Horse Feed & Forage Calculator
Calculate daily forage and concentrate requirements for horses based on weight, workload, and body condition score.
Horse Feeding Guide
The 2.5% Rule
Total daily intake (forage + concentrates): typically 2-2.5% of body weight by dry matter. A 500kg horse: needs approximately 10-12.5kg dry matter per day. Most should be forage — minimum 1.5% bodyweight in forage (7.5kg for 500kg horse). Horses evolved to graze 16-18 hours per day. Long feeding gaps (more than 4 hours) cause ulcers, stereotypies (crib-biting, weaving), and digestive issues. Ad lib forage is ideal where laminitis/obesity not a concern. For overweight horses: soak hay 12 hours (r
Forage Types
Hay: traditional dried grass. Quality varies enormously. Should be sweet-smelling, green-brown, free of dust and mould. Late-cut hay: lower nutrition (better for easy keepers and laminitics). Early-cut: higher protein and sugar (for hard-working horses or thin ones). Haylage: partially dried, ensiled grass. Higher moisture (35-50%). Lower dust (good for respiratory issues). Higher energy. Open bale must be used within 5-7 days. Straw: bedding-grade can be fed sparingly to good doers for low-calo
Laminitis Prevention
Laminitis: inflammation of the laminae in the hoof. Extremely painful, often catastrophic. Major triggers: high sugar/starch intake (spring/autumn grass, cereal-based concentrates). Obesity. Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) — insulin resistance. PPID (Cushing's disease) in older horses. High-risk breeds: native ponies (Welsh, Shetland, New Forest, Dartmoor, Exmoor). Cobs. Iberian breeds. Prevention: restrict grass access (track systems, grazing muzzles, dry lot in spring/autumn). Maintain ideal b
Concentrates
Concentrates: cereal-based or fibre-based hard feeds. Used to supplement when forage cannot meet energy requirements. Light work: usually no concentrates needed if good forage. Moderate work: 0.5-1.5kg/day depending on horse. Heavy work: 2-4kg/day, split into 2-3 meals (never more than 2kg per meal — small stomach). Types: oats, barley, maize (cereals — high starch, hot). Sugar beet (high energy, slow release, soaked). Linseed (high oil, good for shine and weight gain). Balancers: low-calorie nu
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