askHELTIE HELTIEhorse® # The ideal feeding schedule for horses with limited hay

# The ideal feeding schedule for horses with limited hay

Giving limited or unlimited roughage to your horse is still a topic of much debate. Some horses do fine on unlimited roughage, but there are also horses that become way too fat. Often, this is not due to the amount of roughage, but to the nutritional value of the roughage. As a horse owner, you cannot always change this and have to deal with the feed that is available (at the boarding stable).

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Digestion

Feeding

3 October '23 • 4 min reading time

Hay high in sugars

In recent years, we are seeing more and more issues with feeding unlimited roughage. The hay in the Netherlands is very high in sugar due to the dry/warm summers, with percentages around 15% becoming almost normal, whereas it is preferred to have them under 8% and even under 5% for horses sensitive to sugars.

Due to the high sugar percentages, horses easily gain weight, develop health issues, and unlimited feeding becomes a risk. Of course, roughage is more than just hay! Roughage also includes branches, herbs, straw, etc. So, unlimited roughage is possible for all horses, but unlimited hay is not always recommended!

Stomach should not remain empty for too long

The stomach of a horse is extremely sensitive and vulnerable. Horses continuously produce stomach acid, which can only be neutralized with saliva. The digestion of horses is so unique that saliva is only produced during chewing movements. A horse that does not eat will not produce saliva while the stomach continues to produce stomach acid. If the stomach remains empty for too long, stomach ulcers can easily develop because the stomach acid splashes against the stomach wall and damages the gastric mucosa. It is always advised not to leave a horse without food for longer than 4 hours, but this is already too long. We recommend never leaving a horse without food for longer than 2 hours.

Read more about the anatomy and function of the horse's stomach in this blog.

Offer other types of roughage

As mentioned before, there is more than just hay as roughage. If your horse cannot have unlimited hay, offer other forms of roughage. Your horse might not like it as much, but it will naturally start eating it to fill its stomach and neutralize the stomach acid. Consider barley straw, grass seed hay, branches, and various herbs.

Mixing straw and hay can also help, as it slows down the eating process, making a horse take longer to eat its portion of hay.

Slow down hay intake

Horses naturally eat little by little. They eat very slowly and continuously throughout most of the day. Putting a pile of hay works against this natural behavior because the horse does not have to "work" for its hay and eats it in much too large bites. A horse can finish 2kg of hay in a loose pile in no time, but if you put it in a hay net with 3x3cm holes, the horse will take much longer to eat it. It is better to spread the feeding sessions throughout the day, so the horse is not without food for long periods. Never give large horses hay in hay nets with holes smaller than 3x3cm! This only causes frustration and stress, increasing the risk of food aggression and stomach ulcers.

How much hay should a horse eat per day?

A horse should consume about 2% of its body weight in hay per day, considering that hay has a dry matter content of approximately 85%.

So, for a 500 kg horse, it would be about: 500*2% = 10 kg DM, which translates to almost 12 kg of hay.

Never feed less than 1.5% of the body weight! While veterinarians and therapists often recommend 1%, it is really too little. A horse will lose weight, but it is more detrimental because the stomach will remain empty for too long, digestion will not proceed properly, and the horse will not receive enough essential nutrients. Even if your horse needs to lose weight, 1.5% is the minimum. You should aim for leaner hay combined with more exercise.

The ideal schedule with limited hay

In this example, we consider a 500 kg horse at a healthy weight, allowed to eat 2% of its body weight in hay (dry matter) per day and without access to pasture. This horse would then receive 12 kg of hay per day.

We recommend providing the hay in hay nets with holes of 3x3cm. Throughout the day, the horse can have 4 servings of 3 kg of hay. This means a new portion every 6 hours. We understand that this may be difficult to achieve, especially if we need to get our own rest at night. Therefore, you could hang a hay net with barley straw in it for the night. The horse can then eat from that, along with some branches for instance.

A schedule could look like this:

  • 7.00 am: 3 kg of hay
  • 12.00 pm: 3 kg of hay
  • 5.00 pm: 3 kg of hay
  • 10.00 pm: 3 kg of hay + hay net with barley straw/grass seed hay

During the day, it is also advisable to provide other sources of roughage to ensure the horse is never (long) without roughage and always has something to do. You can also offer extra barley straw and/or branches during the day to keep the horse nibbling.

If you are away a lot during the day and cannot provide additional feeding, there are various feeding systems available nowadays where hay is available every few minutes and then not for a few minutes. This allows horses to eat throughout the day without overeating.

Feel free to ask for advice!

We understand that every situation is different and that it can be difficult to navigate through all the information available. If you would like to discuss or receive specific advice for your situation, feel free to contact us, we are happy to help!

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