Feeding and Nutrition Part II – Equine Diet

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture on equine feeding and nutrition.

Forage (Roughage)

Plant material such as hay or grass; should make up at least 50 % of a horse’s total diet and never drop below 1 % of body weight per day.

Concentrate

Energy-dense feed such as grains or commercial mixes; used to increase calories when higher energy is required.

Supplement (Equine)

Prepared vitamin, mineral or protein product added when forage and concentrates do not meet specific nutritional needs.

Legume Hay

Hay made from legumes (alfalfa, clover); higher in protein, calcium and energy than grass hays but often has an imbalanced Ca:P ratio.

Grass Hay

Hay made from grasses (timothy, brome, fescue, coastal Bermuda, orchard, Kentucky); generally lower protein and calcium than legume hay.

Hay

Cut, dried, and baled grasses/legumes; most nutritious when harvested before seed heads mature; color, smell and texture indicate quality.

Haylage

Fermented grass sealed in airtight plastic bags; must stay sealed to prevent mold and spoilage.

Straw / Chaff

Low-nutrient fibrous material used mainly as filler, to slow eating, or as bedding.

Beet Pulp

Fibrous by-product high in vitamin E; used as a forage substitute or extender.

Oats

Most popular grain for horses; lower digestible energy, higher fiber, forms loose stomach mass, highly palatable and digestible.

Corn (Maize)

Second most palatable grain; twice the energy of oats, very low fiber, easy to overfeed; moldy corn is toxic.

Barley

Grain often cracked for digestibility; commonly fed in a corn-oat-barley (COB) mix.

Wheat Bran

By-product high in phosphorus with mild laxative effect; fed as bran mash rather than whole wheat grain.

Pelleted Feed

Commercial feed ground and formed into pellets; consistent quality, easy to chew, less waste, higher cost.

Sweet Feed (US) / Coarse Mix (UK)

Loose grain mix bound with molasses to reduce dust and improve palatability.

Extruded Feed ("Nuts" UK)

Heat-processed, expanded pellets; very digestible and easy to chew.

Soybean Meal

Common 44 % crude-protein supplement providing high-quality essential amino acids.

Easy Keeper (Good Doer)

Horse that maintains weight on minimal feed; prone to obesity and related health issues if over-fed.

Hard Keeper (Poor Doer)

Horse that requires more feed to maintain condition and may stay thin.

Non-Structural Carbohydrates (NSC)

Sugars and starches (e.g., fructans); excess intake linked to laminitis and EPSM.

Laminitis

Painful inflammation of hoof laminae often triggered by sugar or starch overload in the diet.

Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (EPSM)

Muscle disorder linked to high dietary NSC; managed by low-starch, high-fat diets.

Impaction Colic

Digestive blockage often prevented by adequate forage, water and use of bulky grains like oats.

Peptic Ulcer (Equine)

Gastric ulceration found in ~90 % of horses fed high-grain rations.

Exertional Rhabdomyolysis (Tying Up)

Muscle breakdown precipitated by full grain ration followed by work or electrolyte imbalances; also called azoturia or Monday-morning sickness.

Colic

General term for abdominal pain; risk factors include sudden diet change, irregular feeding, or insufficient water.

Choke (Equine)

Esophageal obstruction from un-chewed feed, fast eating, dental issues, or limited water; breathing not blocked.

Legume vs. Grass Nutrient Difference

Legumes contain more protein, calcium and energy than grasses; grass hays are lower protein and more balanced Ca:P.

Complete Feed

Commercial pelleted ration formulated to supply all nutrients, though some additional hay or pasture is still recommended.

Water Access Requirement

Horses should never be deprived of water for more than 4 hours; limited sips after strenuous work until cooled.

Lipemia (Ponies)

Excess blood fat seen in obese or fasting ponies; linked to their efficient feed utilization.

Equine Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity-related metabolic disorder common in ponies and easy keepers; diet should be low sugar, high fiber.

Feed Storage

All feed must be kept dry, rodent-free, and uncontaminated; hay under cover, concentrates in secured bins to avoid mold and botulism.

Hierarchical Feeding Behavior

Dominant horses eat and drink first; feed separately or space apart to reduce competition.

Osteochondrosis (OCD)

Developmental joint disease in young horses linked to overfeeding and improper Ca:P ratio.

Recurrent Airway Obstruction (Heaves)

Chronic allergic bronchitis caused mainly by moldy or dusty feed; signs include wheezing and coughing.

Monday Morning Sickness

Colloquial term for exertional rhabdomyolysis occurring after rest on full ration followed by work.

Ca:P Ratio

Balance of calcium to phosphorus; improper ratios, often from legume hays or wheat bran, contribute to growth disorders.

Mineral / Salt Block

Simple supplement providing essential minerals; usually sufficient when combined with quality forage and water.

Grain Feeding Limit

Concentrates should not exceed 1 % of body weight per day and be split into at least two meals.

Forage Minimum

Provide at least 1 % of body weight in forage daily (½ lb per 100 lb) to maintain gut function and grazing behavior.

Daily Forage Intake Guideline

Adult horses typically consume 2–2.5 % of body weight in dry matter; foals <6 months may eat 2–4 %.