Getting feeding right is fundamental to your horse’s health, behaviour, and performance. In the UK, where lush grass, variable hay quality, and a bewildering choice of bagged feeds complicate things, understanding the basics is essential.
The Golden Rule: Forage First
Horses are trickle feeders — their digestive system is designed to process small amounts of fibrous food continuously. The foundation of any diet is forage (grass, hay, or haylage):
- A 500kg horse needs a minimum of 1.5% bodyweight in dry matter from forage daily = approximately 10–12.5kg of hay
- Horses should never go more than 4 hours without forage — extended fasting increases gastric ulcer risk
- For good doers needing restricted intake, use small-holed hay nets (4cm holes) to slow consumption, or soak hay for 30–60 minutes to reduce sugar content
Hay vs Haylage
| Factor | Hay | Haylage |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture | ~15% | ~40–55% |
| Calories | Lower per kg (dry) | Higher per kg — feed ~25% less by weight |
| Dust | Can be dusty — soak or steam | Virtually dust-free — better for respiratory issues |
| Storage | Lasts well if dry (12+ months) | Must use within 3–5 days once opened |
| Cost (2026) | £6–£9/small bale | £10–£15/small bale |
| Best for | Good doers, overweight horses | Poor doers, respiratory issues, veterans |
When Does a Horse Need Hard Feed?
Many UK leisure horses — especially native breeds, cobs, and good doers — don’t need hard feed at all. They maintain weight on forage plus a vitamin/mineral balancer. Hard feed becomes necessary when:
- The horse is in moderate-to-hard work (competing, heavy schooling, hunting)
- The horse is a poor doer struggling to maintain condition
- The horse is elderly with poor teeth and can’t chew hay effectively
- A broodmare in late pregnancy or lactation
Feeding by Workload
| Work Level | Daily Ration (500kg horse) |
|---|---|
| Resting / Light hack | Ad-lib forage + balancer (100g/day). No hard feed needed |
| Moderate (3–4 schooling sessions/week) | Forage + 1–2kg conditioning feed or chaff |
| Hard (competition, hunting, regular jumping) | Forage + 2–4kg performance feed, split into 2–3 meals |
| Very hard (eventing, racing) | Forage + 4–6kg high-energy feed — seek nutritionist advice |
Essential Supplements
Most horses benefit from a broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral balancer (£15–£30/month) to fill gaps in UK forage. Beyond that, targeted supplementation only when there’s a specific need:
| Supplement | When Useful | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Balancer | All horses not receiving recommended amount of compound feed | £15–£30 |
| Joint support (glucosamine, MSM) | Older horses, horses in hard work, post-injury | £20–£40 |
| Hoof supplement (biotin) | Poor hoof quality — needs 6+ months to show effect | £15–£25 |
| Gastric support | Horses prone to ulcers, during travel/competition stress | £30–£50 |
| Electrolytes | Hard work in hot weather, heavy sweating | £10–£15 |
5 Common Feeding Mistakes
- Overfeeding: The #1 mistake in UK horse care. Obesity causes laminitis, EMS, joint stress, and reduced lifespan. If your horse is fat, reduce feed — don’t increase exercise as the primary solution
- Too much hard feed, not enough forage: Hard feed should supplement forage, not replace it. A horse eating 5kg of mix and 3kg of hay has the ratio backwards
- Feeding by the scoop: Always weigh feed. A “scoop” of conditioning mix weighs very differently to a scoop of chaff
- Sudden diet changes: The equine hindgut needs 7–14 days to adapt to new feeds. Sudden changes cause colic, loose droppings, and laminitis risk
- Unnecessary supplements: Stacking multiple supplements wastes money and can cause mineral imbalances. A good balancer covers most bases
When in doubt, most major UK feed brands (Spillers, Dengie, TopSpec, Allen & Page) offer free nutritional helplines where qualified equine nutritionists will design a bespoke diet for your horse — take advantage of them.