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Although you might feel this is a easy thing to perform - feed your horse - you'd be shocked at the quantity of horse owners that don't know the fundamentals.  There is no actual rule of thumb for feeding, as each horse's dietary needs will vary depending on age, weight and level of activity.

To start out with, your horse naturally uses forage as being a primary component of their diets. It is likely one of the Main necessities for a correctly working digestive system. When we speak of forage, we usually mean natural pasture and cut hay.

Mature horses ordinarily eat almost 2 to 2.5 percent of their body weight in feed every day. So a one thousand pound horse will consume approximately 20 to 25 lbs of feed a day. Therefore high quality feed, not low quality high fibre feed (that may interfere with proper digestion).

In a perfect pasture world, your horse ought to eat a minimum of 1 percent of its body mass in hay/pasture fodder every day. In case your horse does not do much work, they will do well on strictly forage, with no grain introduced in.  On the other hand, developing, in breed, or working horses need dietary supplements in combination with forage - for example grain or perhaps a supplemental concentrate.  Imagine it this way, forages ought to offer at least one half or more of the whole weight of the feed consumed every day for maximum growth and development.

Before you can feed a balanced "meal" to your horse, it's a must to be aware of the nutrient content and quality of the forage. Once you know that, you can work out the correct amounts of each to fulfill nutrient requirements.

The very best resource, and the least costly one for summer feed is your pasture.  And, typically good pasture by itself can offer all the nutritional needs your horse needs.  How can you determine the amount of pasture is needed to give food to a horse?  Here's a rough and ready guideline that can assist you: (using a weight of 1,000 - 1,200 lbs)

Mare and foal 1.75 to 2 acres
Yearlings 1.5 to 2 acre
Weanlings 0.5 to 1 acre

Wintry weather feed naturally would be cut hay, and again, premium if you can find it.  It ought to be cut early, be leafy and green in color and as free as achievable of dirt, moulds, weeds and stubble.  This feed is often abundant with protein, minerals and natural vitamins.

Yes, it's possible to use alfalfa hay, but take care about the higher protein contents if you are feeding to young developing horses, as it could contain an unnecessary amount of calcium in relationship to phosphorus.  Too much calcium isn't good for rising horses.  If you're not positive about hay quality, have it analyzed.

If you're browsing for horses for sale or ponies for sale, please visit the Horse and Pony Directory.

When looking for horses for sale, there are a few factors which are worth considering to make the buying process run smoothly, and to make sure you end up with your desired horse.

• No horse is perfect – just make sure that the one you buy has niggles that you can live with and that won’t affect your enjoyment.
• Bring an experienced rider along, someone who is aware of your capabilities and strengths. Ideally take someone experienced who is able to spot whether the horse is lame or any illnesses. Or even your instructor who can tell if the selected horse is suitable for your style of riding – your level of skill and confidence.
• Always check the horse’s papers and passport.  Remember the passport is not proof that the horse is owned by the seller so ask if there is a receipt to prove purchase. It is unlwful to buy or sell a horse that don't have a passport.
• Find out if all vaccinations are up to date. A new course of innoculations can cost a lot of money and can take months to come into effect if you wish to compete.  It will not go down well if you move a horse to another horse if it brings illness along as well.
• Once a decision is made, ask a qualified vet to carry out the highest inspection that you can buy. Don't rush or be pressured into purchasing if you feel you need the horse examined by your vet.
• Try to watch the horse or pony carrying out the trials you would like it to do. Retraining a horse adds considerably to the total cost if you are unable to do this on your own.
• Try to negotiate a trial period during which the horse can be sent back if it is not suitable.
• Always be realistic when looking to buy a young horse, do you have the necessary experience to bring it on. At the other end of the scale a more mature horse may just have the stability and experience to give you confidence and help you learn you the ropes.
• Don’t feel you have to buy the first one you see and don’t be pursuaded by the many other people just waiting to buy the horse if you don’t – more than likely this is just a ploy to rush you to make an impulse buy. Take your time when buying a horse.
• As soon as the sale is completed take out insurance on the horse before you consider transporting it.  The majority of injuries happen in transit or settling a new horse into a new yard with new companions.
• Trust your instinct – if you believe the seller is concealing something from you then they probably will be.
• Remember that your horse is a huge investment of both your time and your money – so make sure you have considered a budget for every future expense that you are likely to encounter.

Finally, have fun with your new horse and enjoy many hours horse riding together! Click here to find horses for sale online!