Putting together a feeding regime for a horse or pony can be a daunting task, especially for novice owners. However, it is an essential part of their daily care and something that should not be taken lightly. What and how the horse is fed has a massive impact on its body condition, performance and mental state. An equine that is receiving a balanced, nutritious diet will have healthy skin, a shiny coat, his ribs will be covered but not buried under layers of fat, and he will be happy in himself. At the other end of the scale, horses not being fed correctly can face problems such as weight loss, dull coats, brittle, shelly or diseased hooves, skin diseases, lameness, loss of appetite, bad behaviour, poor performance, wind sucking, laminitis, colic, insulin resistance, bacterial infections and long recovery times after viral diseases. Developmental disorders might also be seen in foals and young horses that are still growing.

The most natural food source for the horse is grass. It is the best food for them as this is what their digestive systems evolved to eat and it contains so many of the things that their body needs to function effectively, including fibre, protein, carbohydrates, fat, minerals and vitamins. Consequently, it makes sense to check that the pasture they are turned out on every day is of high enough quality. There are companies that will take and test grass, hay and soil samples for nutrient content. Testing is not costly and can tell the owner whether there are enough nutrients in their pasture alone or whether their horse actually needs additional supplementation. Even if someone is blessed with good pasture it is important to maintain it by removing droppings and rotating the horses through different paddocks. It does not take long for a field to become overgrazed and sour, which will result in it providing less and less of the nutrients required.

Unfortunately, most horse and pony owners aren’t able to rely on their paddocks alone, particularly if they have competition horses, pregnant and nursing mares, or growing youngsters. In these cases, a good concentrate feed will be needed. Concentrates include grains, sweet feed, and manufactured feeds. It is possible to buy bags of feed specially formulated for every stage of a horse's life from creep feed for foals to feed for senior equines. It is vital to remember that feeding too much of this type of food can cause huge problems, including obesity, laminitis and growth issues in foals, and that the bulk of the diet should come in the form of hay and grass. It is important to follow any guidelines that have been provided by the manufacturer and to feed according to the horse’s type, age, weight, health and workload. Most feed companies are more than happy to answer questions and to give advice regarding feeding plans so it can be well worth a horse owner giving them a call if they are not sure about what types of feed to use and in what quantities. Vets and professional equine nutritionists will also be able to help.

When it comes to how horses are fed, owners should bear in mind that equines are grazing animals with small stomachs so they should be fed little and often. Break feeds up into as many meals as possible to give them a better chance of digesting their food.

Along with the obvious feedstuffs, there are a number of other elements of the diet that should not be overlooked. Horses consume 5 to 10 gallons of water a day and should always have access to a fresh, clean supply. Automatic waterers are available for stables and paddocks, which make the job much easier. Otherwise, tubs or troughs will have to be used and the water level checked daily. All containers should be cleaned and scrubbed out regularly to prevent the build up of any dirt and grime that could make the water unpalatable and unhealthy for the horse. Along with a water trough, many owners also leave a mineralised salt block in the field. This allows the horse to consume salt and minerals whenever they are required.

If an owner takes a few simple horse feed rules into consideration, they will be able to enjoy a horse blooming with health that, assuming it has an equally good fitness regime, will be able to cope with whatever they ask of it and will be happy and healthy for many years to come.