Horse Feed Glossary

Learn more about the essential nutrients a horse needs to live a healthy balanced lifestyle in this handy guide to horse feed types.

Glossary of Horse Feed Terms

1.    Minerals – In order to maintain a healthy balanced diet, a horse will need a good blend of phosphorous, salt and calcium. Salt is particularly important in a horse’s diet, and you’ll need to install salt blocks in the stall to allow a horse to re-salinate after losing sweat through exercise. Phosphorous and calcium are essential in maintaining bone and body strength.

2.    Vitamins – As with any organism, vitamins need to be a daily part of an equine diet. Generally, you’ll need to concentrate on integrating Vitamins A and D into daily horse feeds. Check the quality of the hay you provide on a regular basis – this will be the primary source of Vitamin B, so if the hay is in a poor condition, the horse may be missing out on essential vitamins.

3.    Protein – Another essential part of the horse’s regular diet. Feeding horses with proteins rich in amino acids can have a significant impact in maintaining the horse’s health. Linseed oil can be one of the best supplements to provide a horse with insufficient protein levels.

4.    Dry Matter – Put simply, this is the grain and hay that makes up a huge proportion of the horse’s diet. A horse needs substantial access to dry matter; otherwise it may develop a chewing problem that will need training to rectify.

5.    Energy – Always read the packaging of different horse feeds so you are fully informed as to how much energy a brand is providing.