Nutrition Guidelines

   Feeding horses is only as complicated as you make it.   Horses are foragers, so require a diet consisting mostly of forages. 

 Concentrates consist of : grains, commercial mixes,  and ration balancers.   Forages consist of: hay, pasture, hay cubes or pellets and beet pulp (beet pulp is a little bit of a feeding oddity, as it has qualities of both grains and forages, it has more energy than most forages and more fiber than most grains, but it is digested much like forages are, so very safe to feed, but it is not to exceed 40% of the diet).  Beet pulp typically comes in two forms: shredded or pelleted; it is recommended that pelleted beet pulp be soaked to reduce the chance of choke, especially with horse that bolt their feed.

Most horses require little or no grain, especially  minis, unless they have special needs; growth, pregnancy/lactation, work, seniors, etc.   A good vitamin/supplement or ration balancer to balance the forage provided, salt (block or loose) and free choice water is basically all the average horse needs. 

   The basis for all equine diets should be good, clean hay.  They don't necessarily need the richest hay available, just good clean, uncontaminated hay (my preferance is good grass hay).  Contaminates consist of: mold, noxious weeds...

   All feeds should be fed by weight, not a cup of this or a scoop of that.  Horses require 2-3% of their bodyweight in feed per day, at least 50% should be good quality forage.    For example, a 250# mini will require 5-7 pounds of feed per day (concentrates and forage). 

  To fairly accurately estimate my horse's weights, I use a formula developed by Texas A&M:

[heart girth in inches (squared) x length in inches] divided by 330 = body weight in pounds (use 280 for weanling).

Hearth girth  is measured around the horses barrel with the tape measure (seamstress tape) placed at the last mane hairs on their withers.  Length is measured from the point of the shoulder to the middle of the muscle crease at the rear of the hindquarters. 

   There are many commercial feeds available for all horse, one of these may just be the perfect feed for your equine; youth/growth formulas, senior formulas,  active formulas, pleasure horse and more.  They come in a variety of forms: pelleted, extruded (look like dog food, easy to digest), textured, grain mixes and more.  You may wish to try the "ration balancer", basically a vitamin/mineral supplement with quality protein, designed to compliment the forage fed.

  Above all be sure that your horse has clean water available at all times.  In the winter, this may require chopping ice or fitting your tank with an equine safe tank heater.   

I'm not a vet or an equine nutritionist, this is just basic information I've learned over 20 years of owning and caring for my own horses.  When in doubt consult your vet.

Basic Care and Grooming

   Essential tack for you horse...  Halter and lead rope.  All other tack will depend on what you plan to do with your horse; drive, ride, show, breed, etc.   Basic riding tack; saddle, saddle pad and bridle.  Basic Driving tack: harness, whip, cart.   Basic show tack: show halter and lead; blankets, sheets and hoods to keep him clean.   There is so much tack available, I couldn't begin to cover it here; there are many websites and books available to help you choose.

Your horse will appreciate regular grooming sessions, which are an ideal way to get to know your horse and bond with him/her.  It also gives you a chance to check him/her over for any cuts or other injuries.  Grooming is not a daily necessity unless you are showing your horse but every couple of days a check for injuries is good practice. Hooves should be cleaned of dirt and debris on a regular basis as well, or they may develop problems with their hooves, if this is neglected.  Basic essentials of the grooming kit are: dandy brush, soft brush, curry comb, hoof pick, mane/tail comb or brush and a sweatscraper.   There are many more items you could add to your grooming kit, but these are the essentials.   

  Your horse will need regular farrier care; typically at 6-8 week intervals they will need their hooves trimmed (some less time, so can go longer).   Yearly vaccinations; consult your vet for recommendations for your region.