Racehorses should be fed 15-20 lb (7-9 kg) per day of
clean grass hay such as timothy or oaten hay
. Smaller quantities of alfalfa hay (2-4 lb or 0.9 to 1.8 kg per day) may also be offered. This level of hay intake will meet the racehorse’s maintenance DE requirement and help protect against gastric ulcers and colic.
How much grain should a thoroughbred eat?
DON’T feed
more than 11 pounds of grain per day
, or 4-5 pounds of grain per feeding, or the horse’s colic risk increases sixfold. DON’T worry about too much protein making a horse hot. Only 10% of the horse’s energy comes from protein, so it is a very insignificant source. DON’T feed supplements unless they are needed.
Do thoroughbreds Need grain?
Some owners faithfully feed their horses oats, others barley, and still others believe horses don’t need any grain.
Horses typically don’t need grain
, but they do need to consume hay or pasture grass. Horses have a unique digestive system that relies on roughage to operate correctly and efficiently.
Should horses be fed grain?
Provide plenty of roughage
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. … A horse should eat
one to two percent of their body weight in roughage every day
.
What is a good grain to feed horses?
Oats
are the safest and easiest grain to feed with hay because it is high in fiber and low in energy, and higher in protein than corn. Corn has the highest energy content of any grain and can put weight on a horse quickly.
How much grain should a 1100 pound horse eat?
So, a horse that weighs 1,100 pounds and is relatively inactive will usually hold that weight on
between 16.5 and 22 pounds of hay a day
. If you don’t know the weight of hay you are feeding, weigh it.
How much grain should a 1000 pound horse eat?
The amount of grain you feed depends on the amount of work your horse is doing plus it’s size. For an active horse weighing 1,000 pounds you should feed it about
9 pounds of grain per day
in combination with high quality hay.
What can I feed my thoroughbred to gain weight?
Maximizing forage intake for weight gain with free-choice,
high-quality hay
is ideal. The addition of alfalfa-timothy hay pellets, as you have done, is a good idea to contribute more forage to the diet.
How much grain should I feed my senior horse?
Because most senior feeds on the market today can be fed as a sole ration (ie
16-18 lbs. per day to a 1,200 lb. horse in light work
) they have to be formulated in such a way that a horse eating this much of the feed won’t be overdoing the concentration of vitamins/minerals, etc.
Can grain cause colic in horses?
Colic and/or founder (laminitis) are problems of major concern to horse owners. Both conditions can vary in their seriousness from slight cases to cases that can kill horses or severely compromise them for the rest of their lives.
What can horses not eat?
- Caffeine: Coffee, tea and cola contain the stimulant caffeine (trimethylxanthine) which can cause an irregular heart rhythm.
- Chocolate: …
- Garlic and onions: …
- Tomatoes: …
- Fruit seeds and pits: …
- Dog and cat kibble: …
- Potatoes: …
- House plants:
Can horses eat Quaker oats?
Why Feed Oats?
Oats are nutritious as well as palatable to most horses
. Oats contain approximately 12 percent crude protein, which is an adequate amount for most adult horses. They are considered safer to feed than other grains because of their fiber or bulk, which reduces the risk of impaction colic.
Can horses eat carrots?
Good Vegetables for Horses
Carrots are very high in vitamin A (carotene), low in saturated fat and cholesterol. To feed carrots to your horse, either cut the carrots longwise or cut each into small pieces. Most horses love to eat carrots, but like other treats,
do not feed them too many
.
Are oats good horse feed?
Oats are
a good source of calories
, fuel from starch and a decent amount of oil, some protein and amino acids. … Horses like oats, and the tradition of using oats runs deep in many horse trainers. As a result, they are often reluctant to embrace commercial feeds as a better option for the horses under their care.
How long does a 50 lb bag of horse feed last?
At the feed store you check the production date and note that the feed is already three weeks old. At most you can store this feed for about another
nine weeks
(or 63 days). At 14 pounds per day this equals 882 pounds, or 17.6 50-pound bags. I would recommend that you buy less than this to ensure freshness.
How much should a 1200 pound horse eat?
1200 lb horse, in light exercise. In this example, this horse would need to eat
between 4.8 and 7.2 lbs per day
of this feed to receive the nutrition he needs. Some horses that are easier keepers can fall to the lower end of the range, while harder keepers may need to push the upper limit.
