Feed Management

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Feed Management

Horse feeding from a Stable Grazer Generation II automatic horse feeder With today’s busy lifestyles it’s getting more and more difficult to manage our horse’s feeding schedules. Few horses have the freedom to graze acres of grassland like nature intended. In fact many horses are kept in a small area only being brought out for exercise or riding. A large percentage of these horses are only fed twice a day. This leaves the horse with several hours per day with nothing to eat. A horse’s digestive system is not designed to work this way. In fact the way in which feed our horses may be a contributing factor with many health issues or stall vices.

The articles and links below are for your convenience. We believe that as you read through them you will begin to see the importance of feeding smaller meals, more often.

Equine Feeding Management

The How & When of Feeding Horses

Reprinted by permission from the University of Kentucky - College of Agriculture ASC-143
Laurie Lawrence, Department of Animal Sciences

HOW and WHEN a horse is fed may be just as important as what a horse is fed.

Providing horses with good nutrition is essential for normal growth, reproduction and performance. Horses should receive feeds that are adequate but not excessive in required nutrients. However, just providing the right feeds is often not enough to ensure that horses are receiving optimal nutrition. HOW and WHEN a horse is fed may be just as important as what a horse is fed. The HOW of horse feeding includes the type of feeding system used (group or individual). The WHEN of horse feeding includes the number and timing of meals that a horse receives. Good feeding management should encourage adequate consumption of feed and limit wastage. In addition, good feeding management should promote the safety and well being of horses.

Feed Management Links

As we browse the internet we repeatedly find articles that support our belief that horses need to be fed smaller meals, more often, to promote good health. The links provided for you below are for your convenience only. We are not suggesting that the authors or owners of these websites in any way, approve of, or endorse Stable Grazer automatic hay feeders.

It is our goal to provide you with as much information as possible so that you can come to your own conclusion. We believe that as you read through the linked articles below you will begin to see what seems to be a common factor with many of the health issues we have with our horses today. And that is the way in which we feed our horses.

We will be adding more links as time goes on, so if you're not yet convinced, check back often to see if any new links have been added.
- Feeding Management for Horse Owners
  North Dakota State University - Extension Service - Feeding Management for Horse Owners - "Recommended feeding management of horses differs from that of other domestic livestock, primarily because of differences in digestive anatomy and physiology."