The diet of choice
Piles of hay, buckets of chaff, apples and carrots — it’s time to let your horse help himself
For a happy, healthy horse, try a cafeteria system
WE ALL KNOW that our horses are meant to eat just about constantly throughout the day, but for many this isn’t a reality. Your horse’s evening haynet lasts just a few hours, then he’s got nothing to munch on until the next day. This isn’t healthy, but there’s a workable alternative called cafeteria feeding, as nutritionist Nikki Meggison explains.
Cafeteria system explained
“Cafeteria-style feeding isn’t complicated,” explains Nikki. “It’s basically providing your horse with a selection of forage feeds to pick at, giving him some control over what he eats and when. It works equally well whether he’s in the stable or out in the field.” If your horse is turned out with others, they’ll all need to be on the same system, so check that the forages you’re feeding are suitable for all, and always put out more piles of forage (or buckets of processed forages and soaked nuts) than there are horses, otherwise they may tussle over it. Spread out the feeds as much as you can too, to give them plenty of room. “Most horses in a small, established herd will have no problems with this, although for you it does make it more difficult to know exactly what your horse has eaten and how much,” says Nikki.
The benefits of ‘help yourself’
For horses that are stabled, particularly for long periods, this method of feeding helps to enrich their surroundings by encouraging natural foraging. “Rations can be split by feeding some hay from the floor, as well as hanging two or three haynets in different spots in the stable,” says Nikki. “Not only does this help to satisfy your horse’s natural instincts, it extends his forage eating time as he’ll be moving around while he eats — and that’s what he’s designed to do.” Feeding this way also helps the digestive system to work as it should. (Read our feature about the digestive system on p72).
Mix it up
Try feeding succulents too, such as carrots, apples, turnips, beets and soaked sugar beet. “They all have a high water content, so they add hydration into your horse’s diet,” explains Nikki. “They’ll also boost the appetite of fussy eaters or those recovering from illness. Don’t overdo it and cut them into a size and shape your horse can tackle easily, then hide them in his hay for him to find.” Making a vegetable kebab is another good way to feed succulents. Horses and ponies love them. Veggie kebabs help to keep your horse occupied, so they’re particularly useful if he has to spend a lot of time stabled.
“Succulents have a high water content, so they add hydration into your horse’s diet”