Just grazing or feeding a horse a diet of hay alone will not provide them with the proper nutrition they need. Horses require six fundamental classes of nutrients to live healthy lives:
- Water: a horse deprived of water can only live around 5 days. Since water keeps the fibre moving through a horse’s digestive system, dehydration can cause him to suffer from colic or other life-threatening conditions like kidney failure.
- Fats: fat is an excellent and easily digestible source of energy. Fat in a horse’s diet can also provide increased endurance, lower the risk of starch-related illnesses such as colic and laminitis, provide greater heat tolerance in warm climates and give a horse a healthy, shiny coat, mane and tail.
- Carbohydrates: the main method of carbohydrate consumption for horses is by eating plants like grasses. The cecum and colon of the horse contain microorganisms that can break down structural carbohydrates into an energy source that the horse can absorb.
- Protein: proteins are the most demanding energy source for the horse to digest and switch to usable energy. Protein needs for growth and good health vary depending on the age and workload of the horse. Growing horses need a higher percentage of protein than mature horses.
- Vitamins: are extremely important and are divided into two categories: the water-soluble group comprises the B-complex vitamins (e.g., B1, B2) and the fat-soluble group comprises vitamins A, E, D and K. Deficiencies in these vitamins can lead to various health problems.
- Minerals: while most horses get most of their nutrients from pasture and grain, many may not be receiving the mineral nutrition required for optimum health. If your horse does not receive enough minerals, it may be necessary to supplement his forage diet by feeding a balancer to ensure his diet contains the needed vitamins, minerals, and protein.
