What are the nutritional requirements for a horse?
When feeding horses, it is important to recognize that there are six basic nutrient categories that must be met: carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. Often, feed companies will balance the first five nutrients for us; however, it is critical not to forget about water.
What is the most important part of a horse’s diet?
KEY #1—Forage is the basis of a horse’s diet The most basic requirement in a horse’s diet is long-stem forage. Ideally, this comes in the form of fresh grass. If grass is not available, free-choice grass hay is the next best choice.
Why do horses need vitamins and minerals?
Vitamins help the horse’s body carry out the functions essential to life such as: Production of skin, hooves, bone and muscle. Strengthening of the immune system. Maintenance and repair of cells, tissues and organs.
Why does a horse need protein?
Some of the key functions of proteins in your horse’s body include providing structure, nutrient transport in the blood stream, nutrient transport across cell membranes, regulation of metabolic function, as a component of the immune system and to act as a buffer to minimize fluctuations in body pH.
Can horses survive on hay?
Many pleasure and trail horses don’t need grain: good-quality hay or pasture is sufficient. If hay isn’t enough, grain can be added, but the bulk of a horse’s calories should always come from roughage. Horses are meant to eat roughage, and their digestive system is designed to use the nutrition in grassy stalks.
Do horses love hay?
So good grass hay is the ticket for your horses, timothy and orchard grass hay are popular and good choices. Oat hay cut at the right time can be fed to horses, too. Whichever hay you choose it has to be as fresh as possible, dry, and mold & weed-free.
Which hay is better for horses?
Legume hay is higher in protein, energy, calcium and vitamin A than grass hays. While hay alone may not meet the total dietary requirements of young, growing horses or those used for high levels of performance, high-quality hay may supply ample nutrition for less active adult horses.
Do horses know when to stop eating?
Researchers estimate that the amount of time a horse spends grazing is between five and 10 hours per day. Horses do not have the ability to control their eating so that they will stop eating when they have met their nutrient requirements. They will continue to eat, which can lead to digestive and lameness problems.