Feeding Guidelines

With so much variety on the market today, it can be so hard deciding what feed to give your horse. I’ve put together a couple of guidelines I follow. This is partly fact and secondly my opinion.

• Fibre is essential to make the horse chew the food properly and to make it digest better. Chaff and Hay are the best source. Grass is too but depending on the season, you may need to restrict it. I feed Meadow Chaff as I worry that Lucerne is high in Potassium and can make horses “hot” and spooky.
• Carbohydrates are needed for energy and condition. There are lots of Low GI varieties for horses that need to be kept quieter but if I have an excitable type of horse I feed less grain and more oil. I personally have fed plain barley my whole riding career and had great results. My main reason is I won’t feed horses sugar and most companies make wonderful Pre Mixed feeds but fill it with Molasses.
• Fats are great for energy but it’s a calm non- heating energy. I use Flaxseed oil ( Linseed ) and up to two cups per day if required. There are also feeds which are very high in fats to add feeds but I find it better value to buy 20 litres of oil for $110.
• Protein is necessary for growth and development of muscles. One thing t watch is , too much protein can make the horse spooky and tense and if the horse is galloping Xc at a decent level , too much protein can lead to issues with crystals in their urine and sore muscles. During the winter and off peak season you can feed more protein to try and build the horses top-line up. I have used Hanleys formula with great results but there are lots of good combinations around that are fats and protein.
• For me, it’s keeping it simple and know why your feeding each food. Don’t waste your money on buying lots of different feeds that do the same thing.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to message me either by email . kirstin71kelly@gmail.com or Facebook ,Kirstin Kelly Equestrian.