Feeding tips for Horses

Who doesn't like filling their belly?! Especially at Christmas time! Well, one of the key aspects involved in keeping horses, especially over the winter period is how to properly feed your horse, in order to maintain a healthy weight and stay properly nourished, glowing and full of beans!

At Tic Tac Equestrian, we've compiled a few handy hints and tips, perfect for first-time buyers and horse enthusiasts of all ages. Some of these tips are generally just common sense, but better same than sorry when it comes to proper Horse care! 

First off, one thing to remember is that the horse, by its very nature is a grazing animal and is more or less built to eat almost constantly throughout each day, around 18 out of 24 hours. With that basic fact in mind, there are a few little rules to remember when feeding your horse. 


Feeding tips and rules to remember

Feed little and often - by ensuring a constant passage of food through the digestive system, the horse's natural feeding patterns will be replicated, ensuring proper digestion. 

Remember your roughage - adding hay, grass and haylage ensures, also helps to maintain steady, natural digestion.

Always feed depending on size of horse and workload - Horses that are heavily worked will require much more energy in their diet, not to mention more food. Feeding these kinds of horses too much or too little food will result in unwanted fluctuations in weight. 

Don't make any sudden dietary changes - The Bacteria in a horse's large intestine are vital in the break down of food and they need time to adapt to any changes in diet. Doing this too suddenly can cause some bacteria to die, producing poisons and sometimes even lead to metabolic disorders.

Feed at the same times every day - Horses, like many of their owners, are creatures of habit and thrive on regularity, so be sure to bear this in mind when compiling a feeding schedule.

Wait a while after feeding before undertaking fast work - Working a horse too hard on a full stomach can potentially put pressure on the lungs and affect breathing. It can also impair digestion. 

And finally, provide a constant supply of fresh water