What is the Distinction Between Hay and Horse Feed?
Short Answer: Is Hay the Same as Horse Feed? No. Hay and horse feed are related, but they are not the same. Hay is a roughage and the foundation of most horses’ diets. Horse feed is usually a concentrate or a specially formulated ration made to add essential nutrients, calories, or support for a specific need. In other words: hay provides the long-stem roughage that keeps the digestive system working properly, while horse feed is used to cover nutrition
Why hoof health starts with the right horse feed Healthy hooves start well before the farrier trims a foot. It begins with nutrition , and the caliber of your horse feed has a major impact on hoof soundness , hoof growth , and overall hoof strength . Hoof horn is made primarily of keratin , a structural protein that depends on a steady supply of amino acids , minerals, and digestible fuel. If the diet is missing the proper building blocks, the hoof capsule
Feed for Horses for Healthy Digestion: Which to Choose and Why It Matters
Choosing the right horse feed is one of the best methods to maintain digestive health . A horse’s digestive system is built for near-constant intake of forage , with the foregut and hindgut working best when fibre is supplied regularly. The incorrect feed can disturb the gut microbiome , reduce digestibility , and heighten the risk of discomfort, poor condition, and digestive upset. This article outlines how feed choices affect gut health , which
What Are Main Types of Horse Feed? Picking horse feed starts with understanding the major types of horse feed and what each one is meant to do. The ideal option depends on your horse’s age, workload, body condition, dental health, forage intake, and overall equine nutrition goals. A lot of feeding programs are built around forage first, then a concentrate or supplemental ration if needed. At a high level, horse diets usually are divided into a few categori
Choosing the Horse Feed Is Right for Senior Horses in 2026?
How do changes affect a senior horse’s nutrition needs? As they grow senior horses get older, their nutritional needs often vary in ways that affect body condition, appetite, and overall wellbeing. The best horse feed for an older horse is rarely the same as the one that worked in younger years. Ageing can reduce digestible fibre use, lower digestibility , and make it harder to maintain weight and topline. That is why equine nutrition for older horses focuses
The ideal horse feed for show jumping horses is one that supports slow-release energy, digestive health, stamina and muscle recovery without making the horse keen, fizzy or uncomfortable. In practice, that typically means a forage-first diet centered on good-quality forage, controlled starch levels, enough digestible fibre, and a targeted concentrate or balancer tailored to workload, temperament and condition. There is no single ideal horse feed for every jumper. A horse
Horse Feed for Soaked Fiber Blocks: A Practical Guide
What Are Soaked Roughage Chunks? Soaked roughage cubes are a form of horse feed designed to be prepared with water before serving. They are typically made from shredded and packed fibre sources such as hay, alfalfa, grass, and other plant materials, creating a substantial, easy-to-masticate feed option. For many owners, they sit between straight forage and a concentrated bucket feed, making them a useful part of a carefully balanced feeding programme. As with other ty
How to Pick Horse Feed for Supporting Body Condition
What body condition means in horses Selecting the right horse feed starts with understanding what body condition actually means in practice. A horse may weigh the same on the scales but still have very different levels of muscle tone , fat cover and overall condition . That is why the body condition score is such a useful tool. It lets you assess whether the horse is carrying too little, too much, or just the right amount of tissue over the ribs, neck, shoulder