Your Trusted Horse Feed Program Digest

In short: occasionally, but not always. Whether to soak horse feed depends on the type of feed, the horse’s age, teeth concerns, water needs, and complete ration. For some horses, soaking can improve palatability and digestibility. For others, it adds time, can reduce feed safety if handled poorly, and may not provide any benefit at all. If you are deciding whether to soak horse feed, the best approach is to adjust the feeding method to the horse’s condition, the structu

How the Horse Feed Quiz Functions This horse feed quiz is built to help you match a ration to your horse’s actual needs, instead of merely pick a bag off the shelf. Start with the basics: age, workload, body condition score, access to pasture, hay quality, and any digestive or dental concerns. Those factors determine whether your horse needs more forage, a small concentrate, a complete feed, or a targeted supplement. The easiest way to think about horse feed is this:

What pregnant mares need nutritionally Expecting mares have changing needs throughout the pregnancy period , and the best feeding plan should maintain mare health without adding unnecessary weight gain. The goal is a well-balanced diet that supplies adequate calories , high-quality protein , and the right trace nutrients for both the mare and the developing foal. Most of the first-stage pregnancy diet should still be built around forage , especially q

What Is Founder in Horses? Founder is the typical term many horse owners use for laminitis , a serious condition involving hoof inflammation and damage to the sensitive structures inside the hoof. The problem centers on the digital laminae , the tissues that help support the coffin bone within the hoof capsule. When those tissues become irritated, the hoof can become extremely painful and, in severe cases, the coffin bone may shift. Founder is not a single-f

What Counts as Horse Feed Grain? Horse feed grain usually refers to a concentrate feed made from grain ingredients, pellets, or textured rations that add calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals beyond hay. In practical horse feeding, the term can mean oats, corn, barley, pelleted rations, or sweet feed for horses . These products are all various types of horse feed , but they serve the same broad purpose: allowing a horse satisfy calorie needs when forage

Why Fiber Does in the Horse's Diet Fiber is the foundation of a healthy equine ration. In horse feed, fiber supports digestion, helps maintain stable energy, and nourishes the microbes that live in the hindgut. Those microbes convert forage into usable nutrients, which is why fiber is so closely tied to gut health. Unlike starch and sugar, fiber is not mainly about quick energy. Instead, digestible fiber offers a slower, steadier source of fuel. That matters for horse

How Slow Metabolism Means in Horses For slow metabolism horses , the difficulty is often not just appetite, but how efficiently the body utilizes nutrients for weight gain , maintenance, and overall wellbeing. A horse with a slower metabolic rate may hold weight differently than an easier keeper, and feed choices should support steady energy without creating digestive stress or an excessive insulin response . That is why equine nutrition matters so much. A

How Slow Metabolism Means in Horses For slow metabolism horses , the difficulty is often not just appetite, but how efficiently the body uses nutrients for weight gain , maintenance, and overall condition. A horse with a slower metabolic rate may hold weight differently than an easier keeper, and feed choices should support steady energy without creating digestive stress or an excessive insulin response . This is why equine nutrition matters so much. A hor