose weight as she gets closer to foaling and once she starts nursing. How will her nutritional needs change immediately before and after she has her foal, and how can I be sure her diet meets her energy needs?

A: Great question, and you’re right to wonder about the nutritional needs of your broodmare because they change as she progresses in her pregnancy and through lactation.

While your vet indicated your mare is currently at a good weight, it is also important to know your mare’s body condition score (BCS). Ideally during late gestation, you want her to have a BCS between 5 and 6 using the Henneke body condition scale of 1-9 (with 1 being extremely thin and 9 being extremely fat). It can be beneficial for a broodmare to carry a little extra body condition during this time, so she has a buffer of body fat stores during the high energy demands of lactation. Being able to recognize and assess your mare’s BCS will help you ensure her diet is adequate in calories. However, just because a mare is in good body condition does not guarantee proper fetal development. Other nutrients such as protein, minerals, and vitamins are also needed to ensure a healthy future for your foal.

Mare Nutrient Requirements in the Second and Third Trimester

Some of your mare’s nutrient requirements begin to slightly increase during her second trimester, beginning around the fifth month of pregnancy. But it’s really in her last trimester, starting around month 8, that her unborn foal begins to develop more rapidly, gaining both weight and body size. In fact, the fetus will gain approximately 1 pound per day in the last three months of gestation and will be approximately 60% of its mature height at birth.

Your mare’s diet should meet her daily nutritional needs because if it does not, her body will deplete itself to meet the demands of the growing fetus. Her increased requirements for energy, protein, and trace minerals—most notably calcium, phosphorous, and copper—are vital for proper fetal development and ensure adequate milk production after the foal is born. Additionally, late gestation mares do not increase voluntary intake to match their higher nutrient demands, so simply feeding more is not necessarily a viable option to give her additional nutrition.

Feeding the Late Gestation Broodmare

Forage should always be the main component of the diet, but even high-quality forages lack the protein, vitamin, and mineral fortification the mare needs during late gestation. For example, high-protein forages such as alfalfa are not well digested in the small intestine and could result in inadequate intake of amino acids. Supplementing with a high-quality concentrate feed designed with broodmares in mind and fed at the appropriate amount will ensure you are meeting her nutrient needs. If your mare is an easy keeper, a ration balancer would be appropriate if she is getting enough calories from her forage to maintain body condition.

Feeding Lactating Mares

Once your mare begins lactating, her nutritional needs for energy, protein, minerals, and some vitamins will increase significantly. For example, her energy needs are double that of her maintenance requirements.

While mares in late gestation might not increase their feed intake, lactating mares tend to have much greater appetites and your feeding program should reflect this. Lactating mares can consume up to 3% of their body weight in dry matter intake and at least half of this should be in forage. Once again, good-quality hay or pasture is recommended due to high nutrient demands. Feeding rates will vary depending on the quality of your hay or pasture and whether your mare is a heavy milker or a hard- or easy keeper.

Most lactating mares cannot meet their high energy and nutrient demands consuming forage only. I recommend feeding a concentrate designed for broodmares to support milk production, provide essential nutrients for the foal, and help maintain your mare’s body condition. Feed according to manufacturer’s instructions for her weight and stage of lactation. Always increase feed gradually to the full feeding amount over a seven-to-10-day period to prevent digestive disturbance.

Take-Home Message

The best start for a foal begins with proper nutritional management of the mare. Broodmare owners benefit from learning body condition scoring and recognizing their mares’ specific nutritional needs before and after foaling.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: I’ve always heard horses are more prone to impaction colic during winter, especially if they don’t drink enough water. Is this true? If so, what can I do to reduce my horse’s risk of impaction colic this winter?

A: At its most basic, colic is a term covering a wide variety of abdominal pain and can occur throughout the year. Impaction colic describes an incidence of colic related to a large bolus of feedstuffs or waste being caught (impacted) within the intestines. Impaction colic during the colder months is commonly associated with two dietary changes: an increase in the amount of dry feed consumed (especially hay) and a decrease in water intake.

A quick way to determine if your horse is consuming enough water is to routinely monitor his feces. If you notice dry, hard, and crumbly fecal balls, he is not drinking enough.

What Horses Are Prone to Impaction Colic During Winter?

Not all horses develop impaction colic during winter. Owners and managers can decrease their horses’ potential for the condition by monitoring diets, especially forage quality, water intake, and making sure fresh water is always available.

Horses evolved as animals that spend a significant amount of their time walking around and consuming forage. This almost constant movement helps keep the digestive tract moving feedstuffs and waste through, so we should make sure our horses get exercise. When storms or weather extremes arrive, we often believe putting our horses in stalls is in their best interest. However, researchers have shown equine gut motility significantly decreases the first few days after a horse moves inside for stall confinement, which can lead to an increase in impaction colic risk.

Improving Water Intake to Reduced Risk of Impaction Colic

The average adult horse consumes approximately 1 gallon of water per 100 pounds of body weight, or approximately 10 gallons if he’s a 1,000-pound horse. Horses need water for proper digestion and movement of feedstuffs through the digestive tract; the drier the feed provided, the more water the horse needs for the digestive tract to function properly.

In colder months, be certain your horse has water available that is not frozen. Some horses are willing to break a layer of ice if it forms on top of the water source, while others are more reluctant. Check your horse’s water sources several times each day to ensure they have not frozen. If your horse doesn’t want to drink very cold water, consider adding warm water (even from a thermos if you don’t have hot water in your barn) to bring up the water temperature in his buckets. You can also find ways to insulate buckets to help keep water from freezing if you cannot use heated buckets or trough heaters.

Top dressing either concentrate or flakes of hay with some loose table salt or other electrolytes can encourage a horse to drink. Soaking his feed and making a mash or slurry also incorporates more water into his diet. Although horse owners have historically used bran mashes, suddenly providing a feed like this can cause digestive upset or unbalance the diet. Now researchers discourage owners from feeding a true bran mash.

Take-Home Message

Keeping your horse hydrated is a key step to limiting his risk of impaction colic. Make sure the water you provide him is palatable and not frozen and be sure he has exercise opportunities to improve gut motility. Finally, check his hydration status daily to ensure he consumes enough water.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: This summer I showed my horse in the jumpers, and he was working six days a week. However, this winter, he will have a few months of little to no work. Should I make changes to his diet to support this transition and ensure he maintains a healthy weight?

A: I’m glad your horse is getting some well-earned time off. It is beneficial both mentally and physically for them to get some break in intensity of work, even with today’s year-round opportunities to compete. To answer your question, yes (probably).

Consider the Data When Making Horse Diet Changes

A 500 kilogram horse in heavy work needs to consume 26,600 kilocalories per day. This drops to only 16,700 kilocalories per day when at maintenance (not in work). That is a large decrease and could account for his entire daily grain intake, or more. (For example, the difference here would be equivalent to about 6.5 pounds of an average-calorie performance feed). However, unless you have consulted the NRC’s 2007 Nutrient Requirements of Horses, you will have to make some judgments based on what you know about his typical metabolism and history of weight (and possibly behavior) fluctuations during past workload lulls.

Is he a hard keeper that you had to fight to put precious weight on, or is he an easy keeper that will quickly pack on the vacation pounds? A simple approach to start might be to simply cut the number of calories coming from feed (concentrate) in half while keeping forage calories consistent and observing his body condition over time. You can accomplish this by reducing the feed quantity, switching to a feed with a lower calorie density, or even moving to a ration balancer. A ration balancer will help ensure your horse receives the right balance of nutrients while decreasing calories. In the case of the very easy keeper, you might need to evaluate forage calories as well and consider carefully decreasing the amount or richness of forage you pair with the ration balancer.

Diet Changes for Hard-Keeping Horses

Possible exceptions to all of this would be in the case of a known hard-keeper, one that is going to live outside in a harsh climate for the winter, or a horse that is getting older and showing signs that his ability to extract calories from forage is declining and he needs more special attention. These horses may need to maintain relatively similar calorie intake but there could be an opportunity to shift some of those calories to maximize highly digestible fiber intake.

Consider Supplement Changes

If you have a significant supplement program, now is a good time to reevaluate. Think about what has really made a difference and what you might not need all year. Some items such as calming/focus aids, specific amino acid or muscle builders, or high doses of electrolytes might not be necessary during times of less intense exercise.

Take-Home Message

All horses are unique, and it is perfectly appropriate for them to have different feeding programs throughout the year. This is why it is so important to routinely evaluate your horse’s body condition score and weight. When in doubt, consult an equine nutritionist or veterinarian to develop a plan for your horse’s needs.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: My 30-year-old mare went off her feed for several days and would only nibble on her free-choice hay and grass when out in the pasture. She just had her teeth floated recently and shows no signs of illness. I’m worried if she does not start eating her senior feed she will start to lose weight. What can I do to encourage her to start eating her grain again?

A: Whenever a horse won’t eat, especially if it is a change from her normal behavior, always ask why. In many cases inappetence is a symptom of an underlying medical condition. The first step should always be to consult your veterinarian, especially if your horse normally has a great appetite. Medical causes of inappetence include pain, viral illness, stress, gastric ulcers, etc. Rule these conditions out as a key first step. In your mare’s case, you mention she recently had her teeth floated. Your vet can help identify if she has any new discomfort related to the recent changes in her dentition.

Reasons a Horse Stops Eating Grain

Medical causes aside, another common reason for a horse to temporarily go off feed happens when something causes the feed to be unpalatable. Moldy or rancid feed and contaminated or dirty feeders and bins certainly cause feed to be unpalatable. Make sure all bins and feeders are clean and free of leftover feed that has gone rancid. Always check for animal droppings, dead animals, or other contaminants when dumping feed into bins or feed pans. If multiple horses in the barn refuse to eat their meals at the same time, likely something is off with their feed. Remove, inspect, and discard the feed in question. If you’re concerned about moldy or rancid commercial feed, make sure to document the manufacturer’s date code (usually printed on the tape at the seam), collect a sample of the feed, and contact the manufacturer to report it. A reputable manufacturer should replace the product for you and investigate the issue further if needed. Hay can also be contaminated or moldy, so pay attention to your forages as well.

Feeding unnecessary supplements might also result in horses refusing to eat their meals. Many horses can be picky about them, so remove all supplements from the diet (if you feed them) to see if that results in better intake. From a behavioral standpoint, some horses stop eating if there has been a recent management change (moved paddocks, lost a friend, etc.). Finding anything that can make them more comfortable during mealtime could help. Some horses eat better when they can see other horses, while others want to be alone. There are those that eat more readily in a stall and those that prefer to be outdoors. You might need to experiment to find your horse’s preference.

Getting a Horse to Start Eating Again

If you’ve addressed the underlying cause of inappetence, getting her back on feed is important to not only prevent weight loss but also maintain proper gut health. Feeds readily accepted by most horses include fresh green grass, grain-based feed (sweet feed), oats, leafy alfalfa hay, bran mashes, beet-pulp-based feeds, and senior complete feeds. If a horse has grown picky about her usual feed, top-dressing with something a little more tasty (like sweet feed, oats, or even a few treats), switching brands to a feed formulated with palatability in mind or switching to a different feed form (such as from pelleted to textured) might help keep her eating.

Take-Home Message

Feeding calorie-dense feeds and forages also helps make sure every bite counts for horses that have grown to be pickier as they age. Other tactics such as adding molasses, applesauce, chopped carrots and apples (small pieces to reduce choke risk), bananas, or even carrot-flavored baby food on top of the ration can also tempt them to take a bite. Consider these as temporary fixes rather than a long-term solution. Always “listen” to horses that stop eating because they are likely trying to tell you something.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: My pregnant mare tends to be a bit of an “air fern.” We’ve done a good job keeping her at a reasonable weight for most of her pregnancy, but I know her nutritional needs will increase in her final months of gestation. I’m not sure how to strike that balance between getting her the nutrients she needs while not letting her get too heavy. I worry about how her weight might impact the foaling process, not to mention obesity putting her at greater risk of laminitis. Do you have any tips to help?

A: What a great question, and I’m sure you’re not the only one trying to balance healthy body condition with adequate nutrition for a late gestation mare. Providing appropriate nutrition to pregnant mares is critical to the proper development of the foals they’re carrying, but that can be challenging when a mare is an easy keeper tending toward obesity. 

First, work with your veterinarian to ensure the overall health of your pregnant mare. Second, use the Henneke body condition scoring system to evaluate her body condition score (BCS). Pregnant mares should maintain a body condition score of 5.5-6.5 on the Henneke scale. This range ensures your mare has a little extra condition to support her through foaling and early lactation without approaching obesity and increasing the risk of metabolic issues. 

Nutritional Guidelines for Pregnant Mares

During the first seven or eight months of gestation, the fetus grows very slowly (approximately 0.2 pounds per day), so early pregnancy does not present a significant nutritional challenge to the mare. You can feed dry mares (mares without foals at their sides) in early gestation like any mature horse at maintenance. Good-quality pasture or hay, along with free-choice salt and a daily ration balancer, might be all that is necessary to meet the nutritional requirements of mares in early gestation. During the last three or four months of pregnancy the unborn foal begins to grow and develop more rapidly. The fetus gains approximately 1 lb per day over the last 90 days of gestation. This has an impact on the mare’s nutritional requirements for protein, vitamins, and minerals. The increased size of the fetus also takes up more room in the mare’s body, which could cause the mare to eat less hay or forage. To ensure your late-gestation mare receives proper nutrition and additional calories, offer her a well-balanced mare and foal feed.  

Protein, Minerals, and Body Condition Management

In some cases, when gestating mares consume plenty of high-quality forage, owners might reduce or eliminate supplemental feed to restrict calorie intake. This practice often results in an overweight mare and a growing foal missing out on important nutrition. Researchers have shown that foal birth weight can be lower than normal when mares do not receive adequate protein during late gestation, even when they maintain a fleshy condition. Mares fed high-protein forage, such as alfalfa, can still have a diet deficient in important amino acids. 

In addition, significant mineral retention occurs in the unborn foal during the 10^th month of gestation. A mare’s milk is practically devoid of trace minerals essential for proper bone development. In the first weeks of life, foals will not eat enough fortified feed and might not adequately absorb dietary trace mineral sources at this early stage of development. Pastures and hays are usually quite deficient in trace minerals, so your mare will need additional mineral supplementation in late-gestation for normal fetal development and for the developing foal to store in his body and draw from after being born. 

Researchers have indicated that overweight mares don’t have a higher incidence of foaling difficulties, but obese mares do have lower milk production, which will negatively affect early growth of their foals. Late-gestation mares with a body condition score of 7 or greater must consume adequate protein, vitamins and minerals to support optimal fetal development. A ration balancer provides concentrated nutrition in a 1–2 lb feeding rate that will meet the nutrient needs of the unboarn foal without adding unnecessary calories to cause weight gain in the mare. You might need to restrict hay consumption to 1.5% of the mare’s body weight to further control calorie intake if the pregnant mare maintains a higher BCS.

Take-Home Message

Proper nutritional management of the broodmare during late gestation will give her foal the best start in life. With everything it takes to get a healthy foal on the ground, you want to make sure they’re both well supported through this critical time.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: I recently weaned a group of my foals, and they will be turned out all winter. How can I make sure they are maintaining a healthy weight during this important growth period?

A: You’re correct in knowing that is an important growth period for your weanlings and that proper nutrition and management are important to give them a strong foundation. Being turned out is an excellent environment for youngsters to exercise freely and develop strong musculoskeletal structure. Nutrition to support weanlings in maintaining a healthy weight involves balancing calories with appropriate nutrients. The daily calorie intake supports body condition and dictates the rate of weight gain, whereas the quality and balance of protein, vitamins, and minerals support development of lean tissues such as bone and muscle. One of the challenges in maintaining a healthy weight through the winter, particularly for youngsters, is the variation in the amount and quality of forage in different locations and management situations.

Forage for Young Horses

Young horses might not digest moderate or lower quality hay or pasture as effectively as more mature horses. This makes forage quality important when developing young, growing horses. The additional supplementation needed will be dictated by the quality and amount of forage available to these young horses this winter. Monitoring their body condition on a regular basis, weekly or every two weeks or so, will be important. What and how you feed in addition to the forage will need to be adjusted accordingly.

When hay or pasture is of adequate quality and quantity to maintain weanling horses in a moderate and healthy body condition (a body condition score of 5 or 6 on the Henneke body condition scoring system), their daily calorie needs are being met by the forage. In these situations, your young horses also need a good-quality ration balancer. Ration balancers are concentrated nutrition products formulated to provide appropriate amounts of high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals in a low feeding rate. They are a great option when your horses do not need additional calories from a feed ration.

Adding Calories to Young Horse Diets

If the winter conditions are challenging, the forage available doesn’t support good body condition, and the weanlings lose body fat cover and their ribs become visible, they will need additional calories. Feeding the recommended amount of a high-quality feed formulated for growing horses would be recommended to provide the appropriate balance of additional calories with proper nutrition to support growth and development.

Maintaining a healthy body condition during the winter helps horses, especially youngsters, manage through cold weather conditions. When body condition is good, they have winter hair coats and access to shelter from wind and rain, horses are better equipped to weather the winter months. When the temperature dips below freezing, and especially if they don’t have shelter, horses will burn more calories just to maintain body temperature. For weanlings, the temperature at which this happens could be closer to 50° F. Often, horse owners will offer more hay during cold weather. But, for young horses, the digestive tract capacity might limit their ability to eat more hay, and a feed ration could be necessary to support the higher calorie demand of winter weather.

Another important aspect to keep in mind is internal parasite control. It is always a good idea to work with your veterinarian to develop a targeted internal parasite prevention program for your foals and young horses.

Water for Young Horses During Winter

Don’t forget the water this winter. Increased dry matter intake, especially hay, increases the need for water in the digestive system, but cold weather can reduce voluntary water consumption. Keeping water sources clean, accessible, and free of ice will help ensure horses drink adequately. The recommendation is to maintain water between 45 and 65 degrees F for optimal water intake. Adding a tablespoon of loose salt to horses’ daily ration might also help encourage them to drink more water.

Take-Home Message

Nutrition and management are both important when developing young, growing horses into healthy, sound adults. To support your weanlings’ growth during winter, focus on providing proper nutrition by balancing calories with essential nutrients. Regularly monitor their body condition and adjust their feed rations based on the quality of forage available. Be sure they have access to clean, ice-free water to maintain hydration and encourage adequate water consumption.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: I recently bought my first horse and have been trying to learn as much as possible about how to ensure his nutritional needs are met, but feed tags can be challenging to understand. How can I interpret the information on feed tags and use it to make educated decisions about my horse’s diet?- via email

A: Learning the ropes of horse ownership can be a bit overwhelming and selecting the right feed for your equine companion is no exception. The good news is you are on the right track by putting in the work to make informed decisions about his diet. Beautiful bags and flashy claims can be hard to overlook, but it’s the feed tag that gives you the most information about the nutrition your horse will receive. While a feed tag is the only consistent source of truth across feed manufacturers, there are limitations to what it can tell you.

To fully understand what type of bagged feed is right for your horse, you must first have an idea of his nutrient requirements. These differ based on factors such as age, weight, and activity level. You can find the gold standard for nutrient requirement information in the National Research Council (NRC) recommendations for horses. Find articles based on NRC guidelines that pertain specifically to nutrient requirements of horses. You can also work with an equine nutritionist or knowledgeable industry professional to help you focus on key nutrients and your horse’s specific needs when creating his diet.  

Forage should be the foundation of your horse’s diet and can be a significant source of most nutrients. However, forage alone does not always adequately meet horses’ daily dietary requirements. Knowing your hay and/or pasture type, quality, and the amount your horse has access to is crucial when selecting a bagged feed to fill in the nutritional gaps. Once you know your horse’s requirements and forage intake, you can match a bagged feed to his needs.

Feed tags have several basic elements required by law, including the product name, purpose, guaranteed analysis, ingredient list, and feeding directions. Many of these elements help ensure you are providing the right feed for your horse.

The first place to look on a tag is the purpose statement, which is usually found right under the product name. The purpose statement indicates what class of horse the feed is formulated for and can help you decide whether to dig into the tag more thoroughly or move along. You probably don’t want to purchase a product formulated for hard-working athletes if your horse goes on monthly trail rides and spends the rest of his time lounging in the pasture (e.g., mature maintenance horse).

Guaranteed Analysis and Ingredients on Horse Feed Tags

The guaranteed analysis lists the nutrients provided in the feed. The law requires a list of certain nutrients that must be in all feeds and guaranteed at minimum or maximum levels. However, a manufacturer can expand this list if they choose.  It’s easy to think that a longer list of guarantees means the feed is better for your horse. In reality, just because a nutrient is guaranteed does not mean it is at a physiologically meaningful level. If excluded, it does not mean it’s absent from the feed. You might notice a higher nutrient inclusion amount, but more isn’t necessarily better. In fact, oversupplementation is not only expensive but can be detrimental to the performance and health of your horse.

The guaranteed analysis does not provide any information about ingredient quantity, so two feeds might have identical nutrient guarantees but contain very different types or mixtures of ingredients. The ingredient listing is the best place to find out if the nutrients the feed supplies are suitable for horses in terms of quality and bioavailability. The law dictates that ingredients must be listed in descending order of highest to lowest. However, exact inclusion amounts are not required.

Ingredient listings can be expressed as specific or collective terms. Specific terms means that all ingredients are listed out individually such as “corn” or “oats,” while collective terms groups ingredients by type, such as “grain products”. With specific terms you have the advantage of knowing exactly what ingredients are included in your feed, but neither listing type gives insight on quality control during manufacturing or the formulation strategy used.

Feeding Directions on a Horse Feed Tag

The feeding directions usually found near the bottom or back of the tag tie all the other portions of the feed tag together. They give you recommendations on amounts to feed based on your horse’s life stage, body weight, and level of activity. You should feed according to the directions to ensure your horse gets his essential nutrients from what’s in the bag. It’s a good indication you haven’t chosen the right feed if you find yourself feeding much less or more than is recommended to maintain your horse’s body condition.

Take-Home Message

Feed tags are a great tool to help you decide what feed is best for your horse. However, they do not give you a complete picture of the exact amount and quality of ingredients or how that feed was formulated. Having some basic nutritional knowledge and a good idea of your horse’s requirements will serve you well when choosing the right feed for your new companion.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: What role do carbohydrates play in horse feed? I often hear about carbohydrates in a negative context because they can be harmful to horses with metabolic problems, but what groups of horses might need more carbohydrates and what sources should they be getting them from?

A: Thank you for asking this question because this is an important but often misunderstood concept in equine nutrition. With the increased awareness of and ability to diagnose horses with carbohydrate sensitivities (i.e., insulin dysregulation, equine metabolic syndrome) and the rise in popularity of low-carb rations for horses, it’s understandable how some horse owners might be unaware there are many benefits of feeding nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) to horses.

Nonstructural carbohydrates are the simple sugars (i.e., glucose and fructose) and starches in feeds readily digested and absorbed in the horse’s small intestine. This results in a rise in blood glucose and, subsequently, blood insulin levels following a meal. If horses have been diagnosed with a carbohydrate sensitivity by a veterinarian, then this discussion does not apply to them since minimizing the rise in glucose and insulin following a meal is an important nutritional strategy for managing those horses. However, horses with normal glucose and insulin metabolism can safely and effectively digest and utilize dietary NSCs, and they serve as an important source of fuel for exercise. Grain ingredients such as oats, barley, and corn have the highest NSC content by weight and typically contribute the biggest NSC proportion in feeds, but even lower-NSC ingredients such as grass hay and beet pulp still contribute some NSCs to the overall ration. In general, the most efficient way to increase NSC content of the ration is including grain-based ingredients in the diet.

Glucose and muscle glycogen (the storage form of dietary carbohydrates) derived from NSC digestion both serve as important fuel sources for exercise, especially for performance horses. In fact, glycogen is the primary fuel source horses need for anaerobic metabolism, which occurs during shorter bursts of intense work such as sprinting and jumping. Once that glycogen depletes during an exercise bout, fatigue occurs. The only way to efficiently build and replenish glycogen stores in the muscle is through dietary NSCs. Dietary fat and structural carbohydrates (fiber) cannot replenish glycogen. In other words, the lower the NSC content of the ration, the longer it takes to replenish muscle glycogen.

Horses training and competing in disciplines involving speed and/or intensity, such as racehorses, jumpers, eventers, cutters, barrel racers, and even dressage horses, can utilize and benefit from some NSCs in the diet. If concentrate meals are kept at an appropriate size, horses digest and utilize NSCs quite efficiently. A good general rule of thumb is to keep concentrate meals to 0.5% of the horse’s body weight or less to ensure he can completely digest NSCs in the small intestine (this applies to feeding straight grains, too). If a horse consumes an excessive amount of NSCs in a meal (such as when a horse gets into the feed room and gorges himself), the small intestine can become overwhelmed, and his body will transfer NSCs to the hindgut. Horse owners should avoid this situation at all costs because excessive NSCs in the hindgut can lead to major problems such as hindgut acidosis, colic, and laminitis.

Modern performance horse feeds come in many formulations, and most contain a blend of fuel sources that include a certain percentage of NSCs, fat, and fiber. The concentration of these three fuel sources varies widely between products, allowing horse owners to try different formulations to see how their horses perform with different NSC concentrations. If horses struggle with lower energy levels and fatigue during and after exercise, higher NSC levels in their diets might be just the thing they need to help put more fuel in the tank. Horse owners should not shy away from feeding the right fuels to help their horses feel and perform their best when doing the jobs we ask of them.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: I have a young jumper who generally has a lot of energy. He is in a consistent training program and shows frequently, so he has significant energy needs that must be met through his diet. How can I make sure I’m meeting his needs without providing an excess or making him even more energetic?

A: This is a great question, and you are certainly not alone. It’s a dilemma faced by horse owners in many different disciplines. How do we provide a horse with enough dietary energy to do the work he needs to do at the level he needs to do it, while controlling the mental energy or reactivity?

From a nutritionist’s perspective, the relationship between behavior and nutrition is not an exact science. Horses can be very individual in their reactivity to different diets. What works well for one horse might not work well for another horse, even if they compete in the same event at the same level. I think sometimes we get frustrated we can’t get one answer to the question “What is the best diet for a young jumper?” or whatever your discipline is. There are so many different feeding programs, even among the top competitors, and many reasons there isn’t a one-size-fits-all diet. Riders might have specific preferences or biases about feeds. Regional variations exist in forage quality and availability. Riders could want a specific feel from their horses, and they might ride horses that respond differently to certain diets.

The diet component most often associated with horse behavior is energy, or calories, which come primarily from dietary starches, sugars, fats, and fibers. Horses immediately use energy supplied by the diet for metabolism and work in the form of circulating blood glucose, or the body stores it for later use as glycogen in liver and muscle or as fat in adipose tissue throughout the body. When the diet provides excess calories, most horses just gain weight while others become more reactive. That behavior change might be more pronounced when the dietary energy comes from starch and sugar rather than fats and fibers. That said, there are reactive horses and horses that are more laid-back regardless of the calorie sources. So, again, nutritional control of behavior is an inexact science and takes some trial and error.

Transitioning from a grain-based, higher-soluble-carbohydrate feed to a fat and fiber-added, lower-soluble-carbohydrate feed formulated for performance horses is a good place to start. If a horse is an easier keeper, a low-calorie ration balancer is another option. One great tool to help make sure you are not over- or underfeeding calories is to monitor body condition and aim to keep your horse at a 5 or 6 body condition score, adjusting the diet if needed to maintain a consistent and desired level of body fat stores.

Keep in mind there are many things besides diet that affect mental attitudes in horses. Discomfort, frustration, and insecurity can all contribute to “hot” behavior in horses. Performance horses are especially at risk for gastric ulcers, and the discomfort these lesions cause can lead to over-reactivity. Have a veterinarian examine horses to determine if there are possibly medical issues or causes of pain or discomfort, especially when an individual horse demonstrates an unexpected change in behavior. For example, horses experiencing gastric discomfort benefit from both medical intervention and implementation of nutrition strategies such as feeding small, frequent meals, including alfalfa hay in the diet, and supplementing a product containing marine-derived calcium proven to support gastric health.

Take-Home Message

When feeding horses to affect their behavior, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Before changing your horse’s feed, consult your veterinarian to be sure your horse does not have physical reasons to be reactive under saddle. If you are unsure about your horse’s diet, work with an equine nutritionist to determine how you can feed your horse to meet his needs without providing him excess energy.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: I have a 3-year-old filly who will be transitioning into an under-saddle training program this spring. I know young, growing horses in work need more protein, but what percentage of protein should she have in her diet? Are there any other nutrients or components of her diet that will need to change as she works more?

A: Young horses like yours have a lot on their plates as they start work while continuing to grow, and they need their nutrition to pull double duty as well. Both growing horses and performance horses have increased requirements for protein, energy, and many vitamins and minerals compared to adult horses at maintenance. At 3 years old much of your horse’s skeletal growth is complete, and she can move from a growth feed to a performance feed (this transition can happen as early as 2 years old). What does this mean for you when shopping for feeds? Here are a few things to remember:

1. Choose a feed designed for the horse you are feeding. In this case it should be labelled for performance horses, not horses at maintenance or seniors requiring forage replacement (due to compromised dentition), for example. This will ensure the right balance of individual nutrients, as well as the right nutrient-to-calorie ratio, doing the work of ration balancing for you.
2. Choose the right calorie density. If the feed is too rich, she will not be able to eat a large quantity and might fall below the minimum feeding rate (check the fine print in the feeding directions). This could create gaps in the nutrients provided to her. There are well-fortified performance feeds at every calorie level, and the right one for your horse depends on her individual metabolism, workload, and how many calories she gets from forage. Some horses might just need a ration balancer, for instance, while others might need a higher-calorie concentrate. You don’t want her hovering right at the bare minimum feeding rate for a product because, again, she is growing and working.
3. Horses need nutrients in certain amounts, not percentages. It’s an oversimplification to say that she should be on a 14% crude protein feed, when 5 pounds of a 14% crude protein feed and 6 pounds of a 12% crude protein feed both provide the same total amount of crude protein. That being said, low protein feeds such as 10% protein feeds are rarely the right fit for a young performance horse and are often designed for mature horses in light to no work.
4. Protein quality matters, not just quantity. A well-formulated 12% protein feed with added amino acids (especially lysine) will do a better job meeting her needs than a poorly fortified 14% protein feed with low-quality protein ingredients such as dried distiller grains.
5. Keep your forage quality in mind. The better (and higher-protein) your hay is, the less work the feed must do, but the poorer the hay, the more important the feed. However, even high-protein forages are not excellent sources of amino acids because the digestibility/availability of that protein is not as great as it is in concentrate feeds with ingredients such as soybean meal.
6. Electrolytes are of greater importance now that she is in work. Make sure to provide salt year -round and consider a good-quality electrolyte during the “sweating season.”
7. Don’t stress about balancing individual nutrients or buying separate vitamins or minerals to supplement unless she has a specific health issue. Again, the best way you can ensure correct nutrition is to choose a well-formulated feed, from a company you trust, that you can feed at the correct rate while maintaining a proper body condition. When in doubt, consult an equine nutritionist.

In summary, ensuring the correct nutrition for a young horse transitioning into training involves selecting a performance feed that meets increased protein, energy, vitamins, and mineral requirements; paying attention to calorie density and quality of ingredients; and not overlooking the importance of electrolytes.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: I plan on traveling to several shows with my new Quarter Horse this spring and summer. What can I do for her nutritionally before and during show season to minimize the stress of traveling and being in a new environment at shows? – via email

A: Nutrition is the foundation of success for your equine athlete, and there are several nutritional factors to consider for reducing the stressors of show season. 

Practice the basics.

Horses evolved eating multiple small meals and grazing up to 18 hours per day. Additionally, they need to consume at least 1.2% of their body weight in forage to maintain proper gastrointestinal function and motility. Start with forage as the foundation of your horse’s diet and add concentrate only as needed to meet energy, protein, vitamin, and mineral requirements. If it’s possible, safe, and appropriate, offer hay while trailering to and from shows. While at shows, utilize hay bags or nets at the trailer and in the stall to give your horse the option for constant and consistent forage consumption, which in turn can reduce anxiety and other digestive disturbances.

Start with high-quality nutrition.

Provide your horse with the most appropriate and high-quality forage and concentrate to ensure she can perform to her potential. Inadequate nutrition results in increased stress, reduced performance, and other deficiency indicators such as loss of body condition score and muscle mass. Your show horse’s workload may have increased from what it was prior to or at the start of showing, so adjust her diet as needed to meet her nutritional requirements.

Be consistent with your feeding routine.

You have probably noticed that your horse is a creature of habit and deviating from her normal schedule results in stress behaviors. You should feed close to the same time every day, within a range of a couple of hours, and stick to those feeding times both at home and on the road. This will help your horse feel more comfortable knowing she doesn’t have to worry about the timing of her next meal, but it also gives you a little flexibility if you find yourself competing around mealtime.

Stay on the same nutritional plan at shows as you have at home.

It may be tempting to give your horse a little extra feed while at the show, but you should not alter feed type or amount. Be sure to bring plenty of your own hay and concentrate, and don’t start new supplements at the show. If you think you will need to feed an extra supplement, start it at home to ensure your horse will eat it and to avoid gastrointestinal disturbance at the show.

Don’t forget about water.

Horse owners sometimes overlook water intake, but water is the most vital nutrient your equine athlete consumes. Occasionally stressed horses, especially those in new or strange environments, refuse to drink. Even the seasoned veteran may refuse water if it tastes different from what is available at home. This can lead to poor performance, dehydration, or other major health concerns. Bringing water from home, using a water filter, or adding  flavoring to the water can help eliminate issues with water consumption. If you do use a flavoring or filter, have your horse try it before you begin traveling and showing. Water should also be offered to horses at least every six hours when hauling long distances.

Offer support.

Assess your horse throughout the season for signs of stress, address any nutritional concerns, and adjust her diet as needed. Horses traveling and competing have an increased risk of developing gastric ulcers. Supplementing them with a product that buffers gastric contents during meals, prior to exercise, and while on the show trail can help prevent gastric discomfort. Your horse should have daily access to salt, which is important for body fluid equilibrium and triggering her thirst response. In some cases, especially after intense work or sweating, you can also give electrolytes to speed up muscle recovery and replace lost electrolytes. Other products such as those that support muscle development and recovery, immune function, and gut health can be beneficial for show horses. Look for products with results backed by research in horses.

Horse show season is an exciting time and, as in every sport, we want to make sure we are considering every angle to gain that competitive edge. Ensuring you provide the right nutrition for your horse’s needs and keep a consistent nutritional management plan is essential to managing stress during the show season.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q: I have a 22-year-old Appaloosa gelding that I trail ride on the weekends, and we compete in five or six local shows during the summer. In the past year he’s become more of a hard keeper and, to top it off, he’s picky about his grain and hay. His teeth have been floated and he has no known dental issues. Given his age, would a senior feed or performance horse feed be more appropriate for him?

A: An aging horse’s needs can change considerably over a relatively short period of time, so it is especially important to regularly assess his body condition, appetite, and overall soundness. It sounds like you are doing exactly that because you have recently noticed he is no longer maintaining body condition as easily as he once did. If it has been more than six months since your horse’s last dental exam, it’s time to schedule one with your veterinarian as soon as possible. Older horses often need more than an annual dental exam to catch potential problems early. For example, the progressive and painful condition of the incisors known as equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH), is more commonly diagnosed in senior horses and can result in weight loss if dental pain leads to reduced feed intake. 

Once dental care is covered, you will likely need to increase your horse’s daily calorie intake. Feeding your horse forages and concentrates with higher caloric density can help him gain weight. Higher-calorie forages include alfalfa hay and high-quality grass hay. Incorporating these into your horse’s daily forage ration is a good place to start. Be sure to feed enough forage—at least 2% of the horse’s body weight per day (free choice is ideal)—when feeding for weight gain. Adding a senior or performance horse concentrate feed higher in fat (10% or more) and calories will also help with weight gain.  

Follow the feeding instructions on the tag based on his body weight and activity level, and you can even feed according to a higher activity level if he needs more calories. Some senior feeds have added technologies that benefit aging horses, such as extra ingredients for gastric and immune support, and are worth considering for your horse. When choosing a senior horse feed to provide alongside forage, be sure to select a senior concentrate feed (designed to be fed along with hay) and not a senior complete feed (designed to be fed with or without hay) because senior complete feeds tend to be less calorie dense.

If there is any concern your horse cannot chew and/or digest hay efficiently, then you might need to fully or partially replace his hay with a complete feed. Traditional senior complete feeds intended to be fed as the sole ration are typically designed to be easier to chew and digest. You’ll know it’s time to transition to a complete feed when your horse struggles to maintain good body condition despite having access to plenty of high-quality forage and being fed adequate amounts of a higher-calorie concentrate feed.

When dealing with a picky horse, you may need to get creative and be flexible to find a ration your horse enjoys. If he is particular about his hay, try changing (gradually, of course) to a different variety or to one with a different texture (i.e., softer and less stemmy). If he is picky about his grain meals, you may need to experiment with various feeds that have different textures or grain inclusion rates. Horses tend to prefer feeds with at least some added molasses, and some refuse to eat pelleted feeds but enjoy feeds with more texture from added beet pulp or grains. You could try mixing in a small amount of something a little tastier (i.e., sweet feed) with his pelleted meals.

Every horse is an individual, and your horse’s needs and preferences will likely continue to evolve as he ages. Keeping a close eye on your older horse’s overall health status and making necessary adjustments when needed is the best way to ensure you will have many more good years together. You are certainly on the right track to do just that!

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q. With the increasing cost of feed, I’ve started to look for more cost-effective ways to feed my horses. What are some ways I can help make my feed last longer and maybe even decrease my feed bill?

A. Great question, and you’re certainly not alone in your goal to find the most cost-effective way to feed your horses. Finding the most cost-effective feeding program does require a bit of math and using a scale.

Step 1: Identify Your Goals for Feeding Your Horse.

Your horse’s nutrition needs increase with higher demands of exercise and/or reproduction. Relatively sedentary horses have much lower nutritional requirements than high-level competition horses. If tighter finances have caused you to decide not to breed a mare or to compete less frequently, your horses may be adequately supported with a lower plane of nutrition. Maintaining the same goals and trying to support those goals with an inadequate level of nutrition rarely works out for very long. The lower plane of nutrition affects reproductive efficiency and the horse’s ability to sustain higher-level performance.

Step 2: Optimize Your Horse’s Forage.

If you have adequate pasture to support your horse’s body condition, that is likely your most cost-effective forage option. If you need hay, purchasing in volume and by weight can be more cost-effective. Buying hay by the bale, without knowing the weight, can be deceiving. A 45-pound bale of hay that costs $10/bale is more expensive than a 60-pound bale that costs $12/bale. When good hay becomes scarce or expensive, consider utilizing hay-replacement options such as pelleted or cubed hay and complete feeds. These have forage built in to replace some or all your hay if necessary. The hay-replacement options may be more expensive per pound than hay, but there is little waste, and they provide a more consistent level of nutrition. When hay quality is poor, your horse will reduce his voluntary intake. Buying hay the horses don’t clean up is expensive. Optimizing your forage options is a significant step toward having a cost-effective and nutritionally effective feeding program.

Step 3: Finding the Best-Value Horse Feed.

Your feed bill isn’t how much you spend per bag, it is how much you spend per day to feed that feed and whether it supports your horses and the goals you have for them. Look deeper than the price per bag and calculate the actual cost per day to feed.

• Price per bag/pounds per bag = Price per pound
• Pounds fed per day X price per pound = Cost per day to feed

Most people are not very accurate when estimating the amounts of hay and grain being fed, and scoops are not all the same. Feeds of various types and from various suppliers can weigh different amounts per given volume. Weighing your feed and hay with a scale can help keep your feeding rates more consistent, your hay costs more under control, and your feeding program more accurate. 

The cost of owning horses has certainly gone up over the past few years, and there doesn’t appear there will be a change in that trend. However, using a scale and a calculator to do a little figuring can reveal possible ways to save money without compromising the health and well-being of your horses.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q. This year we’ve had several bouts of very poor air quality in my area, which even affected my young, healthy horse. Is there a supplement or other change I can make to his diet to help support him through these times of dangerous air quality?

A. Unfortunately, it seems this is an issue that many of us will have to deal with more frequently as horse owners, even in areas that have not historically been prone to wildfires. There are many good articles available that outline how to monitor outdoor air quality, when it is safe to exercise, and management considerations for improving indoor air quality; so I will focus only on what we can do nutritionally.

First, if you will be closing horses inside for a period of time, you should take all measures you can to maintain good indoor air quality. If your barn cannot be ventilated well or your horses do not do well stalled, you may be better off leaving them turned out. However, if they are indoors, hay can be a major source of particulates in the air. Wetting or steaming hay will decrease the dust and mold content. It is not necessary to soak it for the 30- to 60-minute time frame as you would when you are trying to decrease sugar content—a quick dip or thorough wetting will suffice.

Hay replacements are also an option to provide dust-free fiber intake. You can replace long-stem hay with complete feeds, hay pellets or cubes, hay stretchers, or bagged/chopped forages. If you do replace hay with another forage, consider the decreased chewing time and feed smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Another hay consideration is to feed it at ground level if possible. The horse is more likely to inhale particles if they are picking hay from a net or manger at chest-height or higher. Eating in a natural, head-down position also helps with clearance and drainage from the respiratory tract.

The primary ingredient or nutrient that has been shown to be especially important for respiratory health is omega-3 fatty acids, for two reasons. These fatty acids are incorporated into cell membranes throughout the body, including in the lungs, to support the integrity and pliability of the tissues. Secondly, omega-3 sources, especially those which supply or are highly converted to DHA and EPA (specific long-chain omega-3s), have anti-inflammatory properties. During times of respiratory challenge, or for horses that suffer from asthma or allergies, adding a high-quality omega-3 supplement to a well-balanced diet is likely the most evidence-backed nutritional measure you can take to support your horse’s respiratory health.

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q. My gelding has always had “bad” feet. Despite my farrier’s and my best efforts, my horse’s feet are generally soft, he struggles to keep shoes on, and even becomes foot sore occasionally. Is there something I can add to his diet to help improve the quality of his hooves and make him more comfortable?

A. As the adage goes, “no hoof, no horse,” and horse owners are always looking for ways to improve or better maintain their horses’ feet. Your horse’s hoof health status is influenced by several factors, including genetics, environment, other health issues, hoof management, and diet. No one single factor can compensate for issues with the others, but the good news is many are in your control, including the diet.

Before searching for a single supplement, you should first evaluate your horse’s overall ration as an adequate and balanced diet that optimizes his health; this is also what the hoof needs to maintain proper integrity and growth.

First, ensure your horse’s energy needs are being met. Research in growing ponies indicated that animals in a positive energy balance had increased hoof growth rates compared to those fed calorie-restricted diets. This is extremely important for horses with a low body condition score or for horses that do not have many fat reserves, such as growing animals. Conversely, overweight horses are more prone to metabolic issues that can negatively affect hoof health.

Remarkably, fats make up 3 to 6 percent of hoof tissue and are essential for retaining moisture, repelling water, and resisting environmental pathogens. Fresh pasture contains high levels of essential omega-3 fatty acids, but these are not retained in cured forages such as hay. Therefore, a horse consuming hay as their primary roughage source will benefit from omega-3 supplementation.

The hoof wall is primarily made of keratin, a structural protein. Proteins, in turn, are composed of many essential and non–essential amino acids. Sulfur-containing amino acids are a large and crucial part of keratin that enable it to provide both strength and flexibility to the hoof capsule. Some research has shown that diets that have inadequate amounts of protein reduce hoof growth and integrity and the amino acid profiles of unhealthy hooves are different than healthy hooves, highlighting the importance of protein availability and quality in the diet. For example, a horse consuming an all-forage diet consisting of moderate- to low-quality hay could be consuming adequate amounts of crude protein but not meeting his essential amino acid requirements. However, research in horses has yet to demonstrate that specific amino acid supplementation improves hoof growth and health.

Proper vitamin and mineral levels are also an essential part of a good hoof. Calcium is needed for proper cellular attachment in the hoof horn. Zinc and copper support hoof growth and along with vitamin A are important in hoof keratinization. Selenium and several vitamins, including A and E, work as antioxidants on the cellular membrane level. Selenium supplementation should be carefully monitored as the trace mineral can also be detrimental to the hoof when over-fed.

Biotin, a B vitamin produced by microbes in the hindgut, is the nutrient related to hoof growth and health that’s been studied most. Studies have produced mixed results based on a wide array of supplement amounts and conditions. There is no dietary requirement for biotin above what is synthesized by microbes in the gut, however, biotin supplementation may still be beneficial to some horses. This could be due to the location of the defect in the hoof wall. Researchers have reported that biotin supplementation improved hoof quality of horses with a defect in the outermost layer of the hoof wall but did not improve those with a defect in the inner layers of the hoof. Recommended biotin dosages range from 15-20 mg per day, and the NRC (2007) suggests a dose of 30 milligrams per day for a horse with poor-quality hoof horn. Horse owners should also note that supplemental biotin must be fed for a long period of time (six to nine months) to see results and, if improvement is seen, may need to be done on a continual basis.

Lastly, the length of time necessary for the hoof wall to grow from the coronet band to a weight-bearing surface is approximately nine to 12 months so, no matter if you add a dietary supplement or change the overall diet, be patient. Use a feed designed to meet the caloric and nutrient needs of your class of horse and complement your forage. Overall, ensuring your horse is eating a properly balanced diet can help him put his best foot forward.     

Do you have an equine nutrition question?

Q. I am a first-time OTTB owner and recently purchased my horse directly from the racetrack. She is going to let down over the winter before I start riding her again in the spring. How can I ensure she is receiving proper nutrition during this transition?

A. Congratulations on starting the journey with your new off-the-track Thoroughbred! These horses make excellent riding partners, and you won’t find a breed with more heart. The best horse I ever owned was an OTTB!

When creating a nutrition plan for racehorses moving into a new career, I like to think of the transition as occurring in three phases. Phase 1 is the immediate transition period lasting approximately one month, during which time the horse physically leaves the racing environment and begins his new life as a non-racehorse. Phase 2 follows, lasts from one to six (or more) months, and is the “stabilization” period when the horse is actively acclimating to his new life. Phase 3 begins when he has successfully transitioned and is marked by an ability to maintain a healthy weight and the proper mindset to train for his new career.

The biggest risk for potential problems comes with Phase 1, because there are multiple changes going on at once. From a nutritional standpoint, it’s important to understand that most racehorses are fed large amounts of grain concentrate, and many consume more grain than forage to meet their high energy demands. Once they are no longer racing, they need less energy and more forage in their diet. A slow transition to a forage-based ration by reducing grain and increasing hay at a rate of no more than one to two pounds per day will help minimize digestive disturbances associated with drastic dietary changes. This gradual transition may take two weeks or more. Phase 1 is also a good time to address deworming, farrier, and dental care. In addition, up to 90% of racehorses have gastric ulcers, and providing extra gastric support through medication and/or a research-backed gastric support supplement containing seaweed-derived calcium will also help with this transition.

The nutrition plan for Phase 2 involves continued feeding of a forage-based diet. The daily forage amount provided should be a minimum of 1.5-2% of the horse’s body weight (BW) per day, but more is better because OTTBs are rarely overweight at this point. Incorporating alfalfa into the forage component of the diet is recommended because the high mineral content provides gastric buffering and it’s a great source of easily digestible fiber.

Depending on the horse’s current body condition score (BCS) and energy demands, feeding a ration balancer or a concentrate feed is needed to fill in the nutritional gaps of forage. In my experience, few OTTBS at this stage do well with a ration balancer, but if they are at a BCS of 6 or more, then it’s a good choice. In most cases, selecting a high-quality and calorie-dense fat- and fiber-added feed with a controlled soluble carbohydrate content is the best way to provide the additional calories, protein, and essential nutrients needed for overall health and weight maintenance and/or gain during this phase. Follow the manufacturer’s feeding instructions based on body weight and activity level to make sure horses are getting all the nutrients they need. If the horses are not in any work, you can still feed them according to at least light work recommendations if they need to gain weight, since gaining weight also requires extra calories (the more weight they need to gain, the higher “work level” you can feed to). Split the daily ration into multiple meals per day, and avoid feeding more than 0.5% BW in a single meal to avoid overwhelming the digestive system. Continue to provide supplemental gastric support and watch for any changes in appetite, which may indicate the presence of gastric ulcers or other medical conditions that require veterinary attention. You’ll know you’ve reached Phase 3 when your horse has reached a healthy weight and body condition and maintains it well.

The Phase 3 nutrition plan may or may not look like Phase 2, depending on the specific situation. It may be that your OTTB will do well with his Phase 2 ration on a long-term basis, with adjustments in feeding rates made to accommodate changes in exercise level that would require either more or less energy in the diet. Some OTTBs do become easy keepers once they have settled into their new lifestyle, so moving to a ration balancer may be the best option for them on a long-term basis. Essentially, Phase 3 is when you start thinking about feeding your OTTB like you would any other breed of horse in any discipline, which is to feed plenty of good-quality forage paired with a nutritionally balanced product designed to supply essential nutrients missing in forage along with the correct level of calories needed to maintain a healthy body condition.

Q. Is there an ideal magnesium supplement dose to give to a horse with type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM1)? Is there a type of magnesium that is best absorbed? I want to make sure I am feeding my PSSM1 horse the most beneficial supplements possible.

A. Managing horses with PSSM or any other myopathy requires a multi–pronged approach including: a proper base diet, attention to turnout and exercise, and potentially strategic supplementation. Magnesium (Mg) is a nutrient that is often mentioned in conversation surrounding any muscle condition because of its key role in the function of muscle cells. However, this does not necessarily mean that extra Mg is going to create a noticeable improvement for your individual horse. Most of the evidence for supplementing Mg in these horses is anecdotal and to me falls into the category of “could help, probably won’t hurt” (at least when added within reason). Luckily, the safe range of Mg in the horse’s diet is quite large, though at higher levels of supplementation you might need to pay attention to the ratio of calcium to magnesium in the total diet—which should be around 2.5:1. However, horses on well-fortified diets fed at proper rates are already getting plenty of Mg. The NRC requirement for a 1,100-lb horse in very heavy work is 15g per day. This amount is met or exceeded already just by the forage portion of the diet. A performance feed or ration balancer fed at minimum recommended rates would generally add another 5g per day. Will another 5g per day (a typical dose provided by popular Mg supplements) make a difference in how your horse feels and performs? Maybe, but if you notice no difference after 90 days, I would encourage you to reevaluate.

Now to your question of the best form of Mg. There are many forms of Mg out there (both organic and inorganic), however they do not vary as widely in their absorption or bioavailability as some other nutrients do. They do vary widely in their actual concentration of Mg and, thus, their usefulness for delivering Mg to your horse, not to mention their differences in palatability and cost. With all of this in mind, magnesium oxide is likely the most reasonable choice for adding a significant amount of Mg daily to the diet. One caveat to this is related to the use of Mg for calming purposes. There is data to suggest that a certain form of Mg—magnesium aspartate—has positive impacts on behavior through decreased reaction speed.

My priorities when designing a diet for a horse with PSSM1 include:

• Limit soluble carbohydrate intake while ensuring proper nutrient balance using well-fortified ration balancers or low-starch and sugar performance feeds (depending on calorie needs). This might include sourcing low-sugar hay or soaking hay.
• Ensure regular, daily exercise in addition to as much turnout or other movement as possible. Affected horses cannot stand around day after day.
• Add 2,000 IU per day of vitamin E for antioxidant support.
• Consider an additional amino acid supplement to support muscle function and recovery.

Q. Is it necessary to soak alfalfa pellets before you feed them, or can you add them the grain without water? What are the risks and benefits of feeding dry alfalfa pellets?

A. Alfalfa is a nutrient-dense legume that is a popular forage choice for many horse owners. Alfalfa is generally higher in digestible energy, protein, and minerals than other forages when harvested at the same stage of maturity. It also tends to be lower in water-soluble and ethanol-soluble carbohydrates than most grasses. Alfalfa can be fed as long-stem hay or alternatively as cubes or pellets. Alfalfa cubes and pellets are the long-stem form of alfalfa that is finely chopped and compressed.

Feeding alfalfa in pelleted form can be beneficial for a variety of reasons. Alfalfa pellets are widely available and tend to be consistent in quality. Due to their size and shape, pellets are easy to transport, store, and mix with concentrate feeds. They are also low-dust and, thus, ideal for horses that have allergies or respiratory issues. However, alfalfa pellets are very dense due to the compression of the small particles during the pelleting process and could provide challenges with chewing and swallowing for some animals.

Soaking alfalfa pellets is not necessary for most horses but could be required for animals with dental issues, no teeth, or reduced chewing ability. Soaking might also be a good idea for horses prone to choke or that bolt their feed. Pellets can be consumed quickly with minimal chewing so when a horse has dental issues that cause him or her pain, lacks molars to grind food against, or eats rapidly, they could be swallowing whole pellets instead of ones that have been chewed properly. This can result in feed lodging in the esophagus and cause a choking situation. I also recommend soaking pellets when you first introduce them into the ration and then gradually tapering off the soak time until you can offer them dry.

Soaking alfalfa pellets until they begin to break apart will soften the pellet, making them easier for the horse to chew and swallow. How much water you add and the length of time you soak the pellet will determine how soft the pellet gets. Many manufacturers have soaking instructions listed on the bag but, if not, a good rule of thumb is to completely submerge the pellets you plan to feed in warm water for 30 minutes or until the desired consistency is achieved. Unfortunately, this extra step and added time to your feeding routine can be a major drawback to soaking alfalfa pellets.

Feeding pelleted alfalfa is popular among horse owners due to its versatile pellet form and excellent nutrient profile. You do not have to soak alfalfa pellets prior to feeding, but taking the extra time to do so could be beneficial for horses with dental issues, aggressive eaters, or when you’re first introducing alfalfa pellets into the ration.

Q: I have a mare that is on Regu-Mate (altrenogest) for mareish behavior and consumes a forage-based diet that includes ingredients like soybean oil, alfalfa pellets, and ground flax. She seems to have some behavioral issues in the early spring and late fall, despite being on Regu-Mate. I have heard that phytoestrogens in these and other ingredients can counteract the active ingredient in Regu-Mate, but I haven’t been able to find anything that supports or explains this. Do phytoestrogens in feed counteract the effects of Regu-Mate, and should ingredients with phytoestrogens be avoided if you are feeding a mare that is also on Regu-Mate?

A: Mares can be amazing, yet some can be challenging at times. To get everyone on the same page let’s start with discussing phytoestrogens because they’re more complicated than they appear at first glance.

Phytoestrogens are a family of polyphenolic plant compounds that bind to estrogen receptors and have been shown to inhibit synthesis, secretion, transport, and binding of endogenous (coming from within the body) estrogens. Exposure to phytoestrogens in horse diets is inevitable due to the consumption of large amounts of plant materials. Legume plants such as soy, lupine, clover, and alfalfa are generally highest in phytoestrogen content, but certain phytoestrogens are also found in flaxseeds, rice, and wheat. The amount and specific phytoestrogen compounds present are extremely variable across various plants, stage of maturity, plant disease state, and growing conditions and locations. 

To date, more than 8,000 polyphenolic compounds have been identified. Flavonoids, isoflavonoids, and coumestans are the major types of phytoestrogens found in common equine diets. Lignans, which are structural cell wall components of plant cells, are also common in livestock diets but are a less studied group of phytoestrogens. To add more complexity, there are multiple compounds within each phytoestrogen type and they vary in bioavailability, how they are metabolized, physiological effects, and potency.

Fermentation of plant material changes the form of some phytoestrogens from nonbioactive to bioactive. This could partially explain why differences in digestive tract architecture between livestock species, specifically ruminants (sheep and cattle) versus nonruminants (horses), contribute to variation in physiological effects of phytoestrogens.  Sheep are reportedly more sensitive to phytoestrogen consumption than cattle, and horses appear to be least sensitive. 

In a 2013 Portuguese study conducted on a small population of horses, researchers reported that plasma concentrations of the phytoestrogen coumestrol were elevated and infertility was induced in mares consuming an alfalfa-based haylage. However, this was a limited study and there is currently very little research reporting whether naturally occurring phytoestrogens in typical horse rations would have a negative impact on reproductive performance in mares. 

Due to the lack of sound science clearly identifying effects of naturally occurring phytoestrogens in normal horse diets on mare reproduction or behavior, it seems prudent to focus on choosing a well-balanced diet that provides optimal nutrition to support the age and activity level of your horse. I find no studies directly looking at interactions between dietary phytoestrogens and Regu-Mate and would suggest working with your veterinarian to determine what seasonal changes might be happening with your mare that could be negatively affecting her behavior.

References/links below:

Adkin, Angie. The Characterization of Phytoestrogens in Equine Feeds and Serum. 2018. University of Florida, PhD dissertation

Kirkland, B,. Wickens, C., Vineyard, K. and Adkin, A.  Let’s talk about Horses + Soy.  2022. Horses.Extension.org

Q: I feed my recreational horses a ration balancer per the manufacturer’s instructions, along with iodized salt and alfalfa. Is it still necessary to top dress with salt? Why or why not?

A: Ration balancers are designed to complement and fortify hay or pasture and are an excellent way to ensure your recreational horses are getting the proper balance of many key nutrients, such as protein, vitamins, and minerals, without added calories. Forages are naturally very low in sodium, so supplemental salt (NaCl) is necessary. If the manufacturer of the ration balancer you are feeding advises supplementing with salt, the amount of sodium provided in your feed may not be enough to meet daily requirements. Top-dressing can ensure maintenance requirements are being met, however, providing free-choice access to supplemental salt is also an option.

Sodium and chloride are two key electrolytes that make up common white salt. Horses need electrolytes for critical processes in the body such as nerve impulse, muscle function, and thirst response. According to the 2007 National Research Council, a 1,100-pound horse at maintenance needs to consume approximately 25 grams of salt per day to meet its requirement. This requirement can increase due to greater sweat production from added workload or a rise in ambient temperature.

Top-dressing loose salt on the feed is not mandatory; however, it can ensure maintenance requirements are being met. Approximately 1 ounce or 1.5 tablespoons of loose salt will supply a recreational horse with its daily needs. Top-dressing salt should not discourage consumption of the ration balancer, so splitting salt supplementation between feedings may result in improved intake.

I also suggest providing an additional salt source that your horses can access at any time. This ensures your horses can consume additional salt if desired and potentially needed. Plain white salt blocks, rock salt on a rope, and red trace mineralized salt blocks are all popular choices. Because supplementing salt is the goal, always check that any trace mineral block has salt as the first and foremost ingredient. Be sure to pay attention to the blocks and clean them off regularly if they are placed in stalls or other places where they may get covered in bedding, dust, or fecal material, which discourages consumption.

Providing free access to salt may result in some horses consuming more salt than they need. Usually this is not a problem if you provide plenty of fresh, clean water, because excess sodium is primarily excreted in the urine. If you do have a horse that consumes excessive free-choice salt, it is best to remove the free-choice option and provide the necessary amount of salt as a top-dress on their feed.

Q: My older Arabian gelding struggles with eating hay, and then I have a younger princess of a mare who just picks at it. I know feeding forage is key. Do you have any suggestions?

A:  The base of any horse’s feeding program should be good-quality forage, but a number of issues can get in the way of this. There are several things that could be happening here:

1.) You don’t mention the type or quality of hay you’re feeding, but that is the place to start. If your hay is on the mature or stemmy side, older horses with dental issues will have a harder time chewing it and picky horses will voluntarily leave it behind. Find a soft, less mature grass hay. Depending on where you live, this could be a variety of hays, but I tend to suggest a green, second-cutting orchard grass as a good example. If you have access to a forage analysis, look for an RFV (relative feeding value) above 80.

2.) The senior horse might be getting to the point that he can’t effectively chew or digest long-stem hay well, no matter the type (though he might still do quite well on green grass if you have it during the growing season). Have his teeth evaluated by your vet, and realize that even if he can chew it, his hindgut might not be able to extract calories from forage like it once did. If he is not maintaining body condition, it is time to provide a forage replacement. Some horses do well with a chopped/bagged hay or soaked hay cubes or pellets, but the most nutrient-dense and highly digestible option is a complete senior feed, meaning it has forage built in and can partially to totally replace hay or pasture.

3.) Determine why your princess is so picky. It could have simply been the hay quality, but other things, such as gastric ulcers, can cause horses to decrease intake. This can sometimes create a vicious cycle where the horse doesn’t want to eat well because their stomach is uncomfortable, but because they aren’t eating hay well, they miss out on natural buffering from hay and saliva and might further increase the risk of ulcers forming. Talk to your vet about diagnosis and treatment options. We often see horses become much better eaters when their gastric discomfort is resolved.