Nutrition Facts

Lawn clippings should never be fed to horses. They are very high in moisture content and develop mould very quickly; this can be very toxic to horses. The increase in moisture content of the forage provided may also cause gas colic due to a sudden change in the horses’ diet.

Weight loss in mature horses can occur for a number of reasons. The fundamental reason for weight loss is simple – the horse is expending more calories (energy) than he is consuming. This can be because he is exercising more and his diet has not been adjusted. The temperature has decreased and the horse is using more energy to stay warm. If the horse is sick or injured he will use significantly more energy to heal and recover. Sickness of disease that results in a decreased appetite will decrease the calories being consumed. Adding fat to the diet will markedly increase the caloric density of his feed without increasing the bulk of his feed. Average sized horses (500kg) can be fed as much as 2 cups of oil per day. When adding fat to the diet it must be done gradually like any feeding change.

Any feeds or supplements designed for cattle should NEVER be fed to horses. Many additives included in cattle supplements can harm or even kill horses. For example ionophores (monensin, laslocid, or salinomycin) are common ingredients used in cattle feeds to promote growth. These, however, can be lethal in horses. Each year horses are killed due to ionophore toxicity from eating supplements intended for cattle. Another common ingredient in cattle supplements is nonprotein nitrogen (urea). Too much urea can kill horses.

If a horse has access to pasture and a trace mineral salt block, they do require additional nutrients. Trace Mineral salt blocks are typically 97% salt and 3% trace minerals. Trace minerals often included in these blocks are zinc, iron, manganese, copper, cobalt, and iodine. Pasture and trace mineral salt will NOT satisfy the nutrient requirements of horses. This is especially true if horses and keep in groups and one horse is at the bottom of the pecking order. Selenium is rarely added to a trace mineral salt block and is lacking in soils and pastures in most parts of the world.

• Abnormal fat deposits such as a cresty neck or lumpy fat patches which persist even if the horse loses weight, fatty sheath
• History of laminitis commonly induced by grass
• Puffiness in the hollows above the eyes
• Advanced symptoms include increased thirst and urination, loss of body condition and muscle wasting and low energy levels. Above normal insulin with normal blood glucose.

Horses are also obligatory nose breathers. That means they can breathe ONLY through their noses. We can breathe through our mouths and our noses. So if we get a stuffy nose, no big deal. We just breathe through our mouths. If a horse’s nasal passages swell due to a snake bite or allergy, he will suffocate.

Foals often eat fresh manure from other horses, a practice known as coprophagia. Some people believe the practice is a means of establishing a bacterial population in the digestive system. Recent research however showed that foals establish a bacterial population without the practice of coprophagy. The researchers suggest bacteria on the mares udder is primarily responsible for the initial bacterial population in the foals digestive tract.

Some horses when given access to lush spring grass will continue to want dry hay or will start to chew wood. This is because lush grass is a poor source of structural carbohydrates (fibre). Horses need fibre in their diet for proper digestive function. If horses are not given enough fibre they will seek other sources of fibre. If fibre is not provided as hay, horses may chew wooden fence rails or wooden boards in stables.