Top Treats, Supplements & Feed to Keep Your Horse Performing Well
01/06/2019 | Horse Care | No Comments
If you love your horse, you want to give them the best. Horses, like humans, place a priority on food. If you want to shower your best friend with love the right way, you have to give them the best available.
From treats to feed, we know that a horse’s heart is in its stomach. If you have that special horse who deserves the best, then you should check out the following on how to treat (and feed) them like they deserve.
Treats
As a horse owner, you know that horses just won’t stop eating. They are biologically designed to eat small amounts on a consistent basis. Most fruits and vegetables are both excellent and safe choices to give as treats to your favorite pal. For example bananas, carrots, pumpkins, strawberries, and snow peas are safe options.
Not all vegetables are safe. Avoiding onions, cabbage, and tomatoes is smart. Essentially, you don’t want to feed them anything that causes intestinal gas — also, anything from the nightshade family of vegetables.
For a list of non-fruit/vegetable based treats, check out this great list from wideopenpets. Be sure to chop your fruits and veggies into small pieces before feeding them to your horse. Your horse may very well try to swallow a single fruit, whole!
Supplements
Nutrition is key! It is one of the most important factors in your horse’s health and happiness. It’s important to keep their diet balanced so that they can maintain their strength and stamina.
Adding supplements to your horse’s diet can make a difference, but it’s important to understand what your horse needs.
What kind of supplements does your horse need? Well, thegearhunt does an excellent job of breaking down ten different supplements for horses. It’s a good start pointing for your research, and for making your horse a happier animal.
Feed
Like humans, different horses require different feed. This can depend on the breed, age, and gender. The foundation of an equine’s diet should always be forage. When you feed your horse a concentrate, like a pellet or grain, it should be done to make up for an absence of nutrition.
A forage that is sufficient for a geriatric horse will probably not be enough for a sports horse. Again, different horses have varying nutritional requirements.
Keep in mind that horses are continuously feeding, and will eat for up to 14 to 20 hours a day depending on the amount of time they are given to eat. Here, you can find a comprehensive guide on what feed and concentrate on feeding your equine.
The nutritional requirements of your horse will vary with age, season, and even mood! The best way to keep them satisfied is to feed them well. You will learn with time what your horses loves and dislikes. They will eat just about anything! Hopefully, this serves as a brief overview of how feed, treats, and supplements can impact your horse’s wellbeing.