What Gut Health Means in Horses Good gut health is the foundation of a horse’s comfort, appetite, output, and long-term wellbeing. A horse’s digestive system is designed to digest almost steady intake of forage , with the foregut taking care of the first stages of digestion and the hindgut doing much of the fiber breakdown that keeps the system running efficiently. The hindgut is particularly important because it is where hindgut fermentation occurs.
Selecting the right horse feed for pregnant mares is not just adding extra calories. During gestation, a mare’s nutritional requirements change gradually as the foal develops, and the feeding plan should support healthy pregnancy without unnecessary overfeeding. The best approach is typically a balanced ration built around high-quality forage, then adjusted with a suitable complete horse feed or compound feed if the mare needs more fuel, amino acids, minerals and vitamins.
Understanding the Difference Between Roughage and Concentrate in Horse Feed?
The contrast between concentrate and roughage in horse feed mainly concerns fiber and energy. Roughage is the high-fiber part of the diet, usually forage such as hay and pasture . Concentrate is the more energy-dense part, often made from grain , commercial mixes, and other ingredients that provide extra usable energy , protein , fat , vitamins , and minerals . Most horses do best on a forage-led diet, with concentrate used only when needed to c
What Is a High-Fat Horse Feed and When Should You Use It?
What Is a High Fat Horse Feed? A high-fat horse feed is a type of horse feed prepared with a higher fat percentage than regular feeds, usually to increase calorie density without relying heavily on starch. This matters since fat provides dense digestible energy , which can support body condition, exercise demands, and recovery without forcing a horse to eat large amounts of feed. In practical terms, high fat feeds are created to deliver more usable calor
Equine Feed for Water Balance Support: What to Provide and How It Helps
How hydration functions in horses Hydration support starts with learning how a horse utilizes water. A horse’s water intake is influenced by climate, exercise level, forage condition, salt intake, and the full ration design. Water is not just about relieving thirst; it helps with cooling, circulation, nutrient delivery, and normal digestive health . When hydration status falls, feed digestion can decrease, manure can become less moist, and the horse may show reduced
Is Corn Suitable Horse Feed? Corn is able to be part of horse feed, but it is rarely a blanket solution and it is seldom the best stand-alone choice. In equine nutrition, the main question is not whether corn has calories; it is whether those calories match the horse’s workload, metabolism, and overall ration. Corn is a rich source of digestible energy, which means it may help some horses put on weight or stay in condition, but it also carries a greater starch load than
What Sets a Horse Feed Healthier for Respiratory Sensitivity? Selecting the right horse feed for respiratory sensitive horses starts with limiting the things that can inflame the airways. Dust, mold, and overly processed ingredients can all be inflammatory triggers, especially for horses that already struggle with breathing comfort. A smarter feeding plan focuses on dust-free feed , low-dust forage , and ingredients that support airway health while avoiding
What Makes Horse Feed Suitable for Show Horses? The ideal horse feed for show horses offers more than add calories. It supports performance nutrition , steady energy, good digestion, and the kind of finish that helps a horse appear and work its best in the ring. A show horse may need more defined muscle tone, better topline, more stamina, or controlled weight gain , depending on the discipline and individual metabolism. Begin with the horse’s current