Originally posted on Academie Duello’s blog in May 2012
Basic Feeding
First of all, go and re-read this post from January, which covers basic feeding. There is an entire science to equine nutrition, but for Horsemanship level 1 test we ask specifically about:
9. Basic feeding: succulents, grain, roughage & water
And here are the short answers we’re looking for.
1. Water: Horses need to drink between 8 – 12 gallons (40 – 60 litres) a day of clean fresh water.
2. Roughage: A horse should get the bulk of his food from roughage, either by grazing or from hay.
3. Grain: This can be fed whole, crushed, or in processed forms such as pellets or cubes. Not all horses need grain, and too much starch can make a horse too ‘hot’ or can cause laminitis (founder). Typical grains for horses are corn, oats & barley (COB).
4. Succulents: A horse should have either grass or at least some succulent food such as carrots, turnips, beets or apples every day.
Bonus question: What might be another reason, aside from extra calories, for feeding a pelleted complete feed?
Next week: Stabling.
