Cross Breeds

How much should i feed my horse?

I live in central oklahoma, and i am getting an 8yo thoroughbred ex-race horse. I have about 4 acres of pasture for him. He will work an hour to hour and a half a day. what should he eat during the summer and winter? and any other tips would be appriciated! thanks

Public Comments

1. If there is plenty of grass in the paddock you have for him, you shouldn't have to feed hay for a while. If you put him up at night, give him 2-3 flakes of hay and plenty of water. Check his stall in the morning to see if he has eaten all of his hay. If not, reduce the amount by 1 flake. If you are exercising him regularly, you may want to add a scoop of feed once or twice a day. If he's chunky or fat, just give him 1 scoop a day. We use a sweet feed. During the winter give him 2-4 flakes of hay 2 times a day and watch his weight. You don't want him to lose weight during the winter. We use a grass hay, as it doesn't make our horses too hot. You might consider an alfalfa blend or timothy if you want. Make sure he has a salt block in his field, especially in the summer. This is very important. You can add a mineral block, too, but defintely have a salt block for him. We ride our horses very regularly and at times for up to 8 hours at a time. We put powder electrolytes in their water trough during the summer to keep their electrolytes balanced. The object is to keep the horse at a healthy weight, not too ribby, but not fat. I hope this helps!