Horse Nutritional Essential Guide : Horses naturally want to graze all day and should eat little and often.

Horses are herbivores and, as such, they need a very specific diet. horse must consume lots of fibre to keep their extremely long and sensitive digestive tract working and they must eat little and often, almost all day long.

In simple terms, horses eat grass and hay or haylage, but salt, concentrates and fruits or vegetables can also enhance their diets, depending on the required work regime and available feed.

What do horses eat?

Horses naturally want to graze all day and should eat little and often.

Grass: Ideal for their digestive health, though watch for excessive lush grass in spring to prevent laminitis.
Hay or Haylage: Keeps them full and their digestion active, especially in cooler months when pasture is scarce.
Fruit or Vegetables: Provides moisture; a carrot cut lengthwise is perfect. Avoid harmful options like ragwort.
Concentrates: Recommended by vets for young, old, pregnant, nursing, or competing horses for energy. Careful with mixing to avoid mineral imbalances.
Salt: Offer a salt lick block or loose salt separately in pasture, enjoyed by horses especially in summer.”

Water for Horse

Fresh water – as well as horse food, your horse needs access to fresh clean water as much as possible, but at least twice a day. If your horse doesn’t have access to it, then make sure it does not have water immediately after a feed or it could land up with a blockage caused by undigested food moving too quickly through the digestive tract. Make sure your horse’s water doesn’t freeze over in winter temperatures.

How much should horses eat?

“An adult horse typically needs to consume dry matter equivalent to 1.5–3% of its body weight daily, depending on activity level and food quality. At least half of their diet should consist of pasture grass or hay/haylage. If a horse is active, it requires additional food to prevent weight loss. Avoid working a horse immediately after large meals to prevent discomfort and digestive issues.”

How to feed a horse?

Horses should be fed little and often, all day. If a horse is kept in a stable, it needs two to three feeds per day. You should not leave your horse for longer than eight hours without food. Horses like routine, so try to feed them at the same time every day. Also make sure that troughs are clean, or horses may refuse to eat or drink.

Horse Balanced Diet: Combine appropriate amounts of forage and concentrates based on the horse’s age, activity level, and health status.

What do horses like to eat ?

Horses love treats and snacks, as well as grass and hay. But make sure you don’t overdo it.

Type of feeds horses shouldn’t eat

Fruit Snacks/Treats: Can cause colic, obesity, and laminitis; limit to one or two wedges of fruit or carrots per day.
Stone Fruits: Unpitted fruits can cause choking.
Chocolate or Sugary Foods: High sugar content can lead to health issues and obesity.
Bread and Cakes: Risk of digestive tract blockage.
Meat: Not nutritionally necessary and can harm long-term health.
Cabbage Family Vegetables: Cause discomfort and gas (turnips, cabbages, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts).
Potatoes and Tomatoes: Members of the Nightshade family, should be avoided.
Garden Waste: Contains toxins and risks of colic; avoid feeding clippings or plants sprayed with chemicals.
Mouldy or Dusty Hay: Can damage lungs.
Bran: Unless prescribed, not suitable for horses.”

What do wild horses eat ?

Wild horses graze on large areas of land, eating grass, the seed head of grasses and other edible shrubs and plants. They tend to live near fresh water supplies. It is estimated that wild horses can graze for 15-17 hours per day.

And remember to check your horse isn’t overweight!Regularly check the body condition score of your horse. Like underweight horses, overweight ones are at risk of many health conditions so it’s important to check you’re not overfeeding or under exercising. Watch the amount of treats you give to your horse especially!