Winter Feeding Tips
Our Director of Nutrition, Jane van Lennep BSc., MSc., BHSI (SM Cert)., NPSD., shares advice on how to feed your horse this winter.
Forage first. Make sure your horse always has forage available to eat. Horses generate their heat through fermenting forages in the hindgut. By ensuring your horse has enough hay to eat, you will keep him warm in the coldest weather. Split hay rations into two or three piles spread evenly apart. Encouraging movement will keep your horse exercised, healthier and will help keep joints in good condition.
Split feeding times. Instead of feeding your horse once a day, try to split feeding times to two or even three times a day (if possible!). Horses are used to eating almost constantly.
Check water levels. Monitor your horse's water daily to ensure they are drinking enough and staying hydrated. Break ice on frozen water troughs (use a colander to sift out chunks of ice) and add in a little hot water to tempt your horse to drink. If your horse needs further encouragement still, adding a handful of TopGain , MetaSlim or Simple Balance + can work incredibly well. Soaked forages, such as our Blue Bag Grass Pellets, are a great way to hydrate your horse as well as giving them a nutritious feed.
