Horses are herbivores, so there is only food of plant origin.
On the outside, they eat 20 hours a day because their stomach volume is small enough and they prefer to eat often, but little by little. In captivity (especially when kept in a stable), horses do not have free access to natural food, so their diet needs to be carefully planned.
Not so long ago (twenty years ago) horse breeders only gave horses grass, oats and hay. At present, the diet of these animals is engaged in a separate industry, combining scientific laboratories and powerful production complexes. Nowadays feeding these animals is an independent science.
As well as people, horses differ from each other by their character, physique, and other individual features. Therefore, each individual needs a certain amount of feed and a certain diet.
Its composition should not only provide the animal's body with necessary nutrients but also vitamins and minerals necessary for normal development. In addition, the composition of the diet is influenced by the intensity and scope of practical use of the animal. The basis of the diet of domestic horses are coarse fodder and concentrates. What do wild horses eat in their natural habitat?
Nutrition of wild horses
The diet of horses in the wild is obvious - grass and other available vegetation.
In summer they eat fresh herbs and in winter they eat dry remains of vegetation, often hidden by snow. Despite the fact that this is quite enough for a normal life, wild horses live much less than domestic ones. This is due to the constant struggle for existence and dependence on natural conditions (drought, heavy snowfalls, etc.).
The diet of wild horses depends on their habitats.
If the climatic conditions of their region are difficult and severe, they eat not only grass but also leaves and branches of trees. Hungry wild horses can also eat bark. There are plenty of juicy vegetation in the fertile southern steppes and forest steppes, and there are no problems with green fodder.
Feeding domestic horses
For a long time, these animals were the main draught force and means of transport, which influenced their diet.
Hard work in agriculture and in transporting various cargoes required a large amount of energy, which horses had to receive with food. Under such conditions, there was little grass and hay, and their diets were supplemented with grain and flour products to ensure the full recovery of the energy consumed by the animals.
A separate topic is the nutrition of sports horses. Nowadays sports horse breeding is the main direction of this branch, as horses are not used nowadays in the army, agriculture, and transport. Horses participating in equestrian sports competitions required concentrated forage with increased nutrition, such as bran, mixed fodder, and various mineral and vitamin supplements.
The diet of horses intended for sports also changes depending on the period of training or competition. In this connection, there is no ready optimal composition of feed for all occasions.
The basis of the diet of domestic horses is formed:
- cereals (oats, barley);
- Hay;
- Fresh herbs;
- Various roots (carrots, zucchini, beetroot);
- Concentrated feed;
- Mixed feed;
- vitamin and mineral additives.
Dietary composition
All types of feed can be divided into bulk and concentrated feeds. The first are hay, grass, straw, and other plant foods. The second is grain, grain products, and mixed fodder.
Volumetric feed, in turn, is divided into:
- Rough (straw and hay);
- juicy (fresh herbs and haylage).
Concentrates are bran, grain, root vegetables, mixed fodder, and additives.
Both groups differ in their energy and nutritional value.
It is worth saying that animals cannot be fed with concentrates alone. Bulk feeds (especially coarse fodder) contain fiber, which improves digestion and increases the digestibility of nutrients. Therefore, in any diet, the share of volume group feeds should be at least 60 percent (up to 80 percent with easy work of the horse), and the share of concentrated feeds should not exceed 40 percent.
Singing horses
Speaking of the basic principles of feeding these animals, it is necessary to mention their singing. They drink a lot of water, up to 60 liters a day.
Therefore, access to clean and freshwater should be constant. This can be done in two ways: either by constantly adding water to the water at certain times or by installing sawmills. The second option is most often used in large horse farms.
In conclusion, I would like to say that the selection of a diet is important and responsible, so at first, it is best for beginners to seek advice from experienced horse breeders and veterinarians.