Ask the Nutritionist

With the forage. Establishing what the horse actually eats, how much, and its nutritional content through hay or pasture analysis provides the foundation before concentrates or supplements are considered.

Management generally centers on limiting non-structural carbohydrates, selecting or soaking forage to reduce sugar content, restricting or controlling grazing, using low-starch feeds where additional calories are needed, and pairing dietary change with appropriate exercise where the horse is sound.

A common guideline is 1.5 to 2% of body weight in dry matter per day, adjusted for body condition, workload, and metabolic status. Extended periods without forage are associated with gastric ulceration and behavioral problems.

Consider whether the horse has an identified deficiency or clinical indication, whether the product has published evidence in horses at the dose provided, ingredient transparency, quality assurance, and whether it duplicates nutrients already supplied by the ration.

Dental function often limits long-stem forage, making chopped forage, soaked feeds, or complete feeds valuable. Protein quality, adequate calories, and monitoring for PPID and its metabolic consequences also become more important with age.

Gradually, typically over seven to fourteen days, to allow the hindgut microbiome to adapt. Abrupt change, particularly to high-starch feeds, is a recognized risk factor for colic and laminitis.