4 Rules of Properly Feeding Horses on Your Farm

Horses have long been hardy companions during the development of human civilizations, and today they help our farms function. If you have a farm and horses, then make sure you’re taking care of them correctly by following these four rules of properly feeding horses on your farm.

Provide Plenty of Roughage

Horses have a digestive system that requires constant digestion, so they eat a lot of smaller meals throughout the day. Feed them plenty of roughage like grass or hay. However, to avoid parasites like worms, you shouldn’t let them eat off the ground if possible. Instead, provide a hay feeder that’ll keep their food clean and safe. A hay feeder on skids is convenient; you can move it outside or inside depending on the weather.

Introduce Change Slowly

If you ever want to change the feed of your horses or alter when they’re getting fed, then alter it slowly. This is better than suddenly changing it—horses are creatures of habit, so a sudden disruption to their routine can upset their digestive system and lead to colic or founder. Introducing change slowly is an important rule of properly feeding horses on your farm.

Don’t Feed Close To Exercise Time

It’s a general rule for humans that we shouldn’t swim immediately after eating—there’s a similar rule for horses. When a horse is full, there’s less room for their lungs to work, so blood flow is directed away from the digestive organs during periods of exertion. Ideally, wait an hour before exercising or an hour after exercising for your horse to have plenty of time to digest their food. If you intend to put them through a strenuous task, wait for up to three hours.

Stick To a Routine

Horses thrive off routines; their bodies get upset when their routines are disrupted due to their incredibly accurate internal clock. To keep their internal clock on track, be consistent about when, how often, and how much you feed them. Sudden changes might not be too harmful every now and again, but it does put your horse at greater risk for colic.